Dear all, Once more we have bad news regarding Cuvier's beaked whales in the Greek Seas. The local population unit, which has repeatedly been affected by naval sonar activity of NATO or of national navies in the past may be steadily heading towards its extinction. Today 1st April 2014 between 12:00 and 13:30 pm at least five Cuvier's beaked whales stranded atypically so far in the area of Ierapetra, SE Crete. Three animals stranded together in the same location and two other individuals stranded together some 17 km further west. Two more individuals stranded as single individuals 2.7 km and 500 m further west along the coast, but there is no way to know if these were additional individuals or some of those already stranded earlier. All animals were alive when stranded. One of them died and all other were led offshore by local people and not seen again until now. After a quick search in the internet we found that the Israeli, Greek and US Navy are conducting a trilateral two-week military exercises in the area of Crete (named Noble Dina 2014). The naval activity includes anti-submarine warfare (ASW), which indicates the use of military sonar, well known as the cause of many mass strandings of Ziphiids around the world. During their 5^th Meeting of the Parties (Morocco, November 2013)the Agreement for the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Mediterranean and Black Sea (ACCOBAMS) have for first time identified on a map the areas where sonar should be avoided in the Mediterranean Sea, and made this information publicly available. One of these areas on the map is SE Crete where the new mass stranding occurred. A bit earlier we contacted competent Greek authorities including the Greek focal point of ACCOBAMS to inform them about the new mass stranding and to request their intervention, so that no use of military sonar is made during the exercise today and following days. The port-police authorities and local volunteers have been alerted and we just hope that tomorrow we won't find more animals along the coasts. *How many more whale deaths to spark real mitigation at the regional and international level?* Best wishes, Alexandros -- ___________________________________________ Dr. Alexandros Frantzis Scientific director Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute Terpsichoris 21 16671 Vouliagmeni, GREECE Tel.: +30-210-8960108 e-mail: afrantzis@otenet.gr website: http://www.pelagosinstitute.gr ___________________________________________ --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com