K ETOS
No. 2/ December 2018
JDC MAGAZINE
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Dear readers, Christmas' atmosphere reminds that we are arrived to the end of 2018.Now it is time to sum up what we have achieved this year. Surely 2018 will make its mark in the history of the Jonian Dolphin Conservation thanks to the launch of some important projects. First of all "KETOS", Euro-Mediterranean center of the sea and cetaceans, financed by “Fondazione per il sud�. It will be the future museum and laboratory of citizen science that will open in 2019. Then "IL PORTO DI TARANTO" the new JDC's research vessel, given in concession by the Port Authority of Taranto. The growth requires commitment and dedication. Passion for the sea and the cetaceans and love for our territory have allowed us to reach goals unthinkable only few years ago. This year has given us many satisfactions, as confirmed by the numbers: 220 days of outings at sea, 10 000 people on board (of which 4 000 under the age of 15 and 35% foreigners), 2 marine biology camp dedicated to American students, 3 important acknowledgments received, 3 scientific articles published, 7 posters presented and numerous participations in events and symposia related to the blue economy and scientific research. 2019 will be not only a year of projects implementation and opportunities, but also a great chance to experiment and improve ourselves. We can not wait for it! In the meantime, we thank you for your support: without you all this would not be possible. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The JDC staff
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In this issue SCIENCE
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DOLPHIN’S ID CARD It’s possible thanks to
photo-identification
NATURE
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ECHOES OF NO RETURN
CURIOSITY
15
THE PINK DOLPHIN Between legend
and reality
10 THINGSTOKNOW
18 JDC NEWS
23 25 4
10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT Plastic
RESEARCH WEEKEND
OPEN SPACE SANTA ARRIVES FROM THE SEA
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READERS’ MAIL
YOUR SHOTS
Edited by: Carmelo Fanizza JDC Chairman and founder Vittorio Pollazzon Head of team and Contributor Stefano Bellomo Head of team and Contributor Alessandro Console Graphic designer Aldo Rizzo Contributor Pasquale Bondanese Contributor Roberto Crugliano Contributor Francesca C. Santacesaria Editor and Contributor
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Dolphin’s ID-CARD
The capture, marking, release and recapture of individual animals allow the study of movements and migrations, the structure of populations, survival rates and recruitment rates.
We can make it thanks to the photo-ID The identification of single individuals of a particular species has always interested ethology, the branch of science that researches animal behavior. For example, Von Frisch, one of the fathers of ethology, in order to study the mechanisms of communication between bees, marked them with different colors, while Lorenz, an Austrian zoologist and ethologist, learned to recognize his geese thanks to natural signs on their body. Among the most common techniques utilized for the recognition of a single animal, for the study of ecology and for the conservation of the species, there are methods called "capturemarking-recapture". The capture of single animals is followed by the application of a tag and the release of the animal. The tag allows identification of the animal in case of recapture or re -sighting without capture. 6
An example of this is a practice called "bird-ringing", one of the most widespread and ancient techniques of capture-marking-recapture. Ornithologists capture birds with nets that do not hurt them, determine their size and weight, place a ring with an alphanumeric code around the leg and release them in the wild. All the codes, with their respective sighting data (date, position, etc.) and the characteristics of the animal, are entered in a database. Subsequently, by recapturing one of the ringed animals, it is possible to understand its origin and collect data on the abundance of their population.
Is it possible to apply these methods to the study of cetaceans? Due to their considerable size, cetaceans are not easy to capture or handle, thus making the application of
SCIENCE these techniques quite complex. When whaling was still a common practice (and, sadly, it’s not completely disappeared), large whales were marked by metal tags, inserted into their blubber (the layer of fat below their skin), and recaptured by recovering the tag when the animal was caught during whaling operations. Some studies have physically captured and branded, or tagged, small cetaceans, but the associated logistical and welfare issues mean that this is not usually a viable method.
seconds to take the picture before the animals dive. The list of cetacean species that have been studied using photo-identifi cation includes most baleen whales, several large odontocetes, and many species of dolphins.
