Strong site-fidelity increases vulnerability of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in a mass tourism destination in the western Mediterranean Sea

Gonzalvo, Joan; Forcada, Jaume ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2115-0150; Grau, Esteve; Aguilar, Alex. 2014 Strong site-fidelity increases vulnerability of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in a mass tourism destination in the western Mediterranean Sea. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 94 (06). 1227-1235. 10.1017/S0025315413000866

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Text This article has been accepted for publication and will appear in a revised form in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, published by Cambridge University Press. Copyright Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Gonzalvo_Main-Text_rev.doc - Submitted Version Download (495kB)

Abstract/Summary

The local population of common bottlenose dolphin in the Balearic Islands coastal waters, a mass tourism destination in the western Mediterranean subject to increasing anthropogenic pressures, was monitored over a three-year period. Photo-identification surveys provided a relatively small population estimate, even though the islands are considered to be a hotspot for the species in the Mediterranean. Dolphins showed strong site-fidelity and relatively limited mobility across the archipelago, which makes them highly dependent on waters which are severely affected by overfishing, habitat degradation and boat disturbance resulting from a continuously-growing tourism and shipping industry. Ecosystem-based management actions are urgently needed to ensure the conservation of this fragile population of bottlenose dolphins. Conservation measures should be developed within the already-existing political and legal marine biodiversity conservation framework and in collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1017/S0025315413000866
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Ecosystems
ISSN:	0025-3154
Additional Keywords:	Tursiops truncates, photo-identification, site-fidelity, abundance estimate, Mediterranean
Date made live:	27 Oct 2014 13:01 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508686

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