The Sperm Whales of Greece - Life in the Trenches
English - Español - Français - Italiano - Deutsch - Ελληνικά - العربية
Mediterranean - The Sea in the Middle of the Earth
In a region not often associated with wildlife, the Mediterranean Sea is a haven for a range of remarkable cetacean species.
Sperm Whales of Greece
We join Dr. Alexandros Frantzis of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, onboard the R/V Nereis on a journey into the deepest trenches of the Mediterranean.
Fishy Business - The Illegal Driftnet Fishery
Despite a world-wide ban by the United Nations in 1992 and by the European Union in 2002, the driftnet fishery continues illegally throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
Disappearing Dolphins
Common dolphins were once abundant throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Today they are declining rapidly, surviving only in portions of their former range.
Sanctuaries of the Sea
What does it mean to save whales, dolphins and porpoises if their habitat is left unprotected?
The player will show in this paragraph
“The Sperm Whales of Greece – Life in the Trenches” documents a scientific expedition through Greece in search of the elusive and endangered Mediterranean Sperm Whale. We join Dr. Alexandros Frantzis of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, onboard the R/V Nereis on a journey into the deepest trenches of the Mediterranean.
In the Ionian Sea, we discover a socializing sperm whale family, and study their behavior as they welcome a newborn calf into the group. However, the future for this calf, and its family is uncertain. As their habitat deteriorates due to human pressures, what does the future hold for the most social of the great whales?
10 comments ↓
This is an amazing story where can I find more information?
Hallo
My name is Ofer
, recently I have finished my M.A in the marine civilization department at Haifa university-Israel. At the moment I am looking after a subject related to whales in the Mediterranean Sea for Thesis and PHD. I will be grateful if you have any sagests for an interesting and contributing research.
Many tanks,
Ofer
This is amazing!
I’ve been obsessed with whales since I was about 3… 11 years later and I dream about being able to photograph them like this! You are living my dream!
Me and my friend recently watched whales off the cost of Southern Cyprus (at Pafos) and thought we were hallucinating as even the locals didn’t know there were sperm whales in the Mediterranean Sea. So thank you for giving us back our sanity.
I have been to greece many times spending as long as six months at a time but never knew about the whales. I cant wait to go back and try see them.
Wonderful educative film, and beautifully designed website.
Hi,
I just got back from a sailing trip in the Ionean Sea (starting from Corfu), and to our utter surprise, we actually saw a whale!!! It think it was at a distance of approx. 150 m from our boat. I didn’t get to see its head before it dove deep, but I think it was a hump back (and not a sperm whale) judging by its spouting (straight up, and not forward). What an encounter that was!!!
I have followed whales up the coast of Mexico on the pacific coast back in 1984. Then off Corsica in the Med,these were killer whales and my husband swam with them a few times in 1982….
Seen and heard whale song in Hermanus in South Africa in 2008 in Oct.hearing whales sing open your heart to wanting to see more.Last year we sailed in San Jaun islands and saw many whales enjoying themselves in June 2010. We are just back from the glorious waters of Vava’u in Tonga ,where we saw two young females swimming south in the middle of the channel near Ofu island.Another wonderful sight!What joy they bring.
Sailing this week in the Mediterranean, from Port Cros to St Tropez, around 7.00am spotted a sperm whale in the distance, managed to get close, could hear him spout and breathe, quite incredible and totally unexpected!
That video was great. I wish I were able to go whale watching in greece.
Leave a Comment