For the study of cetaceans, in the 80’s, a non-invasive technique was developed: the photo identification (photo-ID). graphs of the markers, which are natural, characteristic signs, very unique for each animal. Applicable to individuals of species (or population) that are sufficiently well marked, the photo-ID has the great advantage of avoiding the capture of animals, their manipulation and the application of a tag. This technique is not as simple as it may seem: for example, the future identification of an individual with natural markers depends on the quality of the markers, i.e. their durability on the animal, and the quality of the photograph. Good photos are essential for the success of this technique, but it often happens that there are only a few
From the top to the bottom: different pigmentation in common dolphin, characteristic marker in bottlenose dolphin and in sperm whale
This method consists of taking photo-
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Right side
TIGRE, one of identified dolphins
Left side
For the small cetaceans, the structure to be observed for identification is the dorsal fin, which often presents differences in shape, size and margins (with notches and scars). Even a peculiar pigmentation can be a useful means of recognition. For larger species, the colour and conformation of the caudal fin is observed. A large and increasing amount of what we know about the biology of these species has come through analyses of data collected with these studies.
peculiarity in its livery (together with the color and the pattern of the skin): young dolphins are born light grey,
In our research area, this method is applicable to different species: sperm whale; common, bottlenose, and Risso’s dolphins.
The DolFin method is the result of a collaboration between the Jonian Dolphin Conservation, the Institute of industrial systems and technologies for the advanced manufacturing of the National Research Council (CnrStiima, former Cnr-Issia) of Bari and the Department of Biology of the University of Bari, Aldo Moro, and it opens new horizons for the conservation of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. The research, based on the most advanced techniques of Computer Science, has allowed us to unequivocally recognize many individuals of Risso’s
The RISSO’S DOLPHINS (Grampus griseus) have been the subject of DolFin, our recent research project. The Risso’s dolphin is a rare species of cetacean. The scientific community worldwide knows very little about this animal, that has been classified as "Data Deficient" (DD) by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). The Risso’s dolphin shows a 8
their skin becomes darker at an early age, while later, into adulthood, their bodies begin to show numerous light scratches until their entire skin turns almost completely white.
These scratches, in particular those on the dorsal fin, are used as actual fingerprints to recognize single individuals.
SCIENCE
"Thanks to the combination of our different skills, we developed the first automatic photo-identification algorithm of this species ", explains Rosalia Maglietta, expert in artificial intelligence at Cnr-Stiima. "Photoidentification takes place thanks to the comparison between digital images of the dorsal fins of unknown dolphins and a database of previously photo-identified dolphins. The algorithm is able to analyze huge quantities of images in a short time and without human intervention, this feature makes it suitable for use in large scale studies ". The products of the study have been presented in the innovative DolFin digital platform, accessible online. "In the future, DolFin will allow to carry out important analysis of the spatial distribution of this or other species of cetaceans in the entire Mediterranean or on a global scale", adds Roberto Carlucci, ecologist of the Biology Department of the University of Bari.
“Using DolFin we will be able to know if the identified dolphin remains in the same area or if they move and migrate, who are their traveling partners and the reasons that lead them to migrate"
SVIRGOLO, a Risso’S dolphin photo identified for the first time in 2014, was sighted again in 2018
dolphins as constant visitors of the northern Ionian Sea. The study has been published in Scientific Reports, a journal of the Nature group.
"The presence of these animals, as the apex of a marine food web in a highly anthropized area such as the Gulf of Taranto, represents a fundamental indicator of the health of the Ionian Sea", concludes Carmelo Fanizza, president of the Jonian Dolphin Conservation. "The results obtained could also have important management implications, as they contribute to direct administrations towards more effective protection measures, aimed at preserving biological diversity, the integrity of habitats and to a correct use of ecosystems services". But there is more! An ongoing new photo-ID study of the sperm whales, the giants of our sea, is currently taking place in the Gulf of Taranto. Stefano Bellomo 9
ECHOES OF N It happened again! On Saturday night, November 24th, more than 140 specimens of pilot whales (Globicephala melas) were found beached on the shores of New Zealand. In February, 2017, the world had already witnessed one of the most serious cetacean beaching ever; 416 pilot whales had stranded on Golden Bay, an island in the south of New Zealand. This time, the horrible stage was Mason Bay beach, on Steward Island, located 30 km south on the Southern New Zealand region. Despite the intervention of the authorities, that were immediately alerted, and the help of numerous volunteers, for more than half of the individuals it was too late.
