Dear Colleagues,

Apologies to those of you who will receive duplicate emails due to cross-posting.

Between mid July and early August, we had a series of cetacean strandings on the 200 km-long Turkish western Black Sea coast. During this mass mortality event, at least 114 cetaceans (harbour porpoises, bottlenose dolphins and common dolphins) died and 8 common dolphins stranded alive separately. Although many individuals were at the advanced stage of decomposition due to heat and we could examine only a couple of fresh specimens, we suspect the primary cause of deaths is virus infection. Laboratory work is in progress.

If you have heard or seen similar event in the Black Sea, please let me know. It will be helpful to exchange information.

Sincerely.

Arda M. TONAY

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Istanbul University

Faculty of Fisheries

Marine Biology Dep.

Ordu Cad. No:200

Laleli, 34480

İstanbul, Turkey

Tel: 90 212 455 5700

Fax: 90 212 514 0379

atonay@istanbul.edu.tr

Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV)

www.tudav.org

arda.tonay@tudav.org

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