A striking video capturing a large dolphin pod gliding alongside a boat in the calm waters of the Pagasetic Gulf, on the eastern seaboard of central Greece, has delighted social media users and offered another reminder of the rich marine life found in the east Mediterranean country’s waters.
The footage, filmed by a holidaymaker in the south Pelion region near the city of Volos, shows dozens of dolphins swimming effortlessly beside the vessel as it traveled between the seaside village of Milina and the small islet of Kalamos, where the mammals were also spotted.
Encounters like this are not unusual in the Pagasetic Gulf, where several dolphin species—including common bottlenose, striped, common and Risso’s dolphins—are regularly spotted. Their curiosity and playful behavior often lead them to approach boats, creating memorable experiences for visitors exploring the sheltered waters of eastern mainland Greece.
The latest sighting adds to a series of notable marine mammal encounters reported in Greece over the past year.
Earlier this year, a whale made a rare appearance in the Pagasetic Gulf, marking the first confirmed sighting there in decades and drawing widespread public interest. In another remarkable encounter, a sperm whale was filmed swimming off the Halkidiki peninsula of northern Greece, while conservationists also highlighted several dolphin strandings on Greek shores, renewing calls for stronger measures to protect the country’s marine mammals.
Scientists regard dolphins as important indicators of healthy marine ecosystems, although they continue to face growing pressures from accidental entanglement in fishing gear, pollution, heavy maritime traffic and habitat degradation. Greece’s waters are home to four resident dolphin species, making the country one of the Mediterranean’s most significant habitats for cetaceans.
