Mediterranean: Life Under Siege

For many creatures living in or around the Mediterranean ocean, the natural urge to reproduce is all-consuming. Discover how animals risk everything to find a mate and push their bodies to the brink in order to give birth.

In the Mediterranean ocean, attempts to care for offspring can be a perilous activity. See a sperm whale mama leaving her calf in the care of her sister as she hunts giant squid. Then, see the sacrifices of an octopus to ensure the survival of her eggs.

Under the care of their mothers, many Mediterranean animals enjoy a certain amount of protection. Discover why Monk seals are almost extinct in the Med, and one pup is under threat from his parents and outside human forces.

For some of the animals that live in the Mediterranean region, reaching old age can result in a death sentence. Follow the process of an aging flamingo, too old to find a mate and shunned by its flock, open to predatory threat.

The Mediterranean and the animals that live within it are facing many threats. Global warming, overfishing and pollution are all taking their toll. Discover how scientists and ecologists are studying ocean lifeforms to secure their future.