Cetacean Sensation: Study Finds Endangered Marine Mammals in Israeli Waters

Researchers from Greenpeace, the University of Haifa, and Italian scientists have discovered several species of whales and dolphins living in the Mediterranean Sea within Israel’s economic waters. These include two endangered species: the sperm whale and the Cuvier’s beaked whale, both identified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The study, involving acoustic-visual monitoring, located these marine mammals 15 km off Haifa’s coast. Additionally, a bottlenose dolphin and seven dolphins of an unidentified species were spotted.

The Mediterranean Sea’s deep plains and sloping canals provide crucial habitats for these marine creatures. However, planned oil and gas explorations in these waters pose a serious threat, particularly to the whale species. The researchers stress the importance of immediate, systematic marine mammal surveys.

“These species are sensitive to noise disturbances from human activities and could also face grave consequences in the event of an oil spill,” the authors noted.