Marine Mammals of the Mediterranean

Discover the iconic species that call the Mediterranean home, each crucial to maintaining our ecosystem's balance.

Learn more about them through fascinating facts such as their height, weight, life expectancy, diving abilities, current population in the Mediterranean, and diet.

Mediterranean Monk Seal

Monachus monachus

2.2m to 2.8m

15 minutes

~ 300kg

350 - 450 individuals in the Mediterranean

25 to 30 years

Molluscs

Sperm whale

Physeter macrocephalus

♂ ~ 16 m, ♀ ~ 12 m

From 30 to 80 minutes

♂ ~ 45 t, ♀ ~ 15 t

1,443 individuals in the Mediterranean

Over 70 years old

Molluscs

Fin Whale

Balaenoptera physalus

Up to 20m

10 minutes on average

From 45 to 60 tons

1,700 individuals in the Mediterranean

90 to 100 years

Planktonic crustaceans (krill)

Long-finned Pilot Whale

Globicephala melas

4 to 6m

Less than 10 minutes

1 to 2 tons

6,000 individuals in the Mediterranean

~ 60 years old

Molluscs

Cuvier's Beaked Whale

Ziphius cavirostris

6 to 7m

15 to 80 minutes

~ 3 t

7,000 individuals in the Mediterranean

~ 60 years old

Molluscs

Risso's Dolphin

Grampus griseus

3 to 4 m

1 to 7 minutes

300 to 500 kg

~ 27,000 individuals in the Mediterranean

~ 35 years old

Molluscs

Common Dolphin

Delphinus delphis

~ 2m

2 to 5 minutes

80 to 200kg

~ 66,000 individuals in the Mediterranean

~ 40 years old

Small pelagic fish

Common Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Between 2.2 and 4m

From 5 to 15 minutes

150 to 600 kg

~ 76,000 individuals in the Mediterranean

~ 50 years old

Opportunistic

Striped Dolphin

Stenella coeruleoalba

~2m

5 to 10 minutes

90 to 160 kg

~ 600,000 individuals in the Mediterranean

40 to 45 years old

Opportunistic