Volunteers at work on the beach Mason Bay.
According to Ren Leppen, director of recovery operations at the Department of Conservation, the chances of getting the surviving cetaceans back into the water were extremely low.
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The remote location, the lack of sufficient staff available, and the worsening of the conditions of cetaceans indicated that the only solution was euthanasia. "It's always a heart-rending decision," said Leppen. “Considering the difficulties of the moment, the Department of Conservation has requested help to try to save eight specimens that are still alive, moving them to a beach where there could be more chances to help them return to the water.�
What are the main causes of these stranding? The causes of these beachings are not clear. Let's look at the specific cases that occurred in Mason Bay and Golden Bay. Pilot whales are 5-6 meters long dolphins, and they can weigh about a ton. They live in large groups of 300 or more individuals. Like all pods
NATURE
NO RETURN 416 pilot whales strandend on Golden Bay
of dolphins, their hierarchy is matriarchal, meaning that their pod leaders are older females. The Pilot whale is a species with particularly strong social bonds: if one of the leaders gest beached because it has
shallow waters and the sediments make the area a real "death trap" for cetaceans: the characteristics of the seabed cause an anomalous propagation of the sound waves, compromising the echolocation system of the pi-
lost its bearings, or it is in poor health conditions, the pod follows it. And that is why pilot whales are the species that strands more frequently.
lot whales, thus confusing them and pushing them in the wrong direction.
Moreover, if we consider the geological characteristics of the coast of many bays of New Zealand, the risk of stranding increases. In fact, the very
In addition, human activities, such as loud noises generated by military sonar or AirGuns, can seriously injur the cetaceans’ auditive system, resulting in a loss of orientation and the consequent beaching of the animals. 11
How can these sounds affect the cetacean’s sense of direction? It is well known that odontocetes use a sophisticated sonar system, called echolocation, in order to navigate their waters. The emission of sounds in the environment, produced by a passage of air through the bones of the nostrils to a membrane called phonic lips, or monkey lips, is what we call echolocation. The sound waves are modulated and amplified by an organ, called melon, that is rich in lipids. Many researchers claim that dolphins are able to modulate sounds, lowering their intensity when they are getting too close to an object. The response to these sound waves are
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called echoes, produced by the rebound of the same sounds on different objects in the explored environment. In dolphins, the echo is received by the jaw, then it reaches the ear, and when the signal is processed, it creates a sort of spatial map. The echoes are used to pinpoint the correct location of an object, as well as its distance. For this reason, extremely loud sounds represent a risk for these marine mammals, that suffer damage
NATURE or injury to their earing system and lose the ability find navigate and to locate food.
What may be other causes for beaching and stranding? According to the studies of the French University of Rennes, other causes are identifiable in adverse weather conditions, gravitational variations of the moon, or local anomalies in the geomagnetic field. In other cases, the cause might be the stranding of a dead individual. For these cetaceans, pushed ashore by currents, and / or storms, the determination of the causes of their death is extremely important for the evaluation of the health status of the populations,
and to calculate the anthropic impact. Moreover, from the recovered carcasses it is possible to obtain information and data on the biology, ecology, and the pathologies of the Mediterranean species, the level of contamination, and therefore the state of the health of our seas.
What are the main causes of their death ? According to the data collected by the “Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute� (IIZZSS), in 66.6% of the deaths, the infectious origin turned out to be the main cause, confirming the presence of viral agents (Morbillivirus, Herpesvirus) in our seas, and highlighting the presence of agents just as
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important for human health. In 29% of the cases, the cause of death was attributed to an anthropic origin,mostly the interaction of the animals with human fishing activities. During the feeding, cetaceans often get trapped in fishing nets and lose their lives.
