Information page about the sealife you might spot in the Meditereanean:
- Dolphins, Seaturtles a whale?
It's all possible in the Meditereanean!
The Mediterranean basin is a recognised biodiversity hotspot. With 15,000 to 25,000 species, its flora diversity is outstanding and 60% of which are endemic. About one third of the Mediterranean fauna is also unique to the region. Many of them are considered vulnerable, endangered or threatened with extinction.
The Mediterranean has been described as a miniature ocean for its species richness and the overall response to the diverse pressures affecting its biota.
The Mediterranean Sea hosts the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world. It is a charismatic species very close to extinction. However, an increase in sporadic sightings has been recorded in recent years.
With our boat trip we try to give at least some information about marine life, the seagrass end consequences of marine polution. We can not manage the worlds oceans like we manage a household and just 'fix it'. We have to learn to adjust ourselfs and give the chance to this stunning ecosystem to naturally balance itself out without our negative influence.
Watch this interesting video about the Posidonia Police and how they protect the Mallorcan ecosystem here.
Explore Meditereanean Sealife with us!
Our favorites in around the Balearics per species listed (in total thousands of species more in the med)
Mallorca has two species living off the island’s coast, the ‘Loggerhead’ and the ‘Silly’ turtle.
The Loggerhead can be found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as our very own Mediterranean Sea. In fact, it's one of the most common turtles inhabiting
the waters around Spain and the Balearic Islands. On average, adult specimen weigh around 135 kilograms and their shells are a beautiful combination of yellow and brown.Next to the Loggerhead, we also have the Silly turtle which is the only species to breed in the Mediterranean.
Silly turtles are at an even higher risk of extinction than the Loggerheads from which they can be easily distinguished by their purely brown shell. Also, they are bigger: Large adults can weigh up to 200 kilograms
Seat turtles have been spotted this year in Mallorca! Here some links to interesting articles:
Sea Turtles Hatch on Mallorca's Beaches
Scientists have discovered the only Breeding ground for sperm whales in Spain, just off the coast of Menorca. The announcement by scientists attending a congress in Ibiza has been widely welcomed because there are only 2,000 sperm whales left in the Mediterranean and it is an endangered species.
Research over the last two years has
established that the area has became a major breeding ground. The Spanish authorities will come under pressure to protect the area.The sperm whale is a pelagic mammal with a worldwide range, and will migrate seasonally for feeding and breeding Females and young males live together in groups, while mature males (bulls) live solitary lives outside of
the mating season. The females cooperate to protect and nurse their young. Females give birth every four to twenty years, and care for the calves for more than a decade. A mature sperm whale has few natural predators, although calves and weakened adults are sometimes killed by pods of killer whales
The fin whales
Is the second largest mammal in the world, just behind the blue whale!
Although it is still difficult to assess the exact size of its population (as individuals are constantly on the move and dive regularly), it is estimated that about a thousand individuals live in the protected
area of the Pelagos Sanctuary, which aims to protect marine mammals in the western Mediterranean over a vast territory including French, Italian and Monegasque waters.The fin whale feeds mainly on krill, small shrimp that it traps in its baleen plates in large quantities.
Fin whales can live up to 80 years, if their trajectory does not meet that of the fast ships that are common in summer, which they find difficult to avoid when breathing on the surface.
Interesting article:
Striped Dolphin
The most common dolphin in the Mediterranean Sea is the Striped Dolphin. Although they can be found around the globe, they especially love the warm temperate and tropical waters of this inland sea. Named for the black stripe on the center of its body, the average adult striped dolphin measures about 2 meters in length and can live up
to 58 years of age. They travel in groups as small as 10, though some pods are comprised of hundreds of dolphins.The striped dolphin prefers the deep expanses of the sea – so if you’re out on a boat, you might see pods swimming near the bow. Striped Dolphins aren’t shy, and are the most likely of any of the species to put on a show with frequent leaps out of
the water. These dolphins can swim mighty fast, with average speeds topping 15km (about 9 miles) per hour. They can also dive up to 700 meters to catch their prey, with the pelagic squid being a favorite. They don’t have many predators themselves, though climate change and illegal fishing practices are some of the biggest threats to this species.
Riso's Dolphin
Another one of the most common Mediterranean Sea Dolphins is the Risso’s Dolphins. This is one of the most distinct-looking species of dolphins in the entire world, easily recognizable by their blunt-shaped head, unpronounced beak, and unusual white scars that they accumulate throughout their lives. Some of the oldest Risso’s dolphins actually appear to be almost white after a lifetime of collecting these scratches.
