Sperm Whales Sighted Again Off Batroun: A Seasonal Reminder of Lebanon’s Marine Richness

This summer, Lebanon’s northern coast welcomed an awe-inspiring guest from the deep: the sperm whale—the world’s largest toothed predator and one of the ocean’s most iconic creatures.

📹 Multiple videos and eyewitness accounts have emerged online showing the majestic whale surfacing off the coast of Batroun, adding to similar documented sightings in 2021 and 2023. These are not rare anomalies: experts confirm that sperm whales regularly transit through Lebanese waters during this time of year as part of their migratory pattern across the Eastern Mediterranean.

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are classified as endangered, making each confirmed sighting a bittersweet moment of wonder—and warning. While whales, dolphins, and even sharks continue to navigate Lebanon’s coasts, they are not the danger. As marine biologists emphasize:

“Dolphins, whales, and sharks off the Lebanese coast aren’t dangerous—we are.”

⚠️ Threats like overfishing, underwater noise pollution, illegal fishing techniques, and untreated sewage continue to degrade Lebanon’s marine biodiversity, putting both species and ecosystems at risk.

🌍 The presence of these whales is a powerful call to:

• Accelerate the implementation of Lebanon’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) network

• Strengthen marine environmental regulations

• Support citizen science efforts that monitor marine wildlife

🐬 These whales don’t just pass through—they’re witnesses to the state of our seas. Let’s give them a cleaner, quieter route through Lebanon.

📲 Get involved. Report marine sightings. Protect our coast.
🔗 https://bahr.lbeforum.org

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