Active from 2019 to 2021
The InterMed project, coordinated by the Fondazione Acquario di Genova Onlus and WWF Switzerland, sponsored by ACCOBAMS, aims to evaluate the conservation status of the various cetacean species present in the Mediterranean, through an international network that uses the Intercet platform as a data sharing tool, thus expanding the operations of TursioMed. 32 entities based in 9 Mediterranean countries participated in the project. As envisaged in the original project, the validation and comparison of photo-identification data will remain the responsibility of the Fondazione Acquario di Genova for the bottlenose dolphin, while it has been entrusted to the Tethys Institute (Italy) for the Risso's dolphin, to EcoOcéan Institut (France) for the sperm whale and to the CIMA Foundation (Italy) for the Cuvier's beaked whale. A committee of experts has also been set up for each species, composed of the same partners as InterMed, with a consultative function. The project also funded a research campaign in the Strait of Sicily, conducted jointly by Italian and Tunisian partners.
In total, during the project, 245,379 km were covered and 6,985 cetaceans were sighted.
Partner:
Genoa Aquarium Foundation Onlus, WWF Switzerland, Italy: Accademia del Leviatano ONLUS, Me.Ri.S. Association, CE.TU.S. Research Center, CIMA Research Foundation, Oceanomare Delphis Onlus, Ketos, MareTerra Onlus, SEA ME Sardinia onlus, Tethys Institute, University of Genoa, University of Pisa, University of Turin, Thalassa Research and Training, CRAMA Association. France: Association BREACH, EcoOcéan Institut, GECEM - Groupe d'Etude des Cétacés de Méditerranée. Spain: Alnilam Research and Conservation, SUBMON, Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute. Greece: Gaia Research Institute Onlus, Ionian Dolphin Project (Tethys Institute). Turkey: Istanbul University and Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Marine Mammals Research Association/Denìz Memelileri Araştirma Derneği. Slovenia: Morigenos. Tunisia: the Tunisian Dolphin Project.
Sponsors:
Blu Planet Foundation Virginia Böger Stiftung XX
