Holiday beachgoers and recreational boaters off the coast of central Greece have witnessed a highly unusual spectacle as a massive whale, estimated to be up to 9 meters (30 feet) long, was spotted swimming in the North Euboean Gulf.
The marine mammal was spotted near the coastal village of Theologos in Malesina. Eyewitnesses on pleasure craft tracked the whale from a safe distance, capturing video footage that clearly showed the animal's large size and distinct blowhole spray.
Marine experts analyzing the footage noted that the creature's massive dimensions and signature water sprout strongly indicate it is a sperm whale.
While smaller Cuvier's beaked whales have occasionally made rare appearances near Chalcis, this marks the first time such a large cetacean has been documented in the deeper trenches off Theologos.
Local marine biologists state it is likely the only recorded instance of a sperm whale entering the landlocked Euboean Gulf.
Whales are native to the Mediterranean Sea, though they typically inhabit open, deep-water trenches where food is abundant.
Environmental groups warned that large cetaceans occasionally become disoriented by following large commercial vessels into enclosed gulfs, noting that whales trapped in these narrow waterways often require human monitoring or intervention to safely navigate back to open seas.