Interventions by the Jonian Dolphin Conservation
Stranding on the Italian coasts According to statistics, in 2017, 212 cetaceans have been reported (database of beaching) beached along the Italian coasts.
23 July 2011 Marina di Leporano
In most cases, the reports of stranding concerned specimens of bottlenose dolphins (41.5%) and striped dolphins (33.9%), while for sperm whales, common dolphins, Cuvier's beaked whales, Risso’s dolphins, fin whales and pilot whales, the events of stranding were counted as sporadic.
Sperm whale beached in 2017 in Puglia
Approximately 56.6% of stranded individuals have undergone exhaustive diagnostic investigations.
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2 December 2013 Castellaneta Marina
In recent years, there have been numerous interventions by JDC concerning the beaching of cetacean reported by the appointed authorities. Among them, we must mention the beaching of Stenella coeruleoalba specimens on 23 July 2011, in the area of Marina di Leporano in Campomarino di Maruggio; the one on 2 December 2013, on the coast of Castellaneta Marina, in the locality of Riva dei Tessali, where an adult male of Tursiops truncatus, of about 1.50 m. in length was found; and finally, on March 6, 2016, a stranding
NATURE
5 November2018 San Pietro in Bevagna
of two specimens of Stenella coeruleoalba, in San Vito and Chiatona, was reported. The last intervention dates to November 5, when a striped dolphin was found on the coast of San Pietro in Bevagna, a town on the Ionian coast of Salento, in the province of Taranto. The individual, an adult male, who apparently had no wounds on its body, was transported to the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Puglia and
specimen with those of our dataset regarding photo Identification and DNA analysis, it is possible retrace to the final moments in the life of these animals, that we have been monitoring for over 10 years, in order to enforce the correct measures for the protection of these cetaceans. Roberto Crugliano
Basilicata, Section of Taranto, where analyses are still under way to determine the causes of its death. Our presence during the collection of data on beached specimens represents an important contribution to the study of these unfortunate phoenomena. By crossing the data of the stranded 15
THE PINK DOLPHIN B etween legend and reality
From the top to the bottom: adult male, adult female and calf
"Does the pink dolphin really exist?" This is one of the questions that we are often asked on board, by young and old. The answer to this question is YES! Its name is Inia Geoffrensis, and it is a river dolphin. The pink dolphin populates the waters of the Amazon River and we can find it also in numerous freshwater basins of Brazil, Boliva, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Large and robust, the Inia can reach 3 meters in length and is characterized by a long rostrum (the beak), a globose head and plump cheeks. The typical pink color is due to numerous blood vessels that shine through the skin, and varies from individual to individual. When they are born, the calves are solid grey, and it is only with sexual maturity that they turn into their unique color.
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This dolphin is surrounded by myths and legends. One of the most famous tells that the pink dolphin, in the summer nights, turns into a handsome and elegant man dressed in white,. No one is able to resist his charm. At the beginning of the new day, the dolphinman turns back into dolphin and returns to the waters of the Rio, abandoning the pregnant woman with whom he spent the night. A legend reveals that looking directly into the Inia's eyes causes a series of nightmares that will haunt those who dared to look at him for the rest of their life. According to another myth, it seems that the pink dolphin kidnaps men and takes them to an underwater kingdom, called Encante, from which they will never return.
CURIOSITY Somehow, all these myths have helped to preserve and maintain the populations of dolphins in Amazonia. One last story, in fact, explains that killing a pink dolphin brings a lot of misfortune, because these dolphins are considered sacred by local shamans. This belief has protected dolphins for many years, hovwever, since 2000, the number of dolphins killed voluntarily by fishermen has increased considerably. Nowadays, the population of pink dolphins is in strong decline, due to the anthropic impact linked to accidental fishing, construction of dams and ports, naval traffic, and mining. The waters of the rivers where the Inia lives seem to be heavily contaminated with chemicals. First of all, the mercury derived from the extraction of minerals, such as gold, along the banks of the Amazon River. From a study conducted on samples of dolphin milk taken near the city of Manus, mercury levels (sometimes even pesticides) were found to be so high as to reach levels of toxicity for an adult human being. The effects of bioaccumulation of these substances is not yet known, but the future of this species appears increasingly uncertain.
