Dear All,

Apologies for cross posting.

We would like to inform you that the new paper on stranding records of sperm whale on the Turkish coast in 2019-2020 with a note on the opportunistic sampling of stomach content has been published in the Journal of the Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment.

The pdf copy is available online via the following link.

Tonay, A.M., Öztürk Ayaka, A., Salman, A., Dede, A., Danyer Aytemiz, I., Danyer, E., Öztürk, B. 2021. Stranding records of sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) on the Turkish coast in 2019-2020 with a note on the opportunistic sampling of stomach content. J. Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment 27(3): 281-293. https://blackmeditjournal.org/volumes-archive/vol-27-2021/vol-27-2021-no-3/stranding-records-of-sperm-whale-physeter-macrocephalus-on-the-turkish-coast-in-2019-2020-with-a-note-on-the-opportunistic-sampling-of-stomach-content/

Abstract

Three sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) strandings are reported from the Turkish Mediterranean coast between 2019 and 2020. The first individual was a juvenile found in July 2019 near Fethiye, in the west. The second individual, a neonate, stranded in Adana in the east, on 10 August 2020. The third case, a sub-adult/adult, stranded on the beach of Antalya, in the west on 14 August 2020. It was buried on the beach and excavated about two months later. During the excavation, a hard plastic food container was found, which contained cephalopod beaks and other plastics providing an opportunity for partial stomach content analysis. A total of 60 lower beaks were identified belonging to eight species. Umbrella squid Histioteuthis bonnellii was dominant, representing 30% of beaks encountered. Dry total weight of four plastics (hard plastic container, nylon bag, 1.5L PET bottle and packaging item) was 197.2 g. This opportunistic sampling allowed us to collect information on the stomach contents of this creature, which is rarely stranded on the Turkish and eastern Mediterranean coasts. Dietary studies on stranded marine animals are of great importance in monitoring environmental plastic levels and impacts on wildlife in this region. In the last 50 years, six sperm whales stranded on the Turkish coasts, five of them in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, which implies that this area is probably close to sperm whale habitats. Improvement of the stranding network as well as surveys for the distribution and abundance of this species to elaborate and implement effective conservation measures are recommended. 

Alternatively, pdf requests can be sent to atonay@istanbul.edu.tr

Regards,

Arda

Arda M. TONAY Ph.D

Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University

Marine Biology Dep.

Kalenderhane Mah. Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2

Fatih 34134 İstanbul, Turkey

Tel: +90 212 455 5700   Fax: +90 212 514 0379

atonay@istanbul.edu.tr   http://subilimleri.istanbul.edu.tr/

Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV)

P.O. Box 10 Beykoz, 34820 İstanbul, Turkey

Tel: +90 216 424 0772   Fax: +90 216 424 0771