The company Mar a la Vista, specializing in sustainable navigation and cetacean watching, has reported the death of a female sperm whale and her calf approximately 12 nautical miles (about 20 kilometers) from the Barcelona coastline. According to their social media communications, the adult specimen showed a significant injury to its back, while the calf still had its umbilical cord and fetal folds, indicating its young age.
In light of this tragic discovery, the organization has urged an investigation into whether the deaths of these animals could be linked to the navigation of large vessels in the area. They also request greater protection for this maritime zone, considered to be of high ecological value and which has become a frequent habitat for sperm whales.
“"We demand that it be investigated whether the death of these cetaceans is related to the navigation of large vessels and that an area of high ecological value, increasingly common for sperm whales, be protected."
The Associació Cetàcea notes that the fin whale, another species of cetacean, is more commonly found in spring in regions such as the Gulf of Lion or the Ligurian coast, with lower densities in the eastern Mediterranean. However, fin whales are frequently sighted during spring and autumn in Catalan and Balearic waters, often close to the coast. This is not the first time sperm whales have been detected in waters near Barcelona; in 2019, a group was observed off the Garraf coast, and in 2022, a dead specimen washed ashore near one of the breakwaters of the Escollera promenade.
