[MARMAM] One more atypical mass stranding of Cuvier's beaked whales in Greece (SE Crete, Hellenic Trench) during military exercise
Alexandros Frantzis
afrantzis at otenet.gr
Tue Apr 1 11:43:23 PDT 2014
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 at otenet.gr
website: http://www.pelagosinstitute.gr
___________________________________________
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