technique: 11 individuals living in the fluvial waters of Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia have been equipped with satellite devices to monitor the movements of the pink dolphins and to determine the breeding and feeding areas. Biologists have pointed out that the animals captured to allow the positioning of the sensors, once released in the wild, did not show any sign of stress. These studies led to the conclusion that the greatest danger is represented by the fragmentation of the habitat due to the construction of dams: this leads to the isolation of populations that, unable to interact and reproduce, meet the phenomenon of consanguinity among individuals, thus weakening the populations and putting their survival at risk. Vittorio Pollazzon
To save and protect these animals, it is necessary to know their behavior and their favorite habitats. A group of local researchers has decided to adopt a new monitoring 17
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1.
THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT..
Plastic
TO SAVE THE ELEPHANTS
The history of plastics began in 1860, when a New York company, a manufacturer of billiard balls, decided to offer 10 thousand dollars to the inventor of a material that could replace ivory, a substance obtained from elephant tusks. Until then, the production of billiard balls had been very expensive in terms of money, and especially from the point of view of the animals who lost their lives for it. It was John Wesley Hyatt who found the solution: celluloid, a flexible but resistant material made of cellulose. The real revolution came in the 30’s, when industries began to produce plastic materials such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) starting from ethylene, exhaust gas from refineries. The low production costs led to the boom of plastic: from singleuse tools to cars, from packaging to medicine. In less than 70 years, plastic production has reached 280 million tons per year!
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2.
A JOURNEY FROM LAND TO SEA
The journey that plastic makes is very long, and can last more than 100 years. Everything starts on land, in the factories where it is produced, after which plastic end up in stores and into our homes. 40% of the plastic produced is for single-use, which means that in a few minutes -a plastic bag is used on average for a about 15 minutes- the item gets thrown into the bin, or worse, in the street.From there, the wind and many other factors will transport it into the streams of water and rivers, which, like conveyor belts, dump plastic into the sea. It has been estimated that, every year, 8 million tons of plastic end up in the sea. From the shore, the ocean currents will push and gather all the waste into large islands around the globe. Plastic continues its journey, slowly degrading into small fragments, and yet never completely disappearing.
10 THINGSTOKNOW In few minutes you can see another piece of plastic floating on the water's surface. A bottle here, a cork there, scraps of film, fragments of fishing line or fishing nets, worn pieces of all kinds of objects. This would be "sadly" normal if I surfed near my home port in south of Los Angeles. But we're halfway between Hawaii and California, a thousand miles away from the mainland, a place that should be cleaner than the moon.� CHARLES MOORE
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4. 3.
INVISIBLE TO THE EYE
From the sands of Hawaii to the Arctic glaciers; from fish to cooking salt; from cosmetic products to water flowing trough the taps of our homes. Microplastics, very small plastic fragments -from 330Οm to 5mm- have invaded our lives even if we can’t see them. These plastic crumbs are created from macroplastics that are fragmented in the sea due to the effect of UV rays, waves and wind, and also due to the action of microorganisms. The United Nations Environment Pro-
Plastic nets collected on the beach
gram has estimated that in every km2 of the ocean there are 63 320 plastic particles, and that the Mediterranean Sea is among the most polluted in the world, containing about 7% of the microplastics present globally.
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THE RACE TO THE SEA
90% of the waste that arrives to the sea is transported by just 10 rivers, most of which are located in Asia. The winners of this sad record are the Yangtze, the Xi and the Huanpu (China), the Ganges (India), the Cross (between Cameroon and Nigeria), the Brantas and the Solo (Indonesia), the Amazon River (Brazil), the Pasig (Philippines), the Irrawaddy (Myanmar). Imagine that only the Pasig River, near Manila, the capital of the Philippines, carries approximately 65,300 tons of waste each year. This river was declared biologically dead in 1990, and despite the attempts and the various initiatives that were undertaken to clean it up, its 51 tributaries continue to overflow with waste.
