Sardine frenzy

Amazing footage on sardines feast frenzy has been caught by a BBC crew.

Each winter, cool ocean currents drive millions of these small fish northwards along the eastern coast of South Africa. Here, common dolphins, sharks, pinnipeds and marine birds take advantage of this natural migration and feed on sardine schools.

The BBC team used helicopter, boat-based and underwater crews to capture the feeding frenzy in extensive detail. This footage helped to reveal more about the way gannets hunt. They don’t simply dive, catching a fish and bringing it back up to the surface, but they ‘arrow’ down to a depth of 10m, then swim a further 20m and finally they charge around like penguins.

It is really incredible how common dolphins and gannets swim centimetres away from sharks, just ignoring these big predators and focusing only on sardines.

Watch the videos at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7921949.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7921854.stm

Silvia Bonizzoni

On the discovery of new species

The discovery of a new mammal species fills us with joy and positive thoughts and we’re curious to see the new ‘arrival’, but most of the time we don’t really think about what this new discovery is teaching us.

In a recent paper, Paul Ehrlich and Gerardo Ceballos, two biologists from Stanford University and Mexico’s National University, respectively, say the assumption that ‘nearly all mammal species are known to science’ is incorrect. They argue that global animal and plant species diversity is badly underestimated, even within well-studied taxa.

"What this paper really talks about is how little we actually know about our natural capital and how little we know about the services that flow from it," said Ehrlich, adding that the diminishment of biodiversity can have very significant impacts on mankind.

"The economy of nature is what allows us to have a human economy. If we let the infrastructure of nature go down the drain, then we just can't make up for it with human infrastructure... It just can't be done."

Watch the interview at: http://news-service.stanford.edu

Silvia Bonizzoni

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For more information:
Ceballos G. & Ehrlich P.R. 2009. Discoveries of new mammal species and their implications for conservation and ecosystem services. PNAS: 0812419106v1-pnas.0812419106. (Abstract only)

http://news-service.stanford.edu

Damir

Damir Peršić has died yesterday of heart failure.

Damir, together with his wife Nena, has been one of the strongest supporters and promoters of the Adriatic Dolphin Project in Croatia. His death at such young age brings great sorrow. Damir was a fine artist, ceramist and photographer. With his hands, he could do anything from house construction to the nicest of artworks. He was also a great cook, with an outstanding sense for beauty and taste.

Damir has been one of my dearest friends. His intelligence and humour lighted up my years in Croatia. He was always willing to help, bringing creativity into anything he did. With him, you could talk about dolphin conservation, filmmaking, modern art, meditation, science, religion, the meaning of life... whatever, and he would bring insight and good mood into any discussion.

With Damir, Nena, and their daughter Inja I've had a great time. For several years, they have been my Croatian family and their home was the nest where I could find a refuge in my difficult moments. Damir was always there to provide shelter and friendly advice.

While I haven't seen him for ten years or more, it felt reassuring to know that he was there, in his beautiful house of Veli Lošinj. One cannot imagine that good people may leave in such a way.

Giovanni Bearzi

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Photo: "Titanic", an early ceramic artwork by Damir

Pink dolphin

A rare albino bottlenose dolphin was sighted in the Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary in Louisiana (USA). The animal is a juvenile, he’s entirely pink in the whole body and has reddish eyes. This strange dolphin, nicknamed 'Pinky', was first spotted late last year and has become such a tourist attraction that conservationists are warning people to leave it alone...

SB

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Foto: Olycom/sipa

For more information:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Grossa è bella

I maschi di megattera (Megaptera novaeangliae) preferiscono accoppiarsi con le femmine più grandi, questo è quanto emerso da uno studio svolto al largo delle coste hawaiane.

Tra il 1997 e il 2002, i ricercatori hanno studiato il comportamento riproduttivo di questi cetacei e hanno scoperto che le femmine più grandi attirano più maschi rispetto alle compagne di normali dimensioni, e che anche i loro piccoli sono più grandi.

