Dear all, a quick update on our investigation in Italy regarding the beaked whales in the Ionian Sea. As you know, on December 1st two Cuvier's whales stranded along the Italian coast of Calabria, on the Ionian side, just few hours after the report of Alexandros in Greece. The two whales were an adult female found dead (very well preserved carcass) and a young calf (likely maternally dependant from the other one) which was alive and was refloated. Since then no other sightings or strandings. We can confirm that the military operation of the Italian Navy, MARE APERTO/AMPHEX 2011 was going during the strandings as stated by advices of the Italian coast guard: exercises involving two submarines were performed in the entire Gulf of Taranto, from the Ionian coast of Calabria, with the eastern point being 37° 28' N, 17° 60' E. A partial postmortem examination was performed by collegues from the local office of the IZS del Mezzogiorno (dr. Caterina Riverso) along with biologists of the MPA of Capo Rizzuto (dr. Stefania Giglio and dr. Elena Amadeo): fresh samples and organs were collected and preserved in formalin and frozen. The entire head was preserved refrigerate. The head and all tissues and organs collected have been examined after 2 days from stranding by myself and dr. Povinelli. All postmortem findings will be compared with those found during necropsies carried out on whales stranded in Corfù. Best regards Sandro Mazzariol
Today's Topics:
1. Growing numbers - Update on the mass stranding of Ziphius in the Ionian Sea, Greece (Alexandros Frantzis)
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Message: 1 Date: Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:08:16 +0200 From: Alexandros Frantzis<afrantzis@otenet.gr> To:marmam@lists.uvic.ca Subject: [MARMAM] Growing numbers - Update on the mass stranding of Ziphius in the Ionian Sea, Greece Message-ID:<4EDF9D80.5030900@otenet.gr> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; Format="flowed"
Dear all,
This is to let you know that more animals have stranded along the west coasts of Corfu during the last two days. Yesterday, 6 December three more animals stranded along the coasts. Two of them stranded in the same beach and one stranded alone 9.3 km further north. Today, one more animal was found in another beach.
All new animals were found dead (in contrast to previous ones) and their decomposition state indicates that their death occurred approximately at the same time with the animals found stranded the 30 November. All new stranding positions were spread between the northern and southern positions that we had already reported. Efforts are made by Dr. A. Komnenou (School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaloniki) to co-ordinate local veterinarians in order to collect tissue samples from the new animals.
The number of whales involved in the mass stranding, which have been recorded so far, is seven or eight for Corfu (Greece) plus two in Italy. It is reasonable to think that there are more animals in the pelagic waters of the Ionian Sea, which may never reach the coasts. The local and apparently small Ionian population unit has suffered three stranding events coinciding in time and space with use of military sonar in the past (plus one in east Sicily earlier this year). There should be little doubt (if any) that the cumulative damage at the population level is high.
Best wishes, Alexandros
On 12/6/2011 4:35 AM, Alexandros Frantzis wrote:
Dear all,
Thanks a lot(!) to all those who have responded to our first message and provided, precious information or good will to help in any way they could. We have been overwhelmed by the obligations of the last days, so I apologize that I will not be able to answer personally to all of you who sent e-mails (more than 100!).
Many thanks to Dr. Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara who responded immediately and initiated a large international effort for the conservation of the Mediterranean deep diving cetacean that are sensitive to loud anthropogenic sounds. Also many thanks to all those who expressed support to this initiative.
The good news: this message is to let you know that despite the many and various difficulties, at the end necropsies were performed in two of the stranded whales (probably three or possibly four in total in Corfu). Thanks to Prof. Antonio Fernandez ( Facultad de Veterinaria - Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), who kindly and immediately responded to our call and expressed his will to help, a team of specialists led in situ by Dr. Manuel Arbelo succeeded to join us and reach the stranding area early enough to make the necropsies possible.
One of the two whales was nearly fresh and allowed important macroscopic observations. More details and further results from sample analysis will be announced by Prof. Antonio Fernandez and his team whenever appropriate.
Best wishes and thank you once more, 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 ___________________________________________
On 12/1/2011 2:04 AM, Alexandros Frantzis wrote:
Dear all,
Once more we have bad news regarding Cuvier's beaked whales in the Ionian Sea. The local population unit, which has repeatedly been affected by NATO naval activity (last time in February 2011 east of Sicily) may be steadily heading towards its extinction...
Today 30 November 2011 at least three Cuvier's beaked whales stranded alive and atypically in west Corfu, along 23 km of coast. All whales were led offshore by people who tried to rescue them. One whale died some 200 m offshore. Another whale, after having swam some 600 m offshore, returned and stranded once more (if this wasn't a different animal). It was led once more offshore after the sunset, so no further information is available so far. The third animal was not seen after it was "rescued".
*I would like to draw your attention on two "peculiarities":*
*1)* Independent rescuers in two different stranding areas, reported that they were hearing "whistles" while approaching the single animals. The "whistles" were heard even out of the water at a distance of 100 m from the animal (!), and became much louder when the rescuers entered the water to approach the animal. The rescuers kept hearing the "whistles" until they left the place, two hours after the death of the unique whale present! They thought that there might be other whales calling the stranded animal from further offshore, although they could observe nothing for hours.
Two independent rescuers (separated by 23 km) described these "whistles" as "emission"-pause of 10-15 seconds-"emission"-pause and so on. *I wonder if what the rescuers were hearing was the probable sonic cause of the stranding*. If you have a similar experience or knowledge, please share it with us.
The rescuers didn't see any military or seismic survey vessels from the shore. A fisherman from the area said that today he saw an "unusual" research vessel offshore that he believes (it is known in the area that seismic surveys have started or are about to start) was performing research for oil.
*2)* The whale that died 200 m offshore was found at about 3-4 m depth at an unusual position (to me at least). Its flukes were on the sea bed while the beak and part of the head of the animal was out of the water! For some reason the head could float at surface and the animal never sunk. *Does anyone has an explanation? * Unfortunately no necropsy was performed to the animal that died.
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.
Repeated use of military sonar and now growing seismic survey activity go on in an area that is critical for the two deep diving Mediterranean species, the Cuvier's and the sperm whales. In 2007 ACCOBAMS officially proposed the creation of a MPA for deep diving cetaceans in the eastern Ionian Sea (Hellenic Trench), but nothing has happened so far.
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 ___________________________________________