Line of action:

Marine ecosystems

Status:

En ejecución

Location:

Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla

Execution date:

2022

Duration:

01/06/2022 - 31/12/2025

Total budget:

€270,469.18

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

€233,333.71 (86.27%)

The coasts of Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla are part of a strategic marine region that we share with numerous species of cetaceans and sea turtles. These species are used as a connection corridor to the Mediterranean and as feeding, breeding and residence areas. Stranding networks are essential tools for studying and expanding knowledge of these species, for knowing the health status of populations, their main threats, their distribution, etc., for decision-making and the design of management measures.

• Coordination with those responsible for the Network of Strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles of Andalusia, and of Ceuta and Melilla, as well as with other entities involved.
• Travel and necropsies of stranded specimens, where it has been decided to transfer the specimen, as the case may be (beach, town hall area, necropsy rooms of recovery centres and collaborating universities). In all cases, the necropsies will be carried out by the same human team, which will be led by a veterinarian expert in the study of causes of death of these species.
• Collaboration and advice in the management of potentially necropsiable animals.
• Preparation and periodic shipment of tissues and samples collected to laboratories for the corresponding analyses.
• Processing and analysis of samples collected during necropsies.
• Handle and preserve tissue samples (Biobank). Opening lines of research.
• Writing of the anatomopathological reports of each necropsied specimen.
• Study of the plastic content of the digestive tracts of cetaceans and turtles stranded in Andalusia, Ceuta and Melilla.
• Training actions: Technical conferences on stranding.
• Dissemination actions: environmental volunteering, schools, knowledge transfer, etc.