La preferenza dei maschi per le maggiori dimensioni femminili viene spiegata dagli studiosi come una tattica riproduttiva: le femmine più grandi sono generalmente quelle con più esperienza e, date le dimensioni, con una maggior quantità di grasso, quindi esemplari più adatti a fornire cure e nutrimento ai loro piccoli. I piccoli, a loro volta, essendo più grandi possono avere superiori probabilità di sopravvivenza, in quanto meno attaccabili da predatori.

Silvia Bonizzoni

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Foto: salto di megattera, Chris Johnson (earthOcean)

Pack A.A., Herman L.M., Spitz S.S., Hakala S., Deakos M.H., Herman E.Y.K. 2009. Male humpback whales in the Hawaiian breeding grounds preferentially associate with larger females. Animal Behaviour 77(3): 653-662. (Solo Abstract)

Per ulteriori informazioni:
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org

Book of the Month: March 2009

Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals – Second Edition

by W.F. Perrin, B. Würsig and J.G.M. Thewissen

2009

Academic Press

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The long-awaited 2nd edition of the famous Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals has finally been published!

This 1352 pages-long thorough revision of the classic first edition brings this authoritative book right up-to-date. Over 260 articles describe every species in detail, based on the very latest taxonomy, and a host of biological, ecological and sociological aspects relating to marine mammals. The most recent information on the biology, ecology, anatomy, behavior and interactions with man is provided by a cast of expert authors, all presented in such detail and clarity to support both marine mammal specialists and the naturalists.

William Perrin, one of the authors, said “All articles have been updated. New articles have been added to cover new developments in marine mammal science, such as those related to climate change and the interface of ecology and conservation, as well as some established topics not fully explored in the first edition (2002). Significant changes since the first edition appeared extend to the roster of marine mammsl, with the discovery of new species (e.g., Omura's whale) and the extinction of another (the baiji). These and other changes are fully covered. Most illustrations are now in color.”

The 1352 pages book contains 739 illustrations which show every species and document topical articles.

SB

The depressing life of elephants in captivity

A recent study on elephants in zoos found out something that many of us probably already suspected... these captive animals are at risk of depression and unhappy if kept alone or in small groups.

The important point made by the author Paul Rees is that life in small groups is unnatural for herd animals.

In their ‘normal’ life elephants are used to having many contacts with members of their own species, and this is crucial for the animals to develop normal behaviour patterns and friendships.

If they are forced to stay with just a few other individuals they cannot learn important socials skills such as finding a mate or greeting rituals, and many of them begin showing abnormal behaviour that suggests depression.

This study represents another reason to re-consider the ethical implications of keeping animals in captivity for human amusement.

Silvia Bonizzoni

Photo from: http://animalphotos.info

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For more information:
Rees P.A. 2009. The sizes of elephant groups in zoos: implications for elephant welfare. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 12 (1):44-60. (Abstract only)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/4787398/Elephants

Survey aereo nel Santuario Pelagos

Abbiamo finalmente concluso il survey aereo invernale. Il tempo non è stato troppo clemente, ma siamo riusciti a completare i transetti. L'area di studio è stata coperta come previsto in condizioni quasi sempre ottimali, a parte qualche transetto nella costa occidentale, a sud di Tolone dove a causa di una zona militare sempre attiva non siamo riusciti a volare.

Il bilancio è positivo, 117 avvistamenti di stenella striata, 4 di tursiope, 1 di zifio e 1 di balenottera comune (vista finalmente il 20 febbraio). Salta all'occhio la totale mancanza di balenottere e delle altre specie presenti nei mesi estivi.

Simone Panigada

Brave new ocean

If you don't bother to read scientific papers about the present condition of our oceans, you can simply watch the impressive lecture given by Jeremy Jackson at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

"Brave new ocean"

SB

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Jeremy Jackson is a marine ecologist based at Scripps Institute of Oceanography. In 2003, Jackson and Daniel Pauly co-founded ‘The Shifting Baselines Ocean Media Project’ to help promote a wider understanding and use of the term in discussions of general conservation. Shifting Baselines is a sort of partnership between ocean conservation and Hollywood to help bring attention to the severity of ocean decline, to point out that the changes people saw in their 20th-century lifetimes were just small snapshots in a larger picture of environmental decline that has been accelerating for 200 years.

