Texte disponible pour l'instant uniquement en anglais.
- Longueur
- 1 800–2 400 cm
- Poids
- 40–70 t
Présence dans le détroit
Common migrant. The great whale of the Strait: crosses between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean along the deep channel, and can be seen from land at Tarifa. It coincides with the busiest shipping lane in Europe, and collision with ships and fast ferries is its main threat here.
Identification
The second-largest animal in existence. A tall columnar blow, visible for kilometres; a small, falcate dorsal fin two-thirds of the way back that appears after the blow. The lower jaw is white on the right and dark on the left, a unique feature. A pale chevron behind the head. Fast; almost never raises its flukes.
Déplacements
Land-based and satellite tracking indicate that most cross towards the Atlantic between May and October and towards the Mediterranean for the rest of the year, suggesting an Atlantic population that enters to winter. Its relationship with the resident Mediterranean population is still being studied.
Texte éditorial de Bioestrecho. Dernière révision : 9 septembre 2026.