5.
PLASTIC ISLANDS
Since the 1980s, plastic debris dispersed in the environment has been ending up in the ocean currents of the subtropical Vortex of the North Pacific, the largest landfill of floating waste. It is here that plastic debris remains trapped into a spiral movement. This is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch: its estimated extension ranges from 70,000 km2 to 10 million km2 (larger than Canada), for a total of 3 million tons of waste. There are 6 plastic islands identified on our Planet: 2 in the north and south Pacific, 2 in the north and south Atlantic, 1 in the Indian ocean and 1 in the Arctic polar circle.
6.
MMH..PLASTIC IS SO TASTY
A study made by ISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) has shown that 15-20% of the marine species that end up on our tables contain microplastics. And it is not hard to believe, if you think that these plastic crumbs are mistaken for food and eaten by plankton, fish and whales. These animals accumulate microplastic in their stomach and intestines. What we do not know is that these fragments and the substances are able to cross the tissues and enter in the "meat" we eat and, most importantly, we are not aware of the consequences of microplastic ingestion for human health. In addition, several studies have shown the presence of these particles in cooking salt (90% of the samples analyzed contained them) and in tap water. The most worrisome fact, however, is that in 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea, and s fishmongers shops and our tables will be displaying bottles and plastic bags instead ... can you imagine how tasty they will be?!
7.
EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF’
There are 700 species affected by plastic pollution. From our boats we encounter a lot of plastic, and we can clearly see the effects of its pollution. More than once we have rescued sea turtles, Caretta Caretta, from the sea, after noticing they suffered from health problems. We take them to recovery centers; and the diagnosis? In 35% of the cases, the cause is plastic ingestion. Many dolphins are spotted with nets or with plastic bags wrapped and twisted around their tail and on the fin. High amounts of plastic are also found inside the stomach of beached cetaceans. The latest example is the dead sperm whale beached in Indonesia, that had ingested 6kg of plastic, including 115 glasses, 25 plastic bags, 4 bottles, 4 flip -flops and over 1,000 pieces of plastic. We all have seen the photographs of the albatross on the island of Midway, that died with a handful of plastic in its stomach. It has been estimated that plastic is present in the stomach of 9 out of 10 seabirds. 21
8.
9. GOOD PRACTICE
There are several causes of environmental pollution, but only in the case of plastic it is possible, with small actions, to do something to solve the problem in everyday life. It is simple, and all we should do is to respect the 3R rule: reduce, reuse and recycle. Surely a big difference is the reduction in the use of plastic, in particular the single-used plastic. Straws, for example, are only used for a few minutes, and take over 500 years to decompose. Imagine that in Italy alone we consume 2 billion straws per year! If you can’t live without it, try to reuse it: use the same glass, bottle and plastic
Risso’s dolphin sighted with plastic on the fin
containers several times. Extending the life of these objects will reduce their use. And finally, recycle: doing it means giving value to things, saving raw materials (oil) and energy, but also reducing their accumulation in the environment.
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TARANTO IS PLASTIC FREE
In 2021 Europe will ban single-use plastic. Some cities in Italy and in Europe have already become "plastic free". In Puglia, on the Tremiti Islands, on May 2018 the use of plastic was banned in favor of biodegradable materials. Following this example, starting January 1, 2019, Taranto will eliminate plates, glasses, straws and plastic coffee sticks from public buildings and commercial premises. The law provides for the elimination of single-use plastic in order to to make a contribution to the reduction of this waste from the environment.
10.
HOW LONG DOES PLASTIC LIVES?
Plastic has been designed to be a lightweight material, yet strong and durable at the same time. These characteristics make some types of plastics almost eternal, or “immortal”. Plastic decomposes in months, years and sometimes centuries. A chewing gum, for example, takes 5 years, while a cotton bud, from 20 to 30 years. A plastic bag can even take 100 years to decompose, and a plastic bottlewill never completely decompose. Francesca C. Santacesaria
JDC NEWS
R ESEARCH W EEKEND November was a month full of news for the JDC.