The Risso’s dolphin is longer than the
striped dolphin, with average lengths ranging between 3.5 and 4 meters. This species prefers to frequent the deep pelagic waters of the Mediterranean (especially around submarine canyons and steep shelf slopes), though you can find them in almost every other temperate and tropical sea around the world. Like most other dolphin species, the Risso’s dolphin prefers to travel in groups, with the average size being about 30. Pods in the thousands have
been spotted before, but some have smaller groups of about 10.Their diet consists mainly of cephalopods (think squids, cuttlefish, and octopus), and they do most of their hunting at night. If you’d like to see one of these unique creatures while in the Mediterranean, your best chance is around Spain. The Balearic Islands are especially great for sightings, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a pod swimming alongside your boat.
Bottlesnose Dolphin
Is the second largest mammal in the world, just behind the blue whale!
Although it is still difficult to assess the exact size of its population (as individuals are constantly on the move and dive regularly), it is estimated that about a thousand individuals live in the protected
area of the Pelagos Sanctuary, which aims to protect marine mammals in the western Mediterranean over a vast territory including French, Italian and Monegasque waters.The fin whale feeds mainly on krill, small shrimp that it traps in its baleen plates in large quantities.Risk of
collisionFin whales can live up to 80 years, if their trajectory does not meet that of the fast ships that are common in summer, which they find difficult to avoid when breathing on the surface.
Short-beaked Common Dolphin
Short-beaked common dolphins, as their name implies, have a shorter snout compared to other dolphin species. They have a sleek and streamlined body, enabling them to swim swiftly through the water. These dolphins are highly sociable and often travel in large, cohesive pods.
They exhibit playful behavior, frequently bow-riding and leaping out of the water. Their striking coloration, featuring a dark back and a lighter underside, makes them visually striking.
Links to interesting articles about Dolphins in Mallorca:
Spectacular dolphin show off Mallorca
Several dolphins appear in Playa de Palma
It does happen that on our of our boat tours a dolphin or two passes by to say Hello!
The best chance is in the early morning or around sundown. Especially in off season (spring and late summer/fall) you meet them more often, as it is calmer on the water with less boats around.
Check out our Instagram profile for more dolphin content 🐬
What are seahorses?
The oddly shaped and upright-swimming seahorse seems an unlikely fish. Yet more than 45 species live in coastal waters around the globe. Scientists have learned their basic biology, but much remains unknown about these charismatic animals.
Habitat and movement
Preferring calm, shallow waters, seahorses thrive in seagrass beds, mangroves, estuaries, and coral reefs in temperate and tropical waters around the world. Relatively inept swimmers, the fish get around with frantic beats (up to 70 times per second) of a dorsal (back) fin and rely on tiny pectoral fins for stability and steering. Easily exhausted, many are swept away in heavy currents or killed in storm-roiled seas
Interesting article:
First public release of seahorses in the Balearic Islands
Physical description
Its head may resemble a horse’s, but each seahorse has a look all its own. Most are spotted, speckled, or striped, and some are decked out in skin frills, spikes, and crowns. Colors vary and can change with the twitch of a muscle to offer camouflage or to signal a foe or potential mate.Seahorses have flesh-covered bony plates instead of scales, eyes that work independently of each other, and prehensile tails—used to grip holdfasts on the seafloor to avoid drifting and, during courtship, to link to each other.The tiniest species is no bigger than a lima bean; the largest can reach more than a foot from head to tail tip.
Anemone
Sea anemones are named after and resemble flowers, but they’re actually invertebrates related to corals and jellies. Their bodies consist of a soft, cylindrical stalk topped by an oral disc surrounded with venomous tentacles.
At their base, they sport a single adhesive
foot, called a basal disc, which they use to attach to underwater surfaces like rocks or shells. Anemones can have anywhere from a dozen to a few hundred tentacles. These cnidarians come in a variety of colors, decorating a tide pool or reef like a garden of wildflowers.Anemones are
known to form symbiotic relationships with other animals; their most well-known alliance is with clownfish. Because of a protective mucous coating, clownfish are immune to an anemone’s stinging cells. They make their homes within the anemone’s tentacles, protected from predators; in return, the anemone eats the clownfish’s leftover meals.
Posidonia
Posidonia oceanica forms extensive seagrass meadows around the Balearic Islands, known as underwater forests, with high biodiversity of species and their role in the ecosystem is of great importance.
