Abstract

The Sperm Whale or Cachalot (Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758), the largest living toothed whale, maintains a small and genetically distinct endangered subpopulation in the Mediterranean Sea. On 24 February 2026, a large individual measuring approximately 12-13m stranded at Hiribya (Zikim) Beach near the northern border of the Gaza Strip in the southeastern Mediterranean. This study documents the event and evaluates its ecological and conservation significance. Information was compiled from verified media sources, official statements and publicly available photographs and videos to confirm species identification, body length and carcass condition. The stranded whale, likely an adult male, appeared relatively fresh with no advanced decomposition, suggesting recent mortality. Although a necropsy was reportedly conducted by Israeli marine authorities, its results have not yet been published. This event represents the eighth documented case-and the largest-of Sperm Whale strandings along the Mediterranean coast of palestine since monitoring began in the early 1990s, and the first recorded case in close proximity to the Gaza Strip. Considering the offshore ecological niche of the species and the endangered status of the Mediterranean subpopulation, such mortality events are biologically significant. Potential contributing factors may include vessel strikes, fisheries interactions, plastic ingestion, chemical contamination, underwater noise associated with seismic exploration and other anthropogenic or environmental stressors. The record contributes to the limited documentation of cetaceans in the southeastern Mediterranean and highlights the importance of continued monitoring and regional cooperation for the conservation of Mediterranean Sperm Whales.

Keywords:Sperm Whale; Physeter macrocephalus; Toothed whales; Stranding; Hiribya (Zikim) beach; Anthropogenic threats; Marine conservation; Mediterranean Sea; Gaza Strip; Palestine