Cetaceans of the Red Sea

Despite being one of the most heavily traveled waterways in the world, the Red Sea is still an important staging posts for a range of migratory species. The cetacean fauna is among the world’s least known and even the species composition in the region is still somewhat shrouded in uncertainty. The geographic and climatic varieties determine the Red Sea’s oceanographic conditions, making it one of the world’s hottest and saltiest bodies of seawater, strongly affecting the ecology of its inhabitants. These unique features contribute to making the Red Sea vulnerable to human impact, and therefore an important research area. The findings may support conservation efforts and help secure a future for cetaceans in the Red Sea.