Marine Life

Loggerhead turtle rescued off the coast of Haifa after sea pollution, fishing line caused injury

"Halil, the sea turtle that was rescued off the coast of Haifa, reminds us all of how beautiful, exciting, and vulnerable the nature around us is," said Haifa's Mayor, Yona Yahav.

Rescuers pose with Flute the turtle
Researchers at University of Haifa spot two sperm whales off coast of Ashdod, June 8, 2026.

WATCH: Two sperm whales spotted off coast of Ashdod by University of Haifa researchers

A bottlenose dolphin responding to its trainer's hand gestures.

Does the US Navy have trained kamikaze dolphins operating in the Strait of Hormuz? - explainer

A mother sperm whale and her calf off the coast of Mauritius.

Sperm whale found dead on Israeli beach near Gaza border, cause of death unknown


Overfishing and climate change force indigenous Malay populations to abandon traditions

Bajau Laut indigenous traditions face extinction as climate change disrupts their marine way of life.

 Members of the indigenous seaborne Bajau Laut community ride in a boat at their settlement in Semporna, Malaysia August 20, 2024

Eilat coral reefs are being 'starved' by high water temperatures

The reefs in Eilat displayed widespread bleaching, a phenomenon in which the symbiosis between coral and algae fails, typically due to high water temperatures.

 Coral reef in Eilat

School of sharks spotted near Ashkelon power plant

The plant, operated by the IEC, uses seawater to cool its production units. It then releases the slightly warmer water back into the sea, which can attract fish and sharks.

Dusky Shark swiming in the sea

Haifa University researcher documents longest ever journey of sperm whales in Mediterranean

Researchers document a sperm whale's journey, seeking to discover how the species persevered despite climate change's impact.

 A research team led by University of Haifa’s Dr. Aviad Scheinin documents the longest journey of a sperm whale to date

Whale shark the size of six catsharks spotted off coast of southern Israel

While whale sharks can grow to be over 18 meters in length, this one spotted in Eilat was apparently just around six meters. That's the size of six other sharks, assuming those sharks are catsharks.

 A whale shark recently spotted off the coast of Eilat in southern Israel.

Sandpaper-like shark skin is unique and may have medical uses for human wounds and burns - study

Sharks differ from other fish in their amazing ability to heal from wounds, according to reports of sharks recovering from injuries sustained in the wild.

 Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias), a small shark species, at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Chicago.

This simple change to fishing habits could lower whale deaths

The team found that reducing the amount of gear used by the fishermen was more impactful in reducing whale deaths than other hi-tech options.

Fishermen unload their catch at the seaport of Gaza City, after Israel expanded fishing zone for Palestinians April 2, 2019.

New species of horny sponge discovered in French Polynesia

Quinn’s horny sponge has even been seen to include living animals and plants which continue to grow whilst being part of a symbiotic relationship with the sponge.

 A sea sponge attached to the ocean floor.

Whale spotted off Israel's coast, washes ashore lifeless hours later

This is the seventh whale in recent years to have washed up dead on Israel's shorelines.

 Large, humpback whale spotted off the coast of Israel, August 2023

Octopus' complex cells are key to their high intelligence, study finds

New research on octopus cognition presents a promising model for studying memory networks in other animals and humans.

 A purplish-red octopus extends its arms and floats in dark blue water.