For more information:
http://www.aseachange.net

"Every ecosystem I studied is unrecognizably different from when I started. I have a son who is 30, and I used to take him snorkelling on the reefs in Jamaica to show him all the beautiful corals there. I have a daughter who is 17... I can't show her anything but heaps of seaweed."
-- Jeremy Jackson

Marine photos and videos from NOAA’s library

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has launched the ‘National Marine Sanctuaries Media Library’, a new online multimedia library with public access.

The online library is a comprehensive database containing a collection of thousands high-quality ocean-related photos and videos taken by NOAA scientists, educators, divers and archaeologists.

Thank to an easy search system it is possible to find materials on 13 themes: birds, culture/people, fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, marine reptiles, maritime heritage, media roll, plants, scenic, science/research, ships/vessel/facilities, treats/pressures.

Have a look!

Silvia Bonizzoni

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For more information:
www.noaanews.noaa.gov

The troubled waters of the Amvrakikos Gulf

On February 17th, Tethys researcher Joan Gonzalvo attended a meeting at the city hall of Vonitsa, Greece, organized by the Management Body of the Amvrakikos Wetlands.

This body was established after the creation of the Amvrakikos Gulf National Park on March 21st, 2008. The meeting was attended by local authorities, a research team from the University of Patras, the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), the Development Agency for South Epirus and Amvrakikos (ETANAM), and local fishermen representatives.

The local fishermen proposed Joan’s participation in the event as an independent observer. A series of presentations by the participants reviewed the dramatic problems faced by the Gulf, namely increasing eutrophication and pollution. Especially alarming was the presentation by Prof. Kostas Koutsikopoulos (University of Patras) who studied the oxygen concentration on the sea floor and deep waters of the Gulf. His results show that anoxic conditions are found in waters deeper than 23 m, while twenty years ago such conditions were observed in waters 40 m deep and below. According to professor Koutsikopoulos, today approximately 70% of the Gulf is, in his own words, a dead zone.

Local fishermen did not seem surprised at all about the evidence shown. They have been claiming that the situation of the Amvrakikos Gulf is critical for several years as indicates by steadily decreasing fish captures.

Participants in the meeting acknowledged the uniqueness of the Gulf and its increasing vulnerability to human impact. The authorities promised to react and try to address the problem.

The good news are that the University of Patras, HCMR and ETANAM have manifested their interest in collaborating with Tethys. Such synergy would be important to take advantage of the intensive work done by Tethys since 2002 to document the abundance, movements and trends of bottlenose dolphins that reside year-round in the troubled waters of the Amvrakikos Gulf .

Joan Gonzalvo

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For more information:

Bearzi G., Agazzi S., Bonizzoni S., Costa M., Azzellino A. 2008. Dolphins in a bottle: abundance, residency patterns and conservation of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the semi-closed eutrophic Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 18(2):130-146.

Megattera in Adriatico

La scorsa settimana è stata avvistata una balena nei pressi di Trieste, Koper e Izola (Slovenia), ma non era stato ancora possibile identificarne la specie.

Il 16 febbraio, la balena è stata riavvistata lungo la costa slovena e i ricercatori di Morigenos, precipitatisi in mare, hanno potuto constatare che si trattava di un esemplare di megattera (Megaptera novaeangliae) di circa 10-12 metri. Il cetaceo è apparso in buone condizioni e ha passato l’intera giornata nella baia di Pirano.

Questo avvistamento è di particolare importanza, in quanto le megattere visitano raramente il Mediterraneo; si consideri infatti che questa specie, dal 1986 al 2006 e in tutto il bacino, è stata avvistata solo in 12 occasioni. L’ultimo, nonché unico altro avvistamento in Adriatico risale all’agosto del 2002, al largo di Senigallia.