Seagrass meadows provide shelter for many species; produce oxygen on a daily basis, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and creating tons of biomass per year. Likewise, they act as barrier reef structure, which, although they are scarce today in the Mediterranean, have a high importance and longevity.
Seagrass meadows maintain the coastline and protect our beaches from erosion, in
Winter, the accumulation of the leaves on the beach, called “banquettes”, stabilize the bottom and reduce the effect of the waves on the coast. In addition, the shells of the epiphytic calcareous organisms of the posidonia leaves are integrated into the accumulated substrate, generating whiter beaches.One of the peculiarities of Posidonia is its tolerance induced by climate clange, acting as an excellent indicator of the quality of the waters. Since 1992 it has been considered a habitat of priority interest to the EU, and is currently regulated by different
regulations.However, despite Posidonia is being protected by different regulations, unfortunately it is also athreatened. The increase in activities in Balearic waters is endangering the conservation status of Posidonia through direct impacts such as anchors, uncontrolled anchoring of boats, as well as many other threats. Faced with this situation, the Balearic government approved Decree 25/2018 of July 27, aimed at the conservation of Posidonia oceanica, to make the development of human activities compatible with the protection of the species and its habitat.
Octopus
Octopuses are highly intelligent, Maze and problem-solving experiments have shown evidence of a memory system that can store both short- and long-term memory. Young octopuses learn nothing from their parents, as adults provide no parental care beyond tending to their eggs until the young octopuses hatch.
In laboratory experiments, octopuses can readily be trained to . distinguish between different shapes and patterns. They have been reported to practise observational learning, although the validity of these findings is contested. Octopuses have also been observed in what has been described as play: repeatedly releasing bottles or toys
into a circular current in their aquariums and then catching them. Octopuses often break out of their aquariums and sometimes into others in search of food. The veined octopus collects discarded coconut shells, then uses them to build a shelter, an example of tool use.
We saw Octopus at Portals Vells!
You can reach this bay from Palma by boat.
The dusky grouper inhabits rocky reefs in the Mediterranean Sea, eastern and south-western Atlantic and western Indian Ocean. It is a large fish, measuring up to 1.5 metres in length and occasionally reaching over 50 kilos in weight.
Its big head, wide mouth and jutting lower jaw give the dusky grouper a
slightly prehistoric look, and the distinctive fungus-like blotches on its skin add to its strange appearance.Dusky groupers favour habitat with a rocky bottom. Territorial, and largely solitary outside the spawning season, they are mainly ambush feeders, sucking in their prey and swallowing it whole.One of the
most remarkable characteristics of this and other grouper species is that every fish begins life as a female before turning into a male once it has attained a certain age and size. This gender reversal most frequently occurs at around 12 years old.
Hammerhead Shark
This shark's unusual name comes from the unusual shape of its head, an amazing piece of anatomy built to maximize the fish's ability to find its favorite meal: stingrays. A hammerhead shark uses its wide head to trap stingrays by pinning them to the seafloor. The shark's eye placement, on each end of its very wide head, allows it to scan more area more quickly than other sharks can. The hammerhead also has special sensors across its head that helps it scan for food in the ocean. Living creatures' bodies give off electrical signals, which are picked up by sensors on the prowling hammerhead.
The shark hunts alone, and can find stingrays that hide under the sand on the seafloor. Hammerheads also eat bony fishes, crabs, squid, lobsters, and other sea creatures. The upper sides of these fish are grayish-brown or olive-green and they have white bellies. They have very impressive triangular, serrated teeth—like the edge of a saw's blade. Hammerheads' mouths are on the underside of their heads.
Unlike many fish, hammerheads do not lay eggs. A female gives birth to live young. One litter can range from six to about 50 pups. When a hammerhead pup is born, its head is more rounded than its parents'.
There have been very few recorded attacks on people by the great hammerhead.
