Aimilia Drougas, president of DELPHIS - The Hellenic Cetacean Research and Conservation Society, is a marine biologist and geologist-oceanographer. Since 1995, when she first joined DELPHIS as a volunteer, Dr Drougas has experienced 1,200 hours of underwater diving and over 16,000 NM of sailing along Greek and Cypriot coastlines in order to study the habitats of whales, dolphins, fish, sea turtles and corals.
Recent press reports speak of an impressive mobility and number of dolphins and whales in the Greek seas. Do you confirm such reports?
Out of the 76 to 78 known species of cetaceans, DELPHIS has documented 12 in Greece (bottlenose, striped, common, Grampus, dolphins, harbour porpoises, Cuvier's, Sowerby's beaked whales and orcas, minke, pilot, false killer, fin, and sperm whales). They migrate, feed and reproduce in the open seas and some in gulfs. At present, there is a rise of mobility and number of dolphins in Greek seas. Here are some reasons:
a) Cetaceans, along with other species, migrate to new habitats, due to global warming.
b) Food depletion, illegal fishing activities and high pollution levels also force cetaceans to seek new habitats.
c) Speed boats and increasing marine activities for tourists - such as illegal whale-watching - is a new cause for cetacean migration; they are annoyed. DELPHIS is preparing a marine mammal management plan, in an effort to help people better understand whales and dolphins and realize the need to protect them.
d) Last but not least, cetaceans are natural indicators of the seas environmental health: they inhabit unpolluted areas. To our amazement, we found out that four or five fin whales inhabit Saronikos Gulf since 1998. This certainly indicates that Saronicos levels of pollution fell, since the new wastewater treatment plant in Psittalia Island went into operation.
What are the most common risks facing dolphins in the Greek seas? And what is being done for their protection?
Whales and dolphins are particularly sensitive to sea pollution. They are also victims of over- and illegal fishing by gill or drift nets and by dynamite. This last-mentioned is a fishing method common throughout Greece and its results were visible on numerous stranded cetaceans we have examined to date.
