Dolphins at primary school - 2

Silvia giving a dolphin lecture to primary school children.

(Photos by G. Bearzi)

Dolphins at primary school - 1

Today's presentation at Istituto Comprensivo Alberto Manzi, Cordenons. We are grateful to Piera Franzo for inviting us.

(Photos by G. Bearzi)

New 'dolphin friends' booklets

Thanks to support provided by OceanCare, we just printed two thousand copies of the children booklet "Our Friends the Dolphins" (see http://www.dolphinbiology.org/_media/dolphinfriends/).

These educational colouring booklets will be distributed to children during our lectures at schools.

(Photo by G. Bearzi)

Dolphins at ICT Kennedy, Pordenone

Today's seminar at the Advanced Technical Institute ICT Kennedy, Pordenone.

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni)

Just before the talk

Today's seminar at the Advanced Technical Institute ICT Kennedy, Pordenone. 

(Photo by G. Bearzi)

Avvicinare il Mare, 28 marzo 2018

Today in Pordenone: during a 2-hour seminar Giovanni shares his marine biology experience with students to get them "close to the sea".

For more information: http://www.dolphinbiology.org/avvicinare/

On the boat again

We're on the boat again... this time in the Adriatic Sea.

Searching for meaning in marine mammal shared data

JUST PUBLISHED:

Bearzi G., Gimenez O. 2018. Searching for meaning in marine mammal shared data. Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics 18:9-13.

Open access and freely available at:
http://www.int-res.com/articles/esep2018/18/e018p009.pdf

ABSTRACT - The sharing of marine mammal data is a worthwhile practice, but there are caveats. Data interpretation may be difficult, sometimes resulting in misleading information or inappropriate formulation of research questions. Here, we point out some of the challenges when dealing with shared marine mammal datasets. We emphasize the importance of collecting, publishing and sharing data in ways that can produce unbiased and meaningful knowledge, ultimately inspiring and directing management action. Finally, we suggest that bridging the gap between data sharing and data reuse will require enhanced spatially referenced online databases as well as direct collaboration between the data analysts and the field researchers who possess relevant place-based expertise.

Old story, new beginnings

Our dolphin research station in the Po river delta, Italy. New beginnings... in our beloved Adriatic Sea where it all started back in 1987.

http://www.dolphinbiology.org/areas.htm

(Photos by G. Bearzi)

Voglio fare il biologo marino

"I want to be a marine biologist", the seminar held today in Pordenone, offered tips to students interested in a career in marine science and conservation. Thanks to High School Leopardi-Majorana for hosting the event!

Becoming a marine biologist in Pordenone

Today's presentation on "becoming a marine biologist" targeted about 80 students of the High School Leopardi-Majorana in Pordenone, Italy.

(Photos by M.E. Rossi)

When animals grieve on National Wildlife

The latest issue of National Wildlife features a short interview with Giovanni Bearzi (among others) within an article on ANIMAL GRIEVING by journalist Barry Yeoman.

The article can be read online at THIS LINK.

Young bottlenose dolphin showing off

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

Striped dolphin portrait

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

Web site update

We updated and improved our web site, including new information about our research and conservation activities (in English and Italian).

www.dolphinbiology.org

New photo album

We just posted a new comprehensive photo album, featuring our best images of dolphins and field activities.

The album includes over 500 photographs by Dolphin Biology and Conservation researchers. Enjoy!

VIEW THE PHOTO ALBUM

Happy new year 2018

Epimeletic behavior

Our short entry on Epimeletic behavior for the 3rd edition of the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals.

Bearzi G., Reggente M.A.L. 2017. Epimeletic behavior. Pp. 337-338 in Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, 3rd edition (B. Würsig, J. G. M. Thewissen and K. Kovacs, eds.). Elsevier/Academic Press, Amsterdam and San Diego.

Industrial dolphin

Bottlenose dolphin and bauxite mining near Itea, Greece.

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

Newborn calf

An adult striped dolphin with her newborn calf.

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

Whales and dolphins in Pordenone, Italy

Giovanni's seminar in Pordenone, held yesterday, focused on shifting perceptions of whales and dolphins over time, and the reasons why it is worth studying and protecting these animals. Thank you Guido Perin (President of Nature Society 'Silvia Zenari', Pordenone) and Umberto Chalvien (Director of Museum of Natural Sciences, Pordenone) for organising the event.

Delfini e Balene a Pordenone

22 novembre ore 18:00

Ex Convento di San Francesco, Via della Motta, Pordenone

Delfini e balene: mostri da massacrare o esseri senzienti da tutelare?

Attraverso immagini di grande impatto visivo, Giovanni Bearzi illustrerà gli stupefacenti cambiamenti che hanno trasformato il nostro modo di percepire i cetacei. Per secoli "pesci" mostruosi e maligni, animali nocivi da sterminare, prede; oggi "giganti gentili", simpatici cugini acquatici dalle mirabili capacità intellettive, esseri senzienti. Un percorso codificato in termini moderni da pensatori del calibro di Jeremy Bentham e Charles Darwin, che sta entrando a far parte del pensiero scientifico e del sentire comune (con molte contraddizioni).

L'evolversi di questa "biofilia marina" sarà in grado di rallentare il degrado ambientale e la perdita di biodiversità? Di certo alcune popolazioni di cetacei sono state decimate e versano in grave pericolo, anche nei nostri mari. Come è possibile evitarne la scomparsa?

Bearzi, veneziano residente a Cordenons, svolge ricerche sui cetacei del Mediterraneo da trent'anni—di solito da piccole imbarcazioni. Parlerà dello studio dei cetacei in natura, spiegando i suoi metodi di indagine preferiti e come le informazioni acquisite su campo possano contribuire alla tutela di questi affascinanti mammiferi marini.

Second seminar at the Department of Marine Biology, Chioggia

Today Silvia gave our second seminar at the Department of Marine Biology in Chioggia, Italy. She talked about "Modelling the spatial distribution and habitat use of cetaceans". Our gratitude goes to professors Carlotta Mazzoldi and Matteo Griggio, and to the very interested students.

Basking shark in Chioggia

The remarkable basking shark Cetorhinus maximus exposed at the Department of Marine Biology, University of Padua at Chioggia. A totally harmless plankton-eating shark, it is the second largest living fish after the whale shark.

Learn more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basking_shark

(Photo by S. Bonizzoni)

"Dolphins, Fisheries and Aquaculture" in Chioggia

Today Giovanni gave a seminar on "Dolphins, Fisheries and Aquaculture" at the Department of Marine Biology, University of Padua at Chioggia, Italy. Thank you Carlotta Mazzoldi and Matteo Griggio for the invitation and the warm welcome. Also thanks to the students and all those who attended!