Dear MARMAM community, We would like to report an extremely rare sighting of a humpback whale (_Megaptera novaeangliae_) recorded in the semi-enclosed Pagasitikos Gulf (Central Aegean Sea, Greece) on 25th January 2026. A single individual was observed exhibiting unusual swimming behaviour, raising concerns about a possible interaction with fishing gear, although entanglement has not been 100% visually confirmed. The animal is currently being monitored by ARION - Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center, which is the National Coordinator of Cetacean Strandings in Greece (Ministry of Environment and Energy) and the Marine Mammal Monitoring Unit of the University of Thessaly, in cooperation with the Port Authorities of Volos. Also, a juvenile humpback whale was reported near Kalymnos Island (SE Aegean Sea) on 8th January 2026. While individual identity cannot be confirmed, the temporal proximity and rarity of the species in the region suggest that the two sightings may potentially involve the same individual, with movements consistent with the Aegean Sea oceanographic circulation patterns. We kindly request colleagues to share any photo or video material (photo-ID, dorsal fin) of recent humpback whale sightings in Greek or adjacent Eastern Mediterranean waters. Any photo-ID data could be crucial for assessing individual identity, movement patterns, and possible links between recent sightings. Please note that any approach or disentanglement attempts must only be carried out by trained and authorised teams, following established safety protocols. Suspected entanglements should be reported and handled through a coordinated response. Further updates will be shared as new information becomes available. We thank the community in advance for any information, data, or insights that could contribute to a better understanding of this rare occurrence. Kind regards, ARION - Cetacean Rescue & Rehabilitation Research Center Marine Mammal Monitoring Unit, University of Thessaly (Volos, Greece) https://arion.org.gr/ , https://www.instagram.com/arion.cetaceans/, https://www.facebook.com/ARION.org/ [1]https://www.instagram.com/marinemammalmonitoringunituth/ -- Elena Akritopoulou Marine Mammal Biologist MSc PhD ARION's representative in ACCOBAMS RAC/SPA Expert +306942236682 Links: ------ [1] https://www.facebook.com/ARION.org/
