Protecting Cetaceans and Their Habitats: The Global Voice of WDCS

1. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) seeks to be a global voice for the protection of cetaceans and their environment. WDCS’s objectives are to reduce, and ultimately, eliminate the continuing threats to cetaceans and their habitats.

2. Cetaceans face a wide range of threats in a rapidly changing world • Growing evidence of impact from: • fisheries and bycatch • chemical pollution • ship strikes, noise, disturbance and harassment • habitat loss and degradation • deliberate hunts • Many of these impacts are difficult to monitor.

3. Cetaceans are a diverse group of animals, many of which are highly migratory • Currently 86 recognized species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) • Many populations are known to be vulnerable or endangered • Several species are in danger of extinction • Status of the vast majority of cetacean populations is not well known and it is difficult to create confident assessments about a population’s survival probability

4. Out of sight and out of mind • highly migratory species occur over the global commons and • often outside national jurisdictions • particularly vulnerable to change in their critical and often little • understood habitats. • - high order predators • - low reproductive rates • - long term investment in their offspring, and • - reliance of often change critical habitats. • Their habitat needs are still poorly understood, often occurring • beyond area that can be easily researched

5. Regular, irregular and sometimes vast migrations – so much remains unknown • Migration can be cyclical and predictable, coinciding with changes • in season, or • less predictable, involving movement over several thousand miles • and sometimes entirely on the high seas • Can appear random, or driven by unique circumstances, and may • not appear to be cyclic • Only research will tell us more • “It is increasingly recognized that our understanding of cetacean biology • and population dynamics is going to remain inadequate in the foreseeable • future. Thus following the precautionary principle, we need to be prepared • to act ….”Hal Whitehead 2000

6. The humpback migration

7. The humpback migration • Humpbacks found in all the oceans of the world • distribution changes with summer and winter seasons, migrating from feeding grounds in polar regions in the summer to breeding areas in the warm waters around the Equator in the winter. • Northern Hemisphere populations probably never meet Southern Hemisphere populations.

8. Sperm whales mighty journeys • The largest brain on earth and the largest of the toothed whales • (reaching about 18 metres long and 45 tonnes) • Likely the deepest diver of all mammals (>2,000 metres) • Extreme differences between the sexes with: - females averaging 15 tonnes and males averaging 45 tonnes - females remaining in the tropics and sub-tropics, where males migrate to the ice edges - females remaining in permanent, highly-social groups with communal care of young and males living solitarily

9. Sperm whales mighty journeys • Sperm whales are highly affected by humans through whaling, • noise and chemical pollution, and are particularly susceptible • because of their low birth rate and complex social system • Two huge hunts have left sperm populations at about 32% of their • pre-whaling numbers

10. Orcas, the oceans wide ranging wanderers • among the most widely-distributed mammals on Earth • populations can be between one hundred and up to three hundred individuals • found in all the oceans of the world, tend towards small, thinly • distributed populations ranging over large hunting areas.

11. Orcas, the oceans wide ranging wanderers • degree of migration is reflected in the distribution of their preferred prey – migration can be thousands of kilometres. • Highly social and long lived, orca stay together in long-time matrilineal associations • orca communities confer an importance to the roles of older animals, especially females.

12. The answer may lie in regional solutions • Highly migratory nature of cetaceans means that effective protection • can only be achieved by means of international cooperation. • Impacts experienced by cetaceans differ significantly from region • to region. • Developing solutions to conservation problems is possible through • regional Agreements. • WDCS puts faith in the conservation opportunity of CMS Regional • Agreements

13. CMS, ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS • CMS a convention with a strong future • Six great whale species listed on Appendix I and seven othercetacean species listed on Appendix II designated for concerted • and co-operative action in 2002 • WDCS is working towards CMS Agreements in the Indian Ocean, • South Pacific and South Atlantic • WDCS remains strongly committed to ASCOBANS and ACCOBAMS • Number of examples of co-operative work available

14. The Mediterranean common dolphin Delphinus delphis

15. Short-beaked common dolphin • About 2 m, 90 kg • Life span >20 years • Relatively flexible diet • Can live in groups composed of hundreds of individuals

16. In 2003 first comprehensive review of Mediterranean common dolphin status

17. The common dolphin • Used to be found frequently throughout the Mediterranean • The species has faced a dramatic decline in numbers during the last 30-50 years • Main threats include: • bycatch in fishing gear (including driftnets) • prey depletion • habitat degradation • environmental change resulting from • global warming

18. Mediterranean common dolphins are declining Mediterranean population listed as “Endangered” (IUCN Red List, 2003) Known present distribution:

19. Strandings in France, 1971-2001

20. Museum aquisitions in Italy, 1851-1993

21. Two case studies Northern Adriatic Sea Eastern Ionian Sea

22. Case study 1: Eastern Ionian Sea Field research 1993-2003

23. Case study 1 Eastern Ionian Sea Ten years of extensive photo-identification resident community of ≈100 common dolphins

24. Case study 1 Eastern Ionian Sea 767 surveys 21,000 km

25. Case study 1 Eastern Ionian Sea Past availability of prey and low contaminant levels have combined to create a favorable environment for common dolphins The area of Kalamos has been listed as Site of Community Importance based on the presence of one of the last common dolphin communities in the central Mediterranean Common dolphins were healthy and abundant until 1996, however...

26. Case study 1 Eastern Ionian Sea Since 1997 this community has shown clear signs of decline

27. Case study 1 Eastern Ionian Sea Reasons behind decline: unknown Suspected reason: Prey depletion Evidence of overfishing of key common dolphin prey No evidence of bycatch No evidence of other threats

28. Case study 2: Northern Adriatic Sea Field research 1987-2003 Review of historical literature

29. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Common dolphins were abundant until the 1970s Then, common dolphins vanished (today only bottlenose dolphins remain)

30. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea

31. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Reasons behind decline Historical killings Habitat degradation Prey depletion

32. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Environment Habitat degradation 1900-1950 1970s

33. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Environment Fishing Habitat degradation 1900-1950 1970s

34. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Environment Fishing Habitat degradation Killings 1900-1950 1970s

35. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Environment Fishing Habitat degradation Dolphins Killings 1900-1950 1970s

36. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Environment Historical literature (non-quantitative) Fishing Habitat degradation Dolphins Killings 1900-1950 1970s

37. Case study 2 Northern Adriatic Sea Environment Historical literature (non-quantitative) Field research (quantitative) Fishing Habitat degradation Dolphins 1900-1950 1970s

38. pristine present shifting baseline Dolphins 1900-1950 1970s

39. Based on this and other evidence, in 2002 ACCOBAMS commissioned a Conservation Plan for common dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea to be carried out by the Tethys Research Institute The Plan (in preparation) is expected to contribute to common dolphin conservation by promoting actions including management, legislation, research, capacity building, public awareness and education

40. All this work has been the result of a partnership among a legislative instrument a research institute two advocay organizations a private sponsor