Metode
Regular daily (whenever the weather conditions are positive) surveys are conducted from the field base in Rukavac bay on Vis island. Surveys are done by 6m inflatable boat with rigid, plastic keel. Boat is propelled by 4stroke 90HP engine.
Once at the sea, visual survey is carried out. Track and positions are taken by GPS and sea state and weather conditions are recorded. Once dolphin group is spotted a standardised data collection is carried out including the photo-identification of the individual animals in the group, group composition, behaviour etc.
Some additional data and samples are collected occasionally like inspection of the trawlers fishing in the area both for the presence of dolphins and their catch on-board the vessels, interviews with fisherman on dolphin-fisheries interaction, sampling of the dolphin faeces etc.
Although no stranded dolphins have been found in the area during last two years, a stranding would include a necropsy and sampling of the carcass carried out by a standard procedure.
All data collected in the field are stored in different digital databases and analysed using different statistical, photo-editing and GIS software.
For documenting a HD digital camera with underwater case is being used to film different situations either for scientific or scenic/visual purposes. A database of digital media is being developed and it includes clips of different situations, activities, animals and areas filmed on different locations in the Adriatic sea.
During our surveys we encountered interesting, rare, strange or beautiful animals. That includes schools of giant devil rays, blue-fin tunas, swordfish, Mediterranean flying fish, Eleonora’s falcons, Manx and Cory’s shearwaters, European shags etc. In the area most recently a great white shark has been observed and there are occasional reports of sightings of the monk seal.
In the area several other Cetacean species have been recorded – fin whale, striped dolphin, Cuvier’s beaked whale and Risso’s dolphin. In recent history the area was inhabited by common dolphin (one a resident species of the Adriatic sea), which is regionally extinct today.
