SUBMON
  • Element del menú
    • About us
      • Mission, vision y values
      • Our team
      • Transparency
    • Activity
      • Conservation and marine biodiversity
      • Environmental education and training workshops
      • Restoration, improvement and mitigation of impact on species of marine ecosystems projects
      • Sustainable activities for marine environment
    • Collaborate
      • Participate in our projects
      • Companies
    • News
    • Contact
    • Element del menú
  • en
    • ca
    • es
    • en
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • ca
  • es
  • en
SUBMON
  • About us
    • Mission, vision y values
    • Our team
    • Transparency
  • Activity
    • Conservation and marine biodiversity
    • Environmental education and training workshops
    • Restoration, improvement and mitigation of impact on species of marine ecosystems projects
    • Sustainable activities for marine environment
  • Collaborate
    • Participate in our projects
    • Companies
  • News
  • Contact
  • Element del menú
Conservation

The northern sector of the Mediterranean Cetacean Corridor is confirmed as an important area for deep-diving cetaceans

January 30, 2021
By Carla A. Chicote
0 Comment
745 Views

We finished the AHAB Project, with more than 100 acoustic detections and 70 visual sightings and the first estimate of the abundance of sperm whales in the underwater canyons of northern Catalonia, which has had the support of the Biodiversity Foundation, the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

The AHAB Project aims to identify the northern area of ​​the Mediterranean Cetacean Corridor, and especially the underwater canyons of Cap de Creus and Palamós, as potential habitats for deep-diving cetaceans, in addition to confirming the area as a feeding area for the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) and establish the connectivity of this species with other areas of importance for sperm whales, such as the Balearic Islands, Liguria or the south of the peninsula and, therefore, the use of the Cetacean Migration Corridor. In addition, it is hoped that this information can help to carry out proper management of this protected area.

Results of the study campaign

Altogether, more than 2000 km were navigated, of which around 680 km were carried out in the study area (Figure 1) and in which six different species of cetaceans were detected, 4 of them being deep-diving species.

Figure 1: routes made during AHAB project.

In the study area, the most sighted cetacean species was the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) followed by the Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), the sperm whale, the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and the Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus). On the other hand, the most acoustically detected have been the striped dolphin and the sperm whale with the same number of detections, followed by the Cuvier’s beaked whale, pilot whale and pilot whale.

Photo: long-finned pilot whale © Natalia Amigó/SUBMON
Photo: Risso’s dolphin © Natalia Amigó/SUBMON
Photo: Cuvier’s beaked whale. © Carla A. Chicote/SUBMON

In total, 109 acoustic detections were made, 99 in active effort, and 71 sightings, 46 of them in active effort.

Thanks to the acoustically obtained data, the first estimate of sperm whale abundance has been made in the area of ​​the Cap de Creus and Palamós canyons, obtaining an estimated total abundance of around 21 animals and a density of 0.007162 animals / km2 using spatial modeling. The use of acoustic techniques to detect sperm whales has been very useful when it comes to detecting the animals and establishing angles and distances.

In addition, both groups of females with juveniles and young have been observed, as well as a solitary male.

Photo: Group of females with juvenile © Natalia Amigó/SUBMON
Sperm whale re-sightings

A total of 12 individuals of sperm whales have been photo-identified, which have been compared with individuals identified in other areas of the Mediterranean, such as the Balearic Islands, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Gulf of Lion. As a result of the photo-identification, it has been detected that some of the sperm whales observed by SUBMON both during this project and in a previous project, move through the area of ​​the Gulf of León.

Left image: sperm whale tail seen by SUBMON in 2020, right image: sperm whale tail from Decouverte company seen in 2020.
Upper image: sperm whale dorsal seen by SUBMON in 2010, lower image: sperm whale dorsal of the Decouverte company seen in 2018.

On the one hand, one of the individuals observed during the AHAB project was observed a few days later in the north of the Gulf of León in an outing carried out by the Découverte du Vivant entity and, on the other hand, an individual observed by SUBMON in the same area in 2010, within the framework of the LIFE + INDEMARES project (coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation), was observed 8 years later by the same French entity in the northern area of ​​the Gulf canyons. Both individuals are possibly male and the re-sighting 8 years later supports the importance of the area for the movements of males in this part of the Mediterranean.

The Tursiops Association has identified another possible re-sighting between another of the sperm whales sighted during the AHAB campaign and a male individual observed and identified in the waters of the Balearic Islands in several previous years.

Thus, the underwater canyons of Cap de Creus and Palamós prove to be an area of ​​special importance due to the presence of deep-diving cetaceans, and especially the sperm whale, given their high density. The presence of both males and groups of females would indicate this area as a feeding and breeding area, giving a special value to these canyons. The continuation of this study is considered very important in order to increase the robustness of the results and thus be able to apply management measures in the area for the protection of these animals.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Whatsapp

Previous Story
We start the route of the EDUCAMARES project with the support of Fundación Biodiversidad
Next Story
Got Ocean?

Related Articles

SUBMON_Blue-Lab_replantacion-posidonia

First trials to replant shoots of Neptune seagrass torn up by storms

The winter has seen the start of a pilot project...

Boscos Submarins Goodman extraccion residuos

1360 kg of marine litter has been removed from seagrass meadows on the coast of Tarragona

SUBMON, with the support of Goodman and Mares Sostenibles, has...

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Join our newsletter

Categories

  • Conservation
  • Environmental education and awareness
  • Mitigation of environmental impact
  • Sustainable development
  • Uncategorized

Popular posts

  • A Strategic Research Agenda for Oceans and Human Health in Europe
  • Seagrasses: the great (un)known
  • Incorporation of new staff
  • How do whales help mitigate climate change?
  • Project SOPHIE – SUBMON takes part in new European project linking oceans, tourism and human health
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Legal notice

© SUBMON
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

SUBMON complies fully with the current legislation for the protection of personal data, and the requirement for confidentiality for content management services.

SUBMON has adopted the necessary technical measures to ensure the required level of security, according to the nature and circumstances of the personal data being processed, in order to avoid its alteration, loss, unauthorised access or processing, as far as possible and according to the techniques employed.

Where personal data is required when filling in a form, the client or user will be informed of the recipient and purpose of the information, the identity and address of the individual or company responsible for the file and the right of the user to access, rectify, cancel or object to the processing of their data. Personal data will only be processed and/or released for the purpose expressed, and then only with the permission of the user or client.

In order to always keep our database up to date and to ensure that it does not contain errors, we request that our clients and users inform us as soon as possible of any modification or rectification to their personal data which may be necessary.

Some of the pages of the SUBMON site contain cookies, which are small data files generated in the computer of the user or client which enable the system to remember the language and site, as well as other characteristics and navigation preferences chosen by the user during their first visit. These cookies are not invasive, nor do they carry virus or personal data, and their only function is to personalise navigation according to the choices made previously by the user. If you wish, you can deactivate and/or eliminate cookies by following the instructions which appear in our Security Recommendations .
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
SearchPostsLoginCart
Thursday, 23, Mar
Shark and ray eggs in Spain: learn how to identify them and collaborate with data collection
Wednesday, 8, Mar
Science and art: connecting through emotions for ocean conservation
Thursday, 23, Feb
First trials to replant shoots of Neptune seagrass torn up by storms
Wednesday, 8, Feb
1360 kg of marine litter has been removed from seagrass meadows on the coast of Tarragona
Wednesday, 30, Nov
From Sea to Fork: European Sea2See project for seafood traceability
Wednesday, 23, Nov
EU Ocean Mission 2030: a tool to assess Marine Protected Areas effectiveness in six steps

Welcome back,