Ana Kolariæ: The influnce of anthropogenic factors on the mortality of
whales (Cetacea)
in the Adriatic Sea. Original
scientific student paper.
Faculty of
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to determine
anthropogenic factors in the mortality of whales (Cetacea)
from the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea and the range of their influence.
This knowledge is necessary for a better protection and conservation of
Adriatic marine mammals. Our study included 173 whales found dead between
October 1990 and December 2007 in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. Our
results showed that the mortality of whales influenced by anthropogenic factors
is higher than "naturally" caused mortality. The influence of
anthropogenic factors is most pronounced in the species bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).
The bottlenose dolphins mostly die in fishing nets especially newborns and
specimens up to the age of seven. Since 2000 the number of bottlenose dolphins
died because of anthropogenic factors increases comparing to earlier years.