The purpose of the series of fieldwork days was to check the beaches of the entire Bulgarian coast for stranded cetaceans, as well as test the methods of data collection and examination of the carcasses; determining their condition, gender and species identification; obtaining the relevant measurements; identifying the geographical location; photographing the findings and filling in the information in the form fields.
Six volunteers had the opportunity to participate in the perambulation of the areas that were selected and distributed between the teams beforehand. All beaches from Rezovo to the Romanian border were inspected. The facts were in favour of the cetacean populations as the teams didn’t find any mammals (dead or alive), but thanks to their thirst for knowledge, the volunteers discovered dolphin remains – a skeleton (washed ashore in the Pomorie – Aheloy area) and an upper jaw (on a beach north of the ,,Kosmos’’ campsite) and also a porpoise’s skull with its lower jaw. Using the species identification method based on the number and shape of the teeth of the animal, whose remains only include bones, the volunteers had the chance to identify which species the remains belonged to and document the findings with photos.
The periodic inspection and monitoring of the coastline for dead cetaceans that had been washed ashore, is one of the oldest methods of studying these relatively unknown mammals. This method helps with gathering essential information for the condition and health of the various kinds of cetacean populations and the threats that often prove fatal for them. The carcasses can be used for comprehensive laboratory examinations of the internal organs and parasites. When an external cause of death is established, the examination could help uncover the exact reason behind the animal’s death and whether it’s due to human activity. The results of this type of field activity can lay the groundwork for taking the necessary measures for tackling the threats to the well-being of the cetaceans in the Black Sea.
Practical training of volunteers for monitoring of stranded cetaceans