Mako Shark
The shortfin mako shark is a large, predatory shark that lives in the open ocean and reaches lengths of 12 feet (3.8 m) and weights of at least 1200 pounds (545 kg). With top speeds of 45 miles per hour (74 kilometers per hour), the shortfin mako is the fastest shark and is one of the fastest fishes on the planet. This species’ athleticism is not restricted to its swimming speeds. It is known for its incredible leaping ability and can be observed jumping to extreme heights (out of the water) when hunting. Shortfin mako sharks are known to be highly migratory, with individuals making long migrations every year. Like the true tunas, the great white shark, and some other fishes, the shortfin mako shark has a specialized blood vessel structure –
called a countercurrent exchanger – that allows them to maintain a body temperature that is higher than the surrounding water. This adaptation provides them with a major advantage when hunting in cold water by allowing them to move more quickly and intelligently. This species feeds on a variety of prey. They are known to primarily eat bony fishes (including relatively large tunas) and squids but also eat other sharks, small marine mammals, sea turtles, and even dead organic matter. Shortfin makos are at the top of the pelagic food web, and adults do not have any known natural predators. Juveniles are likely eaten by other sharks and perhaps by cannibalistic adults. Shortfin mako sharks have a large geographical range and are found widely in tropical to
temperate latitudes of all oceans. Everywhere that they live, they are either targeted commercially or captured accidentally in fisheries targeting other species. These sharks are valued for the high quality of their fins and meat. Fishers that use longline fishing gear to target swordfish, yellowfin tuna, and other tunas regularly capture shortfin mako sharks and keep them to sell commercially. Other fisheries use longline or gillnet fishing gear to specifically target these sharks. The combination of these practices is driving down populations of shortfin makos all around the world, and scientists now believe them to be vulnerable to extinction. Without increased conservation and management efforts, this species’ populations will continue to decline, perhaps to a dangerous degree.
Blue Shark
Blue sharks are curious, open-ocean predators that live throughout the global ocean, from the tropics to cold temperate waters. They spend most of their lives far from the coast and are truly a pelagic species. The common name comes from the blue color of the skin, unique among the sharks.Though they may reach lengths of up to nine or ten feet (3 m), blue sharks specialize in relatively small prey, including small pelagic fishes and small squids, and they undertake regular feeding dives to deeper pelagic waters, likely to hunt.
Blue sharks are known to be highly migratory, with individuals making several trips across entire ocean basins throughout their lifetimes. Experts believe that blue sharks use their large pectoral fins (horizontal fins growing out from either side of the body) to ride long currents, conserving energy as they migrate. Blue sharks go on these long migrations to reach areas of dense food resources and to find potential mates. For most of the year, males and females of this species live in different places. Only during the mating season do they come together,
briefly, and reproduce via internal fertilization. Males may aggressively bite females during mating, so females have thick protective skin, to prevent injury when they come in contact with males. Females give live birth, and litters are known to rarely reach sizes of more than 100 pups. In some places, the blue shark is an important species to marine tourism as divers, photographers, etc. enjoy encountering it. In rare instances, individuals have bitten people, but this happens only very infrequently.
Rainbow Wrasse
You won’t find rainbow wrasse on the local restaurant menus even though it’s abundant along the coastline.
Rainbow wrasse is edible fish, but they have limited commercial demand. As a result, they
are left alone to thrive in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean coastline.This solitary fish reacts similarly to danger like the ostrich, but instead of just burying its head in the sand, it buries its entire body.Another curious
feature of the rainbow wrasse is that it’s hermaphroditic and can change sex whenever needed.When it performs this sex change, it also changes color, developing “an orange stripe pattern with a prominent red dot on the dorsal fin.”
Atlantic blue fin Tuna
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is known to have dark blue coloring on the top and a grey or shimmering white coloring below. They also appear to have a gold shimmer to the entire body. These colors assist in camouflaging them in the similarly colored ocean waters. In contrast, their meat is a dark red color. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna have rows of upper and lower needle-like sharp teeth,
and their livers are covered in tiny blood vessels.Atlantic bluefin tuna use a mechanism referred to as countercurrent exchange to keep its core muscles warm and prevent the loss of heat when swimming. Kinesist. They are most unique due to the ability to thermoregulate by transferring warm blood to cool
oxygenated blood.They are most likely to be found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea.They . are known to be flexible and often change their area of concentration and migration routes due to their ability to thermoregulate their body temperature and live in various seawater temperatures
The Mediterranean swordfish is one of the larger Mediterranean fish species and one of the most endangered.
Fishermen have targeted these migratory fish since ancient times. This relentless harvesting has taken a toll on the
swordfish population and the WWF now believes we’re “catching twice the sustainable level of swordfish.”Despite that, the demand for swordfish remains so high that some fishermen are willing to substitute it with other
species.A study conducted by the University of Catania in Sicily in 2019 “found that 15% of the samples of swordfish it analyzed contained traces of other seafood.”
