Historical strandings of cetaceans on the Portuguese coast

Andreia Sousa

doi:10.15468/nfsk5a

Historical strandings of cetaceans on the Portuguese coast

Citation

Sousa, A. 2012. Historical strandings of cetaceans on the Portuguese coast. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/829) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/nfsk5a accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-06-19.

Description

Original provider: Escola de Mar Dataset credits: Escola de Mar Abstract: Large whale strandings have always been intriguing to people through the centuries. The size and strangeness of these events always attracted popular attention and were, later on, a source for food, oil and other products. Our goal was to document species occurrence over time along the mainland coast of Portugal through the use of historical records as they can provide useful information on cetaceans' species. A total of 38 historical records from the 16th to the 20th Centuries were collected from several Portuguese institutes and personal archives. Results show an increasing awareness of the scientific importance of strandings reflected throughout the years in number and in the detail of the strandings. The most common stranded species recorded was Physeter macrocephalus followed by Balaenoptera physalus. Even though historical stranding records are sparse for mainland Portugal, the information gathered indicates a high diversity of cetaceans. We also addressed the evolution of the historical records in aspects such as in number of records, description detail, pictures' content and scientific accuracy. We were able to establish relationships linking strandings, local fishing communities, the general public, and particularly the contribution of early 20th Century zoologists. Results indicate that reports made by local fishing communities and the role of naturalists and science journals of the 19th and early 20th Centuries was of considerable relevance to the present knowledge about cetaceans, giving an important contribution to modern day cetacean studies. Purpose: Our objective was to document cetacean species presence over time along the mainland coast of Portugal through the use of historical written records of strandings. We will also address the evolution of the historical records in different perspectives such as the description detail, image content and scientific accuracy. When possible we will establish relationships between strandings and local fishing communities and the general public, with a particular focus on the contribution of early zoologists. This study shows historical relationships between these stranded animals and people, and is relevant both to the history of science as well as giving an important contribution to modern day cetacean studies. Supplemental information: Records did not include time information, so 00:00:00 was used and noted in the [Notes] column. When records did not include month and/or day information, January was used to fill the month and 1 was used to fill the day and noted in the [Notes] column. One record did not have latitude/longitude information, so the center of the Portugal coast was used and noted in the [Notes] column.

Purpose

Our objective was to document cetacean species presence over time along the mainland coast of Portugal through the use of historical written records of strandings. We will also address the evolution of the historical records in different perspectives such as the description detail, image content and scientific accuracy. When possible we will establish relationships between strandings and local fishing communities and the general public, with a particular focus on the contribution of early zoologists. This study shows historical relationships between these stranded animals and people, and is relevant both to the history of science as well as giving an important contribution to modern day cetacean studies.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

NA

Sampling

NA

Method steps

NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Balaenoptera acutorostrata
common name: Minke Whale rank: species
Balaenoptera physalus
common name: Fin Whale rank: species
Delphinus delphis
common name: Short-beaked Common Dolphin rank: species
Globicephala
common name: pilot whales rank: genus
Grampus griseus
common name: Risso's Dolphin rank: species
Kogia breviceps
common name: Pygmy Sperm Whale rank: species
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order
Phocoena phocoena
common name: Harbor Porpoise rank: species
Physeter macrocephalus
common name: Sperm Whale rank: species
Pseudorca crassidens
common name: False Killer Whale rank: species
Stenella coeruleoalba
common name: Striped Dolphin rank: species
Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Ziphius cavirostris
common name: Cuvier's Beaked Whale rank: species

Geographic Coverages

Oceans

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Andreia Sousa
originator
position: Primary contact
Escola de Mar
email: andreiagss@gmail.com

OBIS-SEAMAP
metadata author
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

OBIS-SEAMAP
distributor
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

Andreia Sousa
owner
position: Primary contact
Escola de Mar
email: andreiagss@gmail.com

ACCOBAMS and WDCS
originator
The Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
homepage: http://www.accobams.org/

Andreia Sousa
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Escola de Mar
email: andreiagss@gmail.com