Doroteja Andreić, Ivana Šimić: The mortality of
bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in
the Adriatic Sea. Original
scientific student paper.
Faculty of
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to represent the
mortality of a bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), which live sin the Croatian part of the
Adriatic Sea. This is important because on-time detection and elimination of
the factors which endanger their survival is crucial for the conservation of
this endangered species. The study elaborates information about the mortality of
120 bottlenose dolphins that have been found in the Croatian part of the
Adriatic Sea during period from October 1990to January 2008. Since 2000 the
average morality of bottlenose dolphins is 13,1
individuals per year. Distribution of inanimate bottlenose dolphins in the
Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea is sustained and the number of dead females
is equal to men's. The mortality is the highest in newborn age and mostly in
summer/autumn season. Considering the fact that the individuals of the smallest
body lengths have been found in the period from April to August, we are able to
conclude that this is the period of the year when the babies are born in the
east part of the Adriatic Sea.