Five Whale Species Confirmed in Egypt's Red Sea Waters, Scientific Records Reveal

Recent videos of a large whale near Umm Qamar Island, north of Hurghada, have sparked renewed interest in the whale species inhabiting Egypt's Red Sea. This marine environment stretches from the Gulf of Aqaba in the north, through Hurghada, Safaga, and Quseir, down to Shalateen and Abu Fandira in the south. The Red Sea Protected Areas Authority highlighted the significance of this sighting, noting it aligns with existing scientific documentation of various whale species in the Egyptian Red Sea. Some species are observed repeatedly in specific areas, while others are sighted only rarely.

Scientific records confirm the presence of five major whale species in the Egyptian Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba: the humpback whale, Bryde’s whale, Omura’s whale, the pygmy blue whale, and the killer whale (orca). The humpback whale has particularly drawn the attention of maritime professionals and researchers, with sightings recorded in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2016, and 2021. Known for behaviors like breaching and complex vocalizations, humpback whales undertake long seasonal migrations. Their appearance in the Red Sea is a significant scientific event, requiring detailed documentation of location, time, and environmental conditions.

Historical and recent records also document the Bryde’s Whale in the Red Sea, dating back to 1950, 2008, 2009, and 2012. This baleen whale species feeds by filtering small marine organisms and fish using baleen plates. The Omura’s whale, another species of scientific interest, was sighted near Safaga in 2009, a rare occurrence in the region that raises questions about its distribution and migratory patterns.

Furthermore, a pygmy blue whale was recorded near Taba in the Gulf of Aqaba in 2018, emphasizing the importance of the northern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba for further monitoring. An orca (killer whale) sighting is also documented, with a stranding incident near Abu Galum in South Sinai in 2017. Such occurrences, whether live sightings or strandings, provide crucial data on marine mammal distribution, health, and environmental status.

Historical records, dating back to 1878 and 1893, indicate that whales have been present in the Red Sea for a long time. A specialized scientific review, “Cetaceans of the Red Sea,” confirms that 16 cetacean species have been recorded in the Red Sea, including three baleen whales and 13 species of dolphins and toothed whales.

Ahmed Ghallab, Director General of the Red Sea Protected Areas, stated that some whale species are regular inhabitants, while others are transient visitors from the Indian Ocean. Abdallah Abed, Director of the Northern Islands Protected Area, stressed the need for a comprehensive national system to monitor marine mammals in the Red Sea, including a unified database for sightings, species identification, and relevant data, subject to scientific review.