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Tethys Research Institute shipboard survey cetacean sightings 1986-2012

Dataset homepage

Citation

Lanfredi, C. and G. Notarbartolo di Sciara. 2014. Tethys Research Institute shipboard survey cetacean sightings 1986-2012. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/774) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/j4vfkj accessed via GBIF.org on 2022-05-20.

Description

Original provider: Tethys Research Institute Dataset credits: Tethys Research Institute Abstract: This dataset, belonging as a whole to Tethys Research Institute, comprises the work carried out between 1986 and 2012 mainly in the Mediterranean Sea and in particular in the Corso-Ligurian-Provencal basin, in the Ionian Sea and in the Adriatic Sea. Research has also been carried out investigating cetaceans in Atlantic Ocean (Canary Islands, Morocco coasts) and in the Caribbean Sea. The dataset generated includes more than 8.400 sightings of cetaceans collected in 25 years of research activity. Purpose: Founded in 1986, the Tethys Research Institute is a private non-profit organization specializing in cetacean research. Tethys has generated one of the largest datasets on Mediterranean cetaceans and contributed over 300 scientific publications. Tethys aims to protect the Mediterranean biodiversity by promoting the adoption of a precautionary approach for the management of natural resources. The work carried out by Tethys strives to prevent the decline of marine species and to encourage sustainable use of the marine environment. Tethys first conceived and proposed the creation a Marine Reserve in the Corso-Ligurian Basin, the “Pelagos Sanctuary.” Several internationally renowned institutions have emphasized the importance of the Sanctuary, including the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Bonn Convention on migratory species, and the newly-born Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Areas (ACCOBAMS). The Sanctuary has also been added to the list of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI), created at the Barcelona Convention in 1999. This makes the Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary the first and only high seas protected area in the world. Moreover, based primarily on data collected by the Tethys Research Institute, a Dolphin Reserve was formally established in Losinj, Croatia in 2006. Research methods utilized by Tethys include the use of remote sensing and telemetry data, the combined use of laser range-finding binoculars and GPS to record the movements of whales, population studies based on distance sampling and photographic capture-recapture, bioacoustics research, behavioral sampling, remote collection of biopsy samples for genetic and toxicological analyses, and historical studies. The Institute holds vast photographic archives of cetacean images that have enabled the identification of over 1,500 individuals of eight Mediterranean species. Tethys Research Institute has involved in its expeditions thousands of people from all over the world, and has developed a remarkable cetacean research and conservation network. Tethys has been conducting its research and conservation activities thanks to support received from national and international organizations. Tethys is partner to the UNEP's Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS). The Italian Ministry of the Environment funded various cetacean research and conservation activities carried out by the Institute. The UNEP's Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC-SPA), the Earthwatch Institute, OceanCare and The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society WDCS have been providing support to specific projects conducted by Tethys in the context of a long-term collaboration. Supplemental information: [2015-03-24] A few records had a wrong animal count of zero. The value is replaced with a blank representing species presence only. [2014-03-05] 2011-2012 data were added. Effort data are only available for a subset of surveys. For records with time and observed count not available, the corresponding columns were empty.

