Striped dolphin Home Ranges within the IMMA and Natura 2000 Area Gulf of Corinth (Greece)
Abstract
The striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is one of the most abundant cetaceans of the Mediterranean Sea, nevertheless it is recognised as a Vulnerable species for this basin, according to IUCN experts. The Gulf of Corinth is a Protected Area belonging to the European Network Natura 2000. The Gulf of Corinth is also classified as an Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA), for the presence in its waters, among others cetacean species, of striped dolphins. The Home Range is defined as the area occupied by an animal, or a group of animals, during daily activities. Estimating and identifying the Home Ranges of striped dolphins within the Gulf of Corinth would be essential for the conservation of this protected species in this Protected Area. The Photoidentification technique allows to recognise individuals and to investigate their level of site fidelity, following their movement through the geographical positions of different sightings. The photo-identification technique has been applied in the Gulf of Corinth to investigate striped dolphin population trends and to analyse individuals Home Ranges. 447 marked dolphins have been photoidentified and data of the individuals sighted at least 3 times have been used to determine Home Ranges. Photo-identification data have also been used to estimate the population of striped dolphins for the summers 2010-2011 and 2015-2016, showing an increasing in the number of individuals.
Event details
- Event
- MetroSea 2019
- Technical Committee
- TC19
- info@metrosea.org
- Place
- Genoa, ITALY
- Time
- 3 October 2019 - 5 October 2019
- Website
- http://www.metrosea.org