The Fundación Palma Aquarium has had a very busy year, undoubtedly one to remember.
Mysterious strandings of Giant Devil Rays in the Balearic Islands
An extraordinary event took place at the beginning of summer with the sudden occurrence of Giant Devil Ray (Mobula mobular) strandings. These majestic animals, which usually live in deep, open waters, appeared stranded on the islands’ coasts, exhibiting unusual behaviour. This exceptional phenomenon required months of investigation, analysis, and study to try to explain what happened. The cause currently remains unknown, but it is being closely scrutinized with groups of Mediterranean marine fauna experts.
Over 200 marine animals rescued in a single year
The Fundación Palma Aquarium rescue team has attended a total of 218 stranded marine animals, both alive and dead, consisting of 27 cetaceans, 118 sea turtles, 5 sharks, 8 manta rays, and 60 rays.
A dramatic blue shark case reveals the hidden violence of the ocean
One of the cases among all the marine fauna rescue operations in 2025 is worth highlighting: the stranding of a nearly 3-metre blue shark (Prionace glauca) that appeared alive on Cala Murada beach in Manacor. This female specimen died shortly after due to a swordfish bill that had pierced its brain. During processing, the CT scan confirmed it had 4 bills lodged in its head, one of them being fatal.
Conservation projects for vulnerable species have also occupied a lot of the technical team’s time and effort, but the achievements have been well worth it. Endangered small sharks return to the Balearic Sea
The small shark conservation project (Scyliorhinus stellaris), a small shark considered endangered in the Balearic Sea, has achieved important success. After 4 years of work, nearly 300 specimens have been introduced into their natural environment. Very little is known about this species, and through the collaboration of an alliance of entities that make up this project, nearly 100 specimens have been tagged to
monitor the animals to learn about their habitat preference, depth, temperatures, etc., which serves as a conservation tool for the species.
Seahorse breeding programme boosts wild populations
The seahorse reproduction program has achieved a significant milestone, with the introduction into the Balearic Sea of 728 offspring, juveniles, and breeding pairs, all born at Palma
Aquarium, to reinforce the natural populations
New protection project for vulnerable pipefish
This year, 2025, the Fundación Palma Aquarium launched a new protection effort with a very little-known but equally vulnerable species: pipefish. These incredible animals require
protection, and the project is in its preliminary phase
Raising the next generation of Balearic sea turtles
For many years, the Fundación Palma Aquarium has maintained close collaboration with COFIB, housing, raising, and caring for the baby sea turtles resulting from the 2025 nesting events on the beaches of the Balearic Islands. Five weeks ago, the Fundación Palma Aquarium received 14 baby sea turtle specimens. The little turtles are growing at a good pace and gaining about 10 to 15 grams each week in this fir st
stage of their lives.
Education and awareness across harbours, clubs and companies
In terms of environmental education, actions in ports and nautical clubs have continued, along with campaigns with fishermen, summer camps, team building with companies,
and an emphasis on the importance of education as a powerful awareness tool. None of what has been implemented this year would have been possible without the invaluable help of fishermen, sponsors, media, financial institutions, diving centres, private individuals, and volunteers.
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