The first "RESEARCH WEE-KEND" took place on the weekend of 2nd-4th November. It's a pilot project attended by high school students, university students and school teachers. We aim to open our project to a wider target of nature lovers. Families, tourists and travelers are invited to experience a different holiday based on sea, cetaceans and science.
On Friday, we left for Policoro, a long and emotional crossing with the possibility of sighting many different species. The rough sea and the low temperatures did not intimidate the guests,they enjoyed the navigation in between stories on cetaceans and some snacks.
Once arrived to the hotel in Policoro, we presented the project and the activities and we had relax break.
During the following two days the participants could enjoy the spectacle offered by the dolphins of the Gulf, in particular of striped dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. Furthermore every participant supported actively the experts of our team in the various research activities. The days went on preparating the equipments and dolphin search time, collecting important samples and getting insights of the world of cetaceans.
This weekend was full of emotions and events. On Saturday we spotted a group of thirty striped dolphins with many
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mothers and puppies.The surprises were not over: later, at some meters of distance there were many other small groups of dolphins . A very important sighting for the research activities that provided the collection of DNA samples.
chance to enjoy the wonders of nature and to make a holiday weekend in a joyful atmosphere. "The" Research Weekend "is an innovative way to support the conservation of cetacean and the JDC activities." Stefano Bellomo - JDC Biologist
On the way back to Policoro, during the sunset, another great emotion: a group of six very sociable dolphins. Immediately we took the opportunity to study the acoustics and record the voice of these wonderful cetaceans while one of the biologists proceeded
Like all the activities that we use to do, the ultimate goal of the "Research Weekend" is to create awareness in the population and to protect ceta-
with the photoidentification.
ceans.
In the hotel, still excited by the experience, the participants attended enthusiastically the speech of Aldo and Roberto, biologists of the JDC, who entertained them with many curiosities and stories about the dolphins.
Happy for the success of this weekend, we can not wait to repeat it!
This project was born to give the 24
Francesca Santacesaria
JDC NEWS
Also this year Santa Claus has decided to abandon the sled and reindeer and get to Taranto in a completely unusual way: from the sea aboard a boat.
At the fifth edition, the village of Santa Claus on the sea, organized by Dr. Gaia Melpignano, owner of the "Molo Sant'Eligio" of Taranto, brings young and adults to rediscover the bond between the city and the sea. Held during the weekend from the 14th to the 16th of December, the event host numerous eno-gastronomic , confectionery and local crafts companies.
Even the Jonian Dolphin Conservation has been carried away by the Christmas atmosphere and on the occasion of the event organized tourist excursions to discover the small sea and the city of Taranto. It's always nice to have the chance to show Taranto, in its beauty and particularity, from a different perspective. The tourists, who came aboard on the catamaran, enjoyed the view of the city from the sea, listening to the stories about the fundation of Taranto and the biological richness of the waters of the “Mar Piccolo�. Exciting even for the kids who have discovered the beauty of the winter sea. Francesca Santacesaria
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Reader’s Mail I’m Laura García, from Spain, I studied Oceanography, so I think is clear why I’m writing here: I’m totally in love with the ocean. My real passion about cetaceans started last year when, by chance, I came across Greenrope. Thus, I found out about the Marine Biology Camp, which they organise in partnership with Jonian Dolphin Conservation (jDC )and with the local WWF centre . Some of the activities we did were: feeding turtles, changing the water of and washing their tanks. We also learnt about anatomy and physiology of turtles and we explored the local area on bicycle. And, the most exciting and inspiriting one: we spent two days out at sea looking for dolphins. After the event, all the participants kept in touch with one of the main coordinators, who was sending us other opportunities to join their team as volunteer. This is how I knew about the volunteering experience in the Gulf of Taranto. I spent two weeks working along the team of the JDC in their researches. Every morning we prepared the boat and the material to use during the journey. Then, all the tourists who joined the activities of the JDC, got on boat. After a small speech about safety on board, we were ready to start! 26
During the journey, we showed to the tourist the area, speaking a bit about geography, history, local activity, and of course, biology! We showed them the main species of the Gulf and some characteristics…and finally, the moment of watching dolphins came, everyone was really excited (of course, me included). It is amazing to see how dolphins jump and swim just near the boat playing with us. At the same time people are taking pictures and videos as crazy, the team collect important data that will be use in the research they made in order to keep the species preservation. Apart from the professional experience, learning a lot about how to work in a boat, how to treat with people and how to transfer science knowledge to them, I carry with me a huge personal experience: the team were really nice and friendly with me and I felt like I was a home with real friends. This experience was incredibly unique. It helped a lot to realise in which thing I would like to dedicate my life. To have a starting point for my specialization and I can’t wait for starting the internship part related with it. Thanks for this experience, hope see you somewhere soon!
