First sightings of the pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata), one of the world’s rarest delphinids, in the Azores

The pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) is among the globally rarest delphinid species, typically occurring in offshore tropical and subtropical waters. Its distribution in the North Atlantic remains poorly understood and is largely based on isolated sightings and stranding events. In Europe, the species conservation status has been classified as “Not Applicable” under regional IUCN assessments. Within Macaronesia, records are limited to sporadic sightings in Madeira, the Canary Islands, and Cabo Verde. Here, we report the first three records of pygmy killer whales from the Azores, all of which occurred in early summer 2024 during whale-watching trips. Encounters took place on 20 June off the north coast of São Miguel Island, on 25 June south of Pico Island, and on 2 July south of São Miguel Island, each involving a pod of similar size (20–30 individuals). Individuals exhibited characteristically frenetic and elusive behaviour, limiting detailed assessments of group structure and photo-identification. The first sighting provided photographic confirmation of species identification, additionally documenting characteristic calf facial pigmentation. Although photographic documentation was limited during subsequent encounters, combined visual observations and supporting evidence provide strong confidence in species identification. Given the scarcity of verified records at higher latitudes, these sightings may represent the northernmost confirmed occurrences of pygmy killer whales to date. These observations highlight the value of whale-watching platforms for detecting rare species and monitoring large-scale shifts in cetacean distribution.