Traffic accidents threaten sperm whales
Ship collisions drive Mediterranean sperm whales to the brink of extinction.
There are only 200 sperm whales left in the eastern Mediterranean. This last major sperm whale population lives in the Hellenic Trench, a deep-sea area just south of the Greek coast. Unfortunately, one of the world’s most heavily frequented shipping routes runs through this marine area. Many ships, travelling through the Suez Canal, use this route. More than 80 cargo ships per day cross their habitat. It’s hard for the gentle giants to locate the ships, approaching from different angles. They cannot dive away fast enough and are hit by the bow or the propeller of the huge ships. If we do not act today, the Mediterranean sperm whales will not survive the next 10 to 20 years. With people like you, we want to prevent that.
OceanCare starts the SaveMoby Project
There is a solution for saving the sperm whales in the Mediterranean from extinction: With scientists from all over Europe, we are working on a warning system, that communicate the position of sperm whales to nearby ships. This allows the captains to change their course in time and to prevent collisions with sperm whales.
For our 30th anniversary we want to make the sea a special gift: The SaveMoby project aims to prevent the extinction of the last sperm whales in Greece. The prototypes are currently being tested south of Crete.
Thank you for your help
With your donation, you help to start a unique system to save the last sperm whales in the eastern Mediterranean. Become part of the SaveMoby Project – the revolution in whale protection.
Traffic accidents on the high seas are increasing.
Ship collisions drive Mediterranean sperm whales to the brink of extinction.
There are only 200 sperm whales left in the eastern Mediterranean. This last major sperm whale population lives in the Hellenic Trench, a deep-sea area just south of the Greek coast. Unfortunately, one of the world’s most heavily frequented shipping routes runs through this marine area. Many ships, travelling through the Suez Canal use this route. More than 80 cargo ships per day cross their habitat. It’s hard for the gentle giants to locate the ships, approaching from different angles. They cannot dive away fast enough and are hit by the bow or the propeller of the huge ships. If we do not act today, the Mediterranean sperm whales will not survive the next 10 to 20 years. With people like you, we want to prevent that.
OceanCare starts the SaveMoby Project
There is a solution for saving the sperm whales in the Mediterranean from extinction: With scientists from all over Europe, we are working on a warning system, that communicate the position of sperm whales to nearby ships. This allows the captains to change their course in time and to prevent collisions with sperm whales.
For our 30th anniversary we want to make the sea a special gift: The SaveMoby project aims to prevent the extinction of the last sperm whales in Greece. The prototypes are currently being tested south of Crete.
Thank you for your help
With your donation, you help to start a unique system to save the last sperm whales in the eastern Mediterranean. Become part of the SaveMoby Project – the revolution in whale protection.
Inside the SaveMoby Project
8 facts that will amaze you
There are only 200 Mediterranean sperm whales left in the deep sea trench south of the Greek coast, where they find their food – deep-sea squids. But this area is also one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. When the sperm whales emerge to breathe, they risk being hit by a cargo ship. That is why this warning system is so important.
The intelligent warning system is being developed with leading scientists from all over Europe.
The warning system locates the sperm whales due to their typical clicking sounds.
The high-tech buoys detect the signals and send them to a central server. A special software then alerts every nearby ship. This enables captains to adjust their course in good time and prevent collisions.
The prototypes are currently being tested.
The locating system will be continuously improved.
The installation of the system is on track. With your donation you help to develop a unique system for the protection of the last Mediterranean sperm whales.
Sperm whales live in family networks, similar to humans. They even babysit for each other.
Sperm whales reproduce very slowly. For a shrinking population like the the Mediterranean one, the loss of every single animal is severe.
Sperm whales protect the climate: their faeces promote the growth of marine algae, which extract the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Sperm whales communicate in different dialects and like to gather with peers, coming from the same region.
Sperm whales can send their clicking sounds to their fellow whales over thousands of kilometres.
Sperm whales hold the record in diving. They dive up to 3000 meters from the surface into the deep sea.
Measuring up to 20 meters and weighing up to 50 tons, the sperm whale is the third largest animal in the world.
Sperm whales sleep in a vertical position and are probably also dreaming. As with humans in their REM phases, the eyes of sleeping sperm whales also move.
Inside the SaveMoby Project
There are only 200 Mediterranean sperm whales left in the deep sea trench south of the Greek coast, where they find their food – deep-sea squids. But this area is also one of the world’s busiest shipping routes. When the sperm whales emerge to breathe, they risk being hit by a cargo ship. That is why this warning system is so important.
The intelligent warning system is being developed with leading scientists from all over Europe.
The warning system locates the sperm whales due to their typical clicking sounds.
The high-tech buoys detect the signals and send them to a central server. A special software then alerts every nearby ship. This enables captains to adjust their course in good time and prevent collisions.
The prototypes are currently being tested.
The locating system will be continuously improved.
We are on track with the installation of the system. With your donation you help to develop a unique system for the protection of the last Mediterranean sperm whales.
8 facts that will amaze you
Sperm whales live in family networks, similar to humans. They even babysit for each other.
Sperm whales reproduce very slowly. For a shrinking population like the the Mediterranean one, the loss of every single animal is severe.
Sperm whales protect the climate: their faeces promote the growth of marine algae, which extract the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Sperm whales communicate in different dialects and like to gather with peers, coming from the same region.
Sperm whales can send their clicking sounds to their fellow whales over thousands of kilometres.
Sperm whales hold the record in diving. They dive up to 3000 meters from the surface into the deep sea.
Measuring up to 20 meters and weighing up to 50 tons, the sperm whale is the third largest animal in the world.
Sperm whales sleep in a vertical position and are probably also dreaming. As with humans in their REM phases, the eyes of sleeping sperm whales also move.
