Cetacean Investigation - "Whales of the Mediterranean Sea: Part 2"

Whales of the Mediterranean Sea - Part 2     
    The Sperm Whales of Greece - "Life in the Trenches"
    17minutes, 21 seconds   Flash Video

>> Watch a QUICKTIME Version of "The Sperm Whales of Greece"
>> Part 1 - "Mediterranean - The Sea in the Middle of the Earth"
>> Part 3 - "Fishy Business - The Illegal Driftnet Fishery"

"The Sperm Whales of Greece - Life in the Trenches" is the second part of a the five-part documentary series "Whales of the Mediterranean Sea" about the scientists exploring the Mediterranean, and the cetaceans that inhabit this ancient sea. If you need a project based on the topic, you can find cheap ghostwriters for hire and ask for needed assistance.

"Life in the Trenches" documents a scientific expedition through Greece in search of the elusive and endangered Mediterranean Sperm Whale. We join Dr. Alexandros Frantzis of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, onboard the R/V Nereis on a journey into the deepest trenches of the Mediterranean.

In the Ionian Sea, we discover a socializing sperm whale family, and study their behavior as they welcome a newborn calf into the group. However, the future for this calf, and its family is uncertain. As their habitat deteriorates due to human pressures, what does the future hold for the most social of the great whales?

       Map - The Trackline of the Expedition: July-August 2007, Greece.

Narrated by Genevieve Johnson - earthOCEAN

Sperm whales are found throughout the world's oceans, but most people have no idea there is a resident population right here in the Mediterranean Sea.

Females and young animals reside year round in tropical and temperate waters. Mature males frequent the higher, colder latitudes, seasonally returning to warmer waters, to mate with females. Sperm whales in the Mediterranean Sea are different. They are a genetically distinct sub-population.

Social groups, calves, young males and adult males all appear to remain in this semi-enclosed sea their entire lives; the only place in the world this happens.

To gain a glimpse into the mysterious world of Mediterranean sperm whales, we traveled to Athens, Greece to meet Alexandros Frantzis of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute.

Alexandros has dedicated his life to studying sperm whales in Greece, advancing our understanding of the most social of the great whales while working tirelessly for their conservation.

Our expedition began where we joined Alexandros and his team onboard the Pelagos research vessel, Nereis. Heading south into the Aegean, we passed the Temple of Poseidon - the ancient Greek god of the seas.

We traveled through the Corinth Canal, a man-made shipping route connecting the Aegean Sea to the Gulf of Corinth. This 130-kilometer long Gulf stretches to the Ionian Sea. Its calm, blue waters are one of the best places to sight dolphins.

A unique phenomenon occurs here. Striped dolphins, short-beaked common dolphins and Risso's dolphins are regularly observed swimming together in the Gulf. Permanent associations between these species are not known to occur anywhere else.

After four days, we finally entered the deep waters of the Ionian Sea, and the Port of Keri on the Island of Zakynthos.

Sperm whales are usually found in deep waters far offshore. In the Ionian Sea, deep water is close to the coast. In this area, sperm whales regularly dive over 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) in their quest for food. Dives usually last about 45 minutes, while the largest males are capable of holding their breath for up to two hours.

They have the largest nose in the animal kingdom, which may account for one-third of their body length. Its purpose is to generate sound. It is made up primarily of the spermaceti organ, an oil filled cask, which is specialized as the world's largest, biological sound producer. They echolocate using sound as a way to see in deep water where light doesn't penetrate. They emit powerful, regular echolocation clicks almost continuously while diving, in order to find their prey, and to navigate the deep trenches.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD. - Scientific Director Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute, Greece.

We left port at dawn in search of sperm whales. Alexandros has a good idea where we may find them. The crew deployed an underwater microphone called a hydrophone that is towed on a 100-meter long cable behind the research vessel.

After almost a week of traveling, we heard the first faint clicks on the hydrophone, and then we spotted the first blow. At last, we were going to meet the sperm whales of the Mediterranean. The clicks were from a large group, but these were not regular, echolocation clicks. These were distinct patterns of clicks called ‘codas'. Codas are an intriguing form of communication, like a type of conversation that sounds like Morse code.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

We approached the socializing group gathered at the surface. It is was a family Alexandros instantly recognized. He identifies individual whales by taking digital photographs of them.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

Photo identification is a benign research technique used by cetacean researchers worldwide. Alexandros has an extensive catalogue containing images of 160 individual whales.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

A central feature of sperm whale societies is the strongly bonded family.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

We suddenly noticed a tiny nose rising among the giants, there was a new addition to the family.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

At less than four meters long, this one-ton baby was perhaps twenty-four hours old. Alexandros named it "Keraki" - meaning "small candle" in Greek. For the research team, every birth is a small light, and a hope that sperm whales can survive in the Mediterranean.

Calves can't follow their mothers on deep dives. Keraki was often left at the surface with a babysitter when his mother and the rest of the group coordinated a feeding dive. The newborn kept track of her by listening for her echolocation clicks from the surface. When she returned, the calf was hungry and eager to nurse.

Nursing in sperm whales is poorly understood, so we decided to stay with the family for a few days in the hopes of observing this behavior. Alexandros and Chris slowly slipped into the water and joined the group beneath the waves. Moving towards its mother, they filmed what appeared to be Keraki attempting to nurse.

The expedition continued further south along the Hellenic trench. The Hellenic trench is a narrow, steep depression in the sea floor that runs parallel to the western and southern coasts of Greece.

We are drifting above the Hellenic trench. This is the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea and perfect habitat for sperm whales. We've got a group of fourteen animals of the bow right now.

According to Alexandros, this 600-kilometer long trench is home to 20 families, comprising an estimated 180 sperm whales. This probably constitutes the highest density of sperm whales throughout the entire Mediterranean.

Occasionally we came into port for the night. The coast is dotted with natural harbors and tiny villages, where traditional fishing boats and striking white washed buildings hug the shoreline.

We headed out to sea from Loutro on a beautiful calm morning. We followed the trench as it wrapped around the southern coast of the island of Crete. Despite the numbers of animals we have seen on this expedition, sperm whale ecology in the Mediterranean is still poorly understood. After years of research, Alexandros and his team are only beginning to understand these animals.

But, time may be running out...

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

With few natural predators, their greatest threat comes from human pressures.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

Thirty percent of the world's shipping traffic occurs in the Mediterranean Sea. In Greek waters, ships often hit whales.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

With more boat traffic, there is more noise underwater. Sperm whales use sound to navigate, communicate and find they their prey. Scientists are concerned these abilities may be significantly reduced, masked by growing noise pollution.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

By far, the most significant threat to Mediterranean sperm whales is the illegal driftnet fishery. In the past three decades, 229 animals were entangled and killed in driftnets. They swim into drifting nets they cannot see, their bodies become so wrapped up in this monofilament web that they drown.

Alexandros Frantzis, PhD.

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