Mallorca

"Four dolphin species visit Mallorcan coasts, primarily the channel between Mallorca and Menorca. Two of these, Delphinus tursio and D. orca, are rarely seen, the latter only exceptionally. By contrast, Delphinus phocaena and D. delphis appear in large numbers. The first of these is called cap d’olla (“wave master”) on Mallorca. It is very abundant and not uncommon for it to come fairly close to the shore or, even more notably, to the fishermen’s very boats, against whose hull they seem to like to scratch themselves.

One stormy night in 1860, more than 100 animals were beached at a place known as Pla del Pinar in Aclúdia Bay. They were all slaughtered with the hope of using their livers to make tonic oil. Delphinus delphis or dofí (“dolphin”) for Mallorcans is equally found in large numbers in these waters, causing considerable harm to fishermen’s nets."

Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria. Las Baleares por la palabra y el grabado. Majorca: General Part. Ed. Sa Nostra, Caja de Baleares. Palma de Mallorca. 1982.