"It is a humpback whale, a species that rarely enters the Adriatic Sea and has only been spotted six or seven times in the Mediterranean," Slovenian marine mammal researcher Tilen Genov told the news website 24ur.

"This is a very rare event," he added.

The animal, an adult "Megaptera novaeangliae," may have been stranded in the Adriatic Sea due to illness or after following a school of fish, Genov said.

The whale was spotted for the first time by a Slovenian diver on Saturday and then again on Monday in the area between the port of Koper and the coastal town of Izola.

Humpback whales, an endangered species that can measure up to 15 metres in length and weigh about 36 tons, typically migrate to warmer seas in the winter to search for food.

And off the coast of northern France, a French fisherman found the corpse of a humpback whale caught up in his net, conservationists said Monday, noting that the species is extremely rare in Channel waters.

Related Links
Follow the Whaling Debate

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS Solar Energy Solutions Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ... Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News