Purpose

Founded in 1986, the Tethys Research Institute is a private non-profit organization specializing in cetacean research. Tethys has generated one of the largest datasets on Mediterranean cetaceans and contributed over 300 scientific publications. Tethys aims to protect the Mediterranean biodiversity by promoting the adoption of a precautionary approach for the management of natural resources. The work carried out by Tethys strives to prevent the decline of marine species and to encourage sustainable use of the marine environment. Tethys first conceived and proposed the creation a Marine Reserve in the Corso-Ligurian Basin, the “Pelagos Sanctuary.” Several internationally renowned institutions have emphasized the importance of the Sanctuary, including the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Bonn Convention on migratory species, and the newly-born Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Areas (ACCOBAMS). The Sanctuary has also been added to the list of Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI), created at the Barcelona Convention in 1999. This makes the Ligurian Sea Cetacean Sanctuary the first and only high seas protected area in the world. Moreover, based primarily on data collected by the Tethys Research Institute, a Dolphin Reserve was formally established in Losinj, Croatia in 2006. Research methods utilized by Tethys include the use of remote sensing and telemetry data, the combined use of laser range-finding binoculars and GPS to record the movements of whales, population studies based on distance sampling and photographic capture-recapture, bioacoustics research, behavioral sampling, remote collection of biopsy samples for genetic and toxicological analyses, and historical studies. The Institute holds vast photographic archives of cetacean images that have enabled the identification of over 1,500 individuals of eight Mediterranean species. Tethys Research Institute has involved in its expeditions thousands of people from all over the world, and has developed a remarkable cetacean research and conservation network. Tethys has been conducting its research and conservation activities thanks to support received from national and international organizations. Tethys is partner to the UNEP's Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS). The Italian Ministry of the Environment funded various cetacean research and conservation activities carried out by the Institute. The UNEP's Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC-SPA), the Earthwatch Institute, OceanCare and The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society WDCS have been providing support to specific projects conducted by Tethys in the context of a long-term collaboration.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

NA

Sampling

NA

Method steps

  1. NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
  1. Balaenoptera acutorostrata
    common name: Minke Whale rank: species
  2. Balaenoptera borealis
    common name: Sei Whale rank: species
  3. Balaenoptera edeni
    common name: Eden's whale rank: species
  4. Balaenoptera physalus
    common name: Fin Whale rank: species
  5. Balaenoptera
    common name: baleen whales rank: genus
  6. Delphinidae
    common name: dolphins rank: family
  7. Delphinus delphis
    common name: Short-beaked Common Dolphin rank: species
  8. Globicephala macrorhynchus
    common name: Short-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
  9. Globicephala melas
    common name: Long-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
  10. Grampus griseus
    common name: Risso's Dolphin rank: species
  11. Kogia breviceps
    common name: Pygmy Sperm Whale rank: species
  12. Megaptera novaeangliae
    common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
  13. Mesoplodon bidens
    common name: Sowerby's Beaked Whale rank: species
  14. Mesoplodon densirostris
    common name: Blainville's Beaked Whale rank: species
  15. Mesoplodon europaeus
    common name: Gervais' Beaked Whale rank: species
  16. Mesoplodon
    common name: beaked whales rank: genus
  17. Peponocephala electra
    common name: Melon-headed Whale rank: species
  18. Physeter macrocephalus
    common name: Sperm Whale rank: species
  19. Pseudorca crassidens
    common name: False Killer Whale rank: species
  20. Sousa teuszii
    common name: Atlantic Humpback Dolphin rank: species
  21. Stenella attenuata
    common name: Pantropical Spotted Dolphin rank: species
  22. Stenella clymene
    common name: Clymene Dolphin rank: species
  23. Stenella coeruleoalba
    common name: Striped Dolphin rank: species
  24. Stenella frontalis
    common name: Atlantic Spotted Dolphin rank: species
  25. Stenella longirostris
    common name: Spinner Dolphin rank: species
  26. Stenella
    common name: spinner dolphins rank: genus
  27. Tursiops truncatus
    common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
  28. Cetacea
    common name: cetaceans rank: order
  29. Delphinidae
    common name: dolphins rank: family
  30. Hyperoodontidae
    rank: family
  31. Ziphius cavirostris
    common name: Cuvier's Beaked Whale rank: species

Geographic Coverages

Mediterranean,Italy,cetacean distribution

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Caterina Lanfredi
originator
position: Primary contact
Tethys Research Institute
email: caterina.lanfredi@polimi.it
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
originator
position: Primary contact
Tethys Research Institute
email: tethys@tethys.org
homepage: http://www.tethys.org
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
Caterina Lanfredi
owner
position: Primary contact
Tethys Research Institute
email: caterina.lanfredi@polimi.it
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
owner
position: Primary contact
Tethys Research Institute
email: tethys@tethys.org
homepage: http://www.tethys.org
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/
Caterina Lanfredi
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Tethys Research Institute
email: caterina.lanfredi@polimi.it
Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Tethys Research Institute
email: tethys@tethys.org
homepage: http://www.tethys.org
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