Silvia Bonizzoni

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Foto: Tilen Genov (Morigenos)

Per maggiori informazioni:
Morigenos - avvistamento megattera 2009

Reeves R., Notarbartolo di Sciara G. (compilers and editors). 2006. The status and distribution of cetaceans in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea. IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Malaga, Spain. 137 pp.

Frantzis A., Nikolaou O., Bompar J.-M., Cammedda A., 2004. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) occurrence in the Mediterranean Sea. The Journal of Cetacean Research Management 6(1): 25-28.

Bearzi G., Holcer D., Notarbartolo di Sciara G. 2004. The role of historical dolphin takes and habitat degradation in shaping the present status of northern Adriatic cetaceans. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 14: 363-379.

Giovanni Soldini e Tethys

"Ho avuto molti incontri con i cetacei, ognuno unico ed emozionante, ma uno mi è rimasto particolarmente impresso. Ero nel canale della Manica e c’era calma piatta quando una balenottera, probabilmente un esemplare giovane, si è avvicinata incuriosita fino a strofinarsi alla prua. E’ rimasta accanto alla barca per mezza giornata, lasciandosi ammirare in tutta la sua maestosità e scrutandomi ogni tanto con i suoi occhi enormi così profondi, come se avesse capito che il mare è un po’ anche casa mia.

Lo studio e la tutela di questi animali sono per me attività importantissime che dovrebbero essere sostenute con forza. Ritengo che l’Istituto Tethys, con cui sicuramente mi accumuna il grande amore per il mare e la passione per il nostro lavoro, stia facendo un lavoro eccezionale. Da oltre vent’anni combatte la sua battaglia per la tutela del mare e dei meravigliosi animali che lo abitano - una missione che apprezzo profondamente e per la quale vorrei fare a Tethys i miei più calorosi auguri: vento in poppa!"

-- Giovanni Soldini


Vedi la pagina di Giovanni Soldini sul sito di Tethys

Culling whales will not help fisheries

A new paper published on Science, has examined the scientific evidence for the assertion that ‘commercial fisheries are negatively impacted by whales in tropical breeding areas’ and that ‘reducing the number of baleen whales in the oceans would improve fisheries because whales eat fish that are caught for human consumption’.

The study, based on ecosystem models, examines the potential increase in the biomass of commercially important fish stocks that would result from a reduction in whale abundance in the Northwest African and Caribbean ecosystems.

Researchers have demonstrated that even a complete eradication of whale populations in tropical waters would not lead to any considerable increase in fish populations. “Our models unequivocally show that removing whales would not significantly increase the amount of commercially valuable fish,” said Leah Gerber, one of the authors, “Instead, we found that fishing is having a far greater bearing on the health of the fish stocks in the region...”

Daniel Pauly, a well-known fishery scientist and co-author of this paper, added “The assertion that fish supply is in peril is legitimate, but the problem is resolved with better management, not whaling”.

SB

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Gerber L.R., Morissette L., Kaschner K., Pauly D. 2009. Should whales be culled to increase fishery yield? Science 323: 880-881.

For more information:
www.lenfestocean.org

First meeting of the Cetacean Alliance

The Steering Group of the Cetacean Alliance (which includes Tethys President Giovanni Bearzi and Tethys Honorary President Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara) gathered in Milan to discuss a thick agenda of cetacean conservation issues.

On the second day of the meeting, the group was joined by Vangelis Paravas, President of MOm (Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal) and Giorgos Paximadis, Marine Officer of WWF Greece. The group discussed future activities related to the "Kalamos Call", an urgent call for the conservation of one of the last strongholds of Mediterranean common dolphins, as well as general strategies for the conservation of cetaceans in Greece.

The meeting was extremely productive and it confirmed that joining forces for a common cause - based on ongoing and fruitful collaboration - is a great way of getting things accomplished.

Giovanni Bearzi

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Cetacean Alliance aims to develop synergies and create opportunities for collaboration among individuals and organizations determined to protect cetacean populations living in the Mediterranean Sea. The alliance includes research and conservation NGOs with bases in Austria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K, representing a collective membership of over 100,000 supporters.

For more information:
www.cetaceanalliance.org