Large group

A large group of bottlenose dolphins swimming in a tight formation.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Not a dolphin

As we wait to resume our work at sea we make a different kind of sighting.

(Photo by G. Bearzi)

Pit stop

After a planned survey goes wrong because of unmanageable waves, we try a temporary stop and wait for a calmer sea. It did not work.

(Photos by G. Bearzi)

Autumn beach

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

We join the global climate strike

On a calm sea

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Getting physical

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Seagull on buoy

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Lateral leap

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Colourful morning

Looking for dolphins before the sun rises.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Infrequent social interactions

Lively social interactions (often including synchronous jumps) are rather uncommon off the region of Veneto, Italy, where bottlenose dolphins are mostly busy looking for food. Here, however, we recorded one of those infrequent occasions.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Heading back

Heading back to the port after a day at sea.

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Just another day

Just another day in the field.

(Photos by G. Bearzi and S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

A trawler is here

An oldish individual performs repeated breaches while rushing to approach an otter trawler, as if to signal its presence to other dolphins in the area.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

When at sea

(Photo by G. Bearzi, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Levitation

During social interactions, a bottlenose dolphin is being lifted by another individual who lies just below.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Fishing trip

Sport anglers on a fishing expedition in Adriatic offshore waters, near the remains of a dismissed platform (that arguably protect scant sealife from trawling).

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Good day at sea

When you spend weeks waiting for a good day at sea... and finally you get one.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Incognito

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Seagull on sea turtle

We found this seagull standing on a dead sea turtle floating adrift. The bird abandoned its raft when we approached for a close inspection.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Supervision

This tiny bottlenose dolphin, probably born in August 2019, is being closely 'supervised' by two adults.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Air show

An aerobatics air show: the kind of thing we would rather not watch while doing a dolphin survey.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni and G. Bearzi, Lido di Jesolo, Italy)

Chasing fish after sunset

Bottlenose dolphin chasing fish after sunset, in the shallow coastal waters off Albarella Island, Italy.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Grimaldi Lines

(Photos by G. Bearzi and S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Happy Birthday Sigi

Sigrid Lüber with Silvia in Galaxidi, Greece (April 2009).

No to wolves?

These anti-wolf signs populate Val Sarentino, north of Bolzano/Bozen, Italy. They portray wolves as evil monsters and claim that farming has no future as long as they are around. The signs also claim that saying "no to wolves" benefits biodiversity - as if wolves themselves were not part of biodiversity, or did not belong in this ecosystem.

(Photos by B. Würsig)

Unusual location

Silvia with Bernd and Melany Würsig in the Dolomites: an unusual location for marine biologists.

(Photo by G. Bearzi)

Trawler catch

An otter trawler swallows its catch of fish and other bottom-dwelling organisms. A large part of them will be discarded as bycatch.

(Photos by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Fish ball

Midwater pair trawlers lift a ball of epipelagic fish.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Dolphin people

A reunion: Bernd Würsig, Melany Würsig, Nina Luisa Santostasi, Valentina Rossi, Silvia Bonizzoni and Giovanni Bearzi in Cordenons, Italy.

(Photos by V. Rossi and G. Bearzi)

Morning breach

A bottlenose dolphin breaches in the morning light.

(Top photo by G. Bearzi, bottom by S. Bonizzoni, Northern Adriatic Sea)