Breaching striped dolphin

A striped dolphin breaches close to our research boat.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Juvenile striped dolphin

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Grey herons

Grey herons Ardea cinerea flying over the Bay of Itea, Greece.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Striped dolphin close-up

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

White belly

A well-known male bottlenose dolphin shows his belly while jumping.

(Photo by L. Eddy, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Seabird trio

Two seagulls and one shearwater try to catch fish as tuna keep the fish school close to the surface.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Fetal creases

A newborn bottlenose dolphin. Fetal creases are still present.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Marked flukes

A bottlenose dolphin's highly marked flukes.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Dolphins and clouds

A bottlenose dolphin group travels under a beautiful cloudy sky.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Wave riding 2

Striped dolphin riding the small wave created by a passing boat.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Wave riding 1

Striped dolphin riding the small wave created by a passing boat.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Apsifia

Bottlenose dolphin near the island of Apsifia, Galaxidi, Greece.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Confrontation

A bottlenose dolphin confrontation.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

In between

A newborn striped dolphin surfaces between socialising adults.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Red buoy

Seagull on red fish farm buoy.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Bottlenose dolphin morning

Bottlenose dolphins in the morning light.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Feather

Feather on a flat sea surface.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Wannabe marine biologist

Giovanni in the summer of 1986: a wannabe cetacean scientist on board the oceanographic research vessel 'Bannock'.

A short recollection of those days can be found in the blog post below:

Dolphins, Photography and Dreams

(Photo by B. Cavalloni, Mediterranean Sea)

Striped dolphin portrait

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Checking sea state at dawn

Silvia checking sea state conditions from the hill.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Cetaceans of the Gulf of Corinth

Overview of cetacean fauna of the Gulf of Corinth, Greece (numbers indicate point estimates), based on our recent publication:

Bearzi G., Bonizzoni S., Santostasi N.L., Furey N.B., Eddy L., Valavanis V.D., Gimenez O. 2016. Dolphins in a scaled-down Mediterranean: the Gulf of Corinth's odontocetes. Advances in Marine Biology 75: Mediterranean Marine Mammal Ecology and Conservation. ISSN 0065-2881. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/bs.amb.2016.07.003

ABSTRACT – The Gulf of Corinth is a 2400-km² semi-enclosed inland system (a mediterraneus) in central Greece. Its continental shelf areas, steep bottom relief, and waters up to 500–900 m deep offer suitable habitat to neritic and pelagic species. We used photographic capture–recapture, distribution modelling, and direct observations to investigate the abundance, status, habitat preferences, movements, and group size of four odontocete species regularly observed in the Gulf, based on five years (2011–2015) of survey effort from small boats. Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) are more abundant (1324 individuals, 95%CI 1158–1515) than was determined from previous estimates. Striped dolphins appear to be confined to the Gulf, where they favour deep and oligotrophic waters, and were encountered in single-species and mixed-species groups. Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) (22 individuals, 95%CI 16–31), individuals with intermediate pigmentation (possibly striped/common dolphin hybrids) (55, 95%CI 36–83), and a single Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) were only encountered in mixed-species groups with striped dolphins. Short-beaked common dolphins constitute a discrete conservation unit (subpopulation), and based on the current estimate, would qualify as Critically Endangered according to International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) (39 animals, 95%CI 33–47) occur in single-species groups; they prefer continental shelf waters and areas near fish farms in the northern sector, and several animals appear to move into and out of the Gulf. Additionally, we contribute records of marine fauna and an assessment of the fishing fleet operating in the Gulf. Our study shows that the importance of this vulnerable marine environment has been underestimated, and management action must be taken to mitigate human impact and ensure long-term protection.

The 35-page publication may be requested to the authors by email: admin@dolphinbiology.org

Silvia and Chrisoula

Silvia with our friend Chrisoula at Hotel Ganimede.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Galaxidi, Greece)

Intimate contact

Striped dolphins in intimate contact.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Seagull and seabass

This young seagull found a dead seabass near the Galaxidi fish farm.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Dolphin and sailing boat

Bottlenose dolphin bowriding a small sailing boat.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Aurelio D'Agostino: where it all started

Aurelio D'Agostino, MD, observing bottlenose dolphins off Galaxidi, Greece.

Thirty years ago, Aurelio—Giovanni's family physician—reported seeing dolphins on a regular basis east of the island of Losinj, Croatia. Information provided by Aurelio prompted Giovanni to move to Losinj and start studying bottlenose dolphins from inflatable boats. That is where it all started. Study areas and methodology have changed, but the basic approach and passion have remained the same.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Late September dawn

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Two heads

Two bottlenose dolphin heads.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Dolphin sunrise

Bottlenose dolphins at sunrise.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Bottlenose dolphin newborn

Newborn bottlenose dolphin with mother and escort.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Newborn dolphin around fish farm

A newborn bottlenose dolphin approaches a fish farm with its mother. Since they are born, baby bottlenose dolphins have opportunities of learning how to take advantage of wild fish attracted by the cages: a behaviour that will be crucial for their future survival.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Juvenile striped dolphin

Juvenile striped dolphin surfacing besides an adult.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Near the church

Bottlenose dolphins socialising near the church of Agios Georgios, an island close to Galaxidi.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Getting physical

Bottlenose dolphins getting physical.

(Photo by L. Eddy, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Nightjar - Caprimulgus europaeus

Giovanni found this amazing bird in the middle of the road with a broken wing. It is a nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus.

The bird was syringe-fed by Lavinia at the field station for a few days, based on directions received from ANIMA (a Greek organisation concerned with wildlife rescue). Once the nightjar looked like she was doing better, Silvia sent her to ANIMA in Athens for appropriate care and rehab.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Galaxidi, Greece)

Apocalyptic sky

This morning's (almost) apocalyptic sky before a rainstorm.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Galaxidi, Greece)

Dolphin navel

A female striped dolphin showing her pinkish belly and navel.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensis

An unusual encounter: the Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensis. This large individual was hiding under a floating plastic sheet drifting offshore, in the company of juvenile greater amberjack Seriola dumerili and horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus.

Thank you Patrick Louisy for identification of the tripletail.

(Photo from video by L. Eddy, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Dolphins and fishing boat

Bottlenose dolphins near an artisanal fishing boat from Galaxidi.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Among buoys

A bottlenose dolphin surfaces among fish farm buoys.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Not only dolphin research

Silvia and Lavinia replacing plants that did not survive the dry hot summer.

(Photo by G. Bearzi)

Morning farm

Watching the Galaxidi Marine Farm in the early morning.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Young dolphin

A young striped dolphin.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Leaving early

Yesterday we left the port in the early morning for another survey of the Gulf.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Before sunrise

Watching bottlenose dolphins before sunrise is a remarkable experience.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

In the field with dolphins

Silvia photographing bottlenose dolphins near the Galaxidi fish farm.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Second bottlenose dolphin newborn

The second bottlenose dolphin newborn observed since our study started in 2009 was encountered yesterday, in a group of eleven individuals.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Dolphin and gull

Bottlenose dolphin 'standing' under a seagull, near a coastal fish farm.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Bottlenose dolphins socialising

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)

Octopus signature

Parallel circular markings (shown by arrows) near the mouth of this bottlenose dolphin were likely left by the suckers of a large cephalopod, perhaps an octopus.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Gulf of Corinth, Greece)