Laura Garcìa
OPEN SPACE
YOUR SHOTS Enjoy nature. Exploring with respect so that we can understand. Observe the world with different eyes. Be in close contact with dolphins, symbol of freedom. This is what our reader– you– lived on board of our catamaran and told to us with these photos.
Share your photo and experience with us by email at lia@joniandolphin.it
Ph: Gaetana Angino
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Ph: Daniel Duzzi
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Ph: Gabriella Turchiano
Ph: Katia Lapenta
OPEN SPACE
Ph: Manolo Di Pino
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Ecotaras support the sea During the last years the awareness and knowledge of the sea changed: we have understood that the sea is an ecosystem and it must remain in a constant balance. It is difficult to find a way to preserve at the same time our wellness and the balance of the marine ecosystem. For this reason nowadays, many technologies, procedures and laws are available. In Taranto, during the last twenty years, the attention to the Sea developed precociously thanks to the intervention of the institutions and economic operators who have applied important strategies of prevention. The control and monitoring of port areas made the pollution increasingly rare. The bathing in some areas of the “Mar Grande� has been assured and the ancient baths become usable again. In the last 30 years, Ecotaras Spa 30
supported industrial activities and naval traffic; the patrolling and monitoring of the port basin and of the coast; the continuous comparison with international specialists; research and application of best practices in technical terms and technologies have allowed the continuous protection of the Sea. The anti-pollution fleet can count on fully equipped vessels for offshore, port and shallow water, such as tugboats, boats, multicat, bettoline. There are instruments and specialized equipment such as barrier buoys, oil separation systems, integrated IR / UV detection systems for hydrocarbons and water intakes, samplers, remote monitoring systems. To be highlighted are the professional skills of the crews. They are supported by a constant training activities as
Monitoring of Alloctone Species in the Seas of Taranto"; and in internal ones, for example with the "Particoplancton 2.0" research project aimed at assessing the biological impact of new technologies on seawater reclamation, or the recent NETSIGN (Innovative Network of Advanced Sensors for Environmental Monitoring) with private partners and institutional. Thanks to this activities Ecotaras can protect and safeguard marine resources making them usable for a social, industrial and commercial reasons, in support of common welfare.
practical experiences carried out by the Harbor Office / Coast Guard and collaborations with primary partners from Mediterranean area and world leaders in OSR (oil spill response) activities. The activities are managed through an informatic platform that is able to connect and aggregate the numerous information collected in the field by the operators, by our on-board instruments, by the remote sensing tools and by the information services for the control of maritime traffic.
The spread of the culture of the Sea, seen as a vital resource to be known and protected for a healthy and conscious use, is fundamental for us. Also for this reason we have chosen to support Jonian Dolphin Conservation: one of the excellence of Taranto that work in the research and in the dissemination of the culture of the sea. Being aware that in the marine area, where we usually work, there are turtles, dolphins, tuna, sardine or mackerel shoals, makes us feel less alone in a partly unknown universe. Francesco Argento
In order to operate effectively in the marine environment, we must respect the Sea and be aware of its unpredictability and its fragility. For this reason Ecotaras participates both in external scientific research, with the CNR-IAMC of Taranto and with the Michelagnoli Foundation, for the IMSAT project "Identification and 31
SPONSORED BY
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