Doroteja Andreić, Ivana Šimić: The mortality of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Adriatic Sea. Original scientific student paper. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb. Zagreb. 2008.

 

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to represent the mortality of a bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), which live sin the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea. This is important because on-time detection and elimination of the factors which endanger their survival is crucial for the conservation of this endangered species. The study elaborates information about the mortality of 120 bottlenose dolphins that have been found in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea during period from October 1990to January 2008. Since 2000 the average morality of bottlenose dolphins is 13,1 individuals per year. Distribution of inanimate bottlenose dolphins in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea is sustained and the number of dead females is equal to men's. The mortality is the highest in newborn age and mostly in summer/autumn season. Considering the fact that the individuals of the smallest body lengths have been found in the period from April to August, we are able to conclude that this is the period of the year when the babies are born in the east part of the Adriatic Sea.