“Disappearing Dolphins” in the Mediterranean Sea Explored

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earthOCEAN post the fourth program of the five-part online documentary series – “Whales of the Mediterranean Sea” entitled “Disappearing Dolphins“.

Common dolphins were once abundant throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Today they are declining rapidly, surviving only in portions of their former range. In western Greece, the sea around the island of Kalamos is their last stronghold, or at least it used to be. So why are the dolphins disappearing?

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We interview Giovanni Bearzi, the President of the Tethys Research Institute in Italy, and a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation. Giovanni has been studying coastal dolphins in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea for two decades. What began as a study on the ecology and behavior of common dolphins around Kalamos, became a systematic record of their demise. Only 30 kilometers away from Kalamos is the Amvrakikos Gulf where coastal bottlenose dolphins are thriving. Why is there such a drastic difference in the health of these two dolphin populations? We meet two local fishermen and discuss their relationship with dolphins and the state of sea around their community. Could what is happening to the common dolphins of Kalamos, also explain why they are disappearing throughout the Mediterranean Sea?

“Whales of the Mediterranean Sea” ventures into deep seas and coastal waters with a range of international scientists. It examines the ecology of cetaceans, while exploring the causes of increasing pressures on their populations and habitats. The greatest challenge of all is raising awareness, as most people do not even know there are whales in the Mediterranean Sea.

WHALE TRACKERS is a series of documentary programs combining the collective wisdom of scientists and conservationists with a remarkable range of expertise and perspectives. It uncovers the latest science techniques being used to study whales, dolphins and porpoises, while inspiring and encouraging young people to want to learn more about the oceans. It examines the threats that individual species face, and focuses on the people who are making a difference to preserve the animals, by connecting their fate to the health of their respective habitats.