Sightings in the Pelagos Sanctuary

Song of the Whale spent approximately two weeks in the Pelagos Sanctuary as part of the ACCOBAMS ASI survey. During this time, we documented five cetacean species along our survey route. The fin whale sighting rate was markedly higher in the Pelagos Sanctuary and the Gulf of Lyons compared to that elsewhere during our survey thus far (the entire western Mediterranean Sea).

Although just a single sperm whale seen, their distinctive echolocation clicks were heard during 13% of acoustic samples, using our towed hydrophones, confirming their presence in the sanctuary. Common, bottlenose and striped dolphins were also recorded.

The Song of the Whale team is very proud to be working in the Pelagos Sanctuary and look forward to seeing the data that we are generating being used as a baseline from which to measure the impact that the sanctuary is having on the cetaceans that inhabit these waters.