Society for the Study and the Conservation of Marine Mammals
Society for the Study and the Conservation of Marine Mammals
A short presentation... 
The Leviathan Academy was founded in 1996 to promote and develop studies and researches for the knowledge and conservation of Marine Mammals, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea. The Academy continues the studies tradition and the activities of Marine Mammals Working Group, informally founded in 1990 in the Animal Biology Department of University of Rome.
Researchers, graduates and students take part in the Academy; they produce many researches that are presented in scientific publications and international conferences.
Many students have developed their thesis in the field of Academy researches and were able to realise their interests on Marine Mammal life.
At the same time, the Academy organises many seminaries and conferences open to the public, publishes on daily news and periodics and allows voluntaries to take part at the researches.
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE LEVIATHAN ACADEMY
Projects
The Bottlenose dolphins are the most studied dolphin in the world but, in spite of this, our knowledge about this dolphins are still insufficient; this is mainly because of the plasticity of this specie that is able to adapt to different local situations.
Its distribution and the state of health in the Italian seas are still unknown.
From 1991 researches have been conducted along the coasts of Sardinia. Here exists a competition between dolphins and fishery, with some shooting occurring; in general terms, this taxon seems to be particularly vulnerable to the human impact.
A common project has been developed in joint venture with other italian research groups, especially in the southen part of the peninsula (Campanian and Sicily).
Project’s objectives are: to estimate the consistency of dolphin population; to study natural cycles (birth, death, immigration, emigration, daily and seasonal changes); to check fisherman-dolphins and boats-dolphins interaction; to check threatened level of population in order to define a plan to protect the Italian populations; to check new methods to monitor cetacean’s populations in the wild.
Actually a permanent field study
is carried out in Sardinia. Bottlenose dolphin population grew up dramatically since the
costruction of a floatinfg fish farm in the area in 1994.
Here is the only place in Italy where you can easily see dolphins are easily from
the shore, too. Workshops are organized on the spot for anyone is interested in the
matter, all the year long (unless in the summer months). Anyone is welcomed: please
contact us at our e-mail address!
On the subject have been published:
-Consiglio C., L.Marini, A.Arcangeli, B.Cristo, L.Mariani & A.Torchio, 1992. Interactions between Tursiops truncatus and fisheries along north-eastern coast of Sardinia (Italy). European Research on cetaceans, P.H.G.Evans Ed.,6: 35-36.
-Marini L.,C.Consiglio, A.Arcangeli, A.Torchio, M.Casale, B.Cristo, S.Nannarelli, in press. Socio.ecology of Tursiops truncatus along North-eastern coast of Sardinia (Italy): preliminary results. European Research on cetaceans, 9.
-Marini L. & G.Villetti, 1992 Pescatori e delfini: un rapporto difficile. "Marevivo", 7(5): 24-26.
On the subject the following thesis have been carried out:
-Luca Marini, "Ecologia comportamentale di Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) (Cetacea, Odontoceti) nelle acque della Sardegna Nord-orientale"; Ph.D. Thesis, Università "La Sapienza"di Roma, 1995
-Anna Torchio, "Ecologia di una popolazione di Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) (Cetacea, Odontoceti) nelle acque della Sardegna nord orientale", laurea in Scienze Biologiche, Università di Torino, 1992;
-Antonella Arcangeli, "Comportamento di Tursiops truncatus presso la costa nord ovest della Sardegna (Cetacea, Delphinidae)", laurea in Scienze Naturali, Università di Roma, 1993;
-Mirko Casale, laurea in Scienze Naturali, "Ecologia ed etologia di Tursiops truncatus (Cetacea, odontoceti) nelle acque della Sardegna nord-orientale", Università di Padova, 1997.
Cetaceans in the Central
Tyrrhenian Sea
From September 1989 to September 1992 250 weekly trips have been carried out in Central Tyrrhenian Sea in order to study the Cetological fauna. For the trips have been used daily ferries that link Civitavecchia to Golfo Aranci (Sardinia). This is the first research in the Mediterranean Sea to be carried out also on winter months. The results have provided considerable information on the presence of same species, particularly Balaenoptera physalus and Ziphius cavirostris, and their spatial and seasonal distributions.
On the subject have been published:
-Angradi A.M., L. Marini & C. Consiglio, 1993. Behaviour of Stenella coeruleoalba in the Central Tyrrhenian sea in relation with commercial ships. European Research on cetaceans, P.H.G. Evans Ed., 7: 77-79.
-Consiglio C., L. Marini, A. Angradi & A. Sanna, 1990. A medium-term sighting scheme on Cetaceans in Central Thyrrenian Sea: Work in Progress. European Research on Cetaceans, P.H.G. Evans Ed., 4 : 44-45.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, A.M. Angradi, M.G. Finoia & A. Sanna, 1992. Cetacei nel Mar Tirreno Centrale. Risultati della Campagna d'avvistamento 1989-1991. Roma : 1- 107.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, A.M. Angradi & A. Sanna, 1991. Preliminary results of the first year of a sightings survey of cetaceans in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea. European Research on Cetaceans, P.H.G. Evans Ed., 5: 22-25.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, A.M. Angradi & A. Sanna, 1992. Sightings of Ziphiidae (Cetacea, Odontoceti) in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea. Hystrix (N.S.), 4 (1): 89-92.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, A.M. Angradi, A. Sanna, & T. Valentini, 1992. Cetacean sighting campaign in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea: results of the second year of activity. European Research on cetaceans, P.H.G. Evans Ed., 6: 66-68.
- Marini L., C. Consiglio, A. M. Angradi, B. Catalano, M. G. Finoia, G. Villetti and A. Sanna, 1996. Distribution and seasonality of cetaceans sighted during scheduled ferry transects in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea: 1989-1992. Ital. J. Zool., 63(4): 381-388.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, B. Catalano & T. Valentini, 1993. Cetacean in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea: third (and last ?) year of sightings. Preliminary results. European Research on cetaceans, P.H.G. Evans Ed., 7: 148-150.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, B. Catalano, G. Villetti e T. Valentini, 1996. Aerial Behavior in Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Mediterranean Sea. Marine Mammal Science, 12(3).
- Marini L., 1991. I cetacei del Mediterraneo. AQUA, Milano, 60: 52-53.
- Marini L., 1992. In traghetto per Cetacei. Cetacea News, Milano, 2(1): 21-23.
On the subject the following thesis have been carried out:
-Andrea Sanna, "Distribuzione dei cetacei nel Mar Tirreno centrale", laurea in scienze Naturali, Università di Roma, 1991;
-Anna Maria Angradi, "Distribuzione e comportamento di Stenella coeruleoalba nel Mar Tirreno Centrale (Cetacea, Odontoceti)", laurea in Scienze Naturali, Università di Roma, 1992;
-Barbara Catalano, "Distribuzione e fenologia dei cetacei lungo un transetto nel Mar Tirreno centrale", laurea in Scienze Biologiche, Università di Roma, 1993
Migration of Balaenoptera
physalus in the Mediterranean Sea
Until a few years ago rhythms of migration of Balaenoptera physalus ware completely unknown. The observations which have been carried out in Central Tyrrhenian Sea (see above) have underlined the existence of migratory rhythms and the presence of Balaenoptera physalus in winter time also. A study is being carried out to discover the wintering area of Mediterranean population of Balaenoptera physalus and its migration routs. From 1994 we are carrying out winter cruises in the Sicily Canal to study the presence of Cetaceans in this area. The observed presence of Balaenoptera physalus along Lampedusa coasts in winter season confirms our hypothesis about this animals.
On the subject have been published:
-Marini L., 1990. Migration of Cetaceans through the Straits of Gibraltar. In "Spirit of Enterprise", Reed Ed., Bern: 477.
-Marini L., C. Consiglio, A. Sanna & A.M. Angradi, 1992. Some notes on the fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the western Mediterranean Sea. Proceedings of the symposium "Whales: Biology-Threats-Conservation", J.J.Symoens ed., Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences, Bruxelles: 63-71.
-Marini L., G. Villetti & C. Consiglio, in press. Wintering areas of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Mediterranean Sea: a preliminary survey. European Research on Cetacean, 9
Study about age
determination of some odontocetes
It is possible determine the age and some physiological and pathological parameters of Odontocetes by means of periodic increasing layers in teeth. The study of teeth sections allow to make clear the structure of the most commons Cetacean populations (Bottlenose dolphin and Striped dolphin), particularly in cases of mass stranded. The methodologies are been learned from C. Lockyer of Sea Mammal Research Unit of Cambridge. A collaboration with Cetacean Study Centre of Italian Society of Natural Sciences is at the present maintained to find teeth samples.
On the subject have been published:
- Marsili L., C. Casini, L. Marini, A. Regoli e S. Focardi, in press. Age, growth and organochlorines (HCB, DDTs and PCBs) in Mediterranean striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in 1988-1994 on the coasts of Italy. Marine Ecology.
On the subject the following thesis have been carried out:
-Carolina Casini, "Determinazione dell’età in Stenella coeruleoalba (Cetacea, Odontoceti)", laurea in Scienze Biologiche, Università di Roma, 1995.
Study about the presence and
distribution of Cetaceans in the Oriental Mediterranean Sea
A research for quantitative analysis of Cetological fauna in Aegean Sea was carried out for two years (1993 and 1994). Since then, this area was completely disregarded for this kind of study. This study, carried out in collaboration with the Marine Biological Centre of Heraklion, provided important information about the presence and ecology of Cetaceans in the Aegean Sea and in the Oriental Mediterranean Sea.
On the subject have been published:
-Carpentieri P., L. Marini e C. Consiglio, 1994. A cetacean survey in the Aegean Sea: work in progress. In: European Research on Cetaceans, P. G. H. Evans ed., 8: 108-110.
-Marini L., P. Carpentieri & C. Consiglio, in press. Presence and distribution of the cetological fauna of the Aegean Sea: preliminary results. European Research on Cetacean, 9.
- Carpentieri P., Corsini M. e L. Marini, in press. Presence and distribution of the cetological fauna in the Aegean Sea. Scientia Marina.
On the subject the following thesis have been carried out:
-Paolo Carpentieri, "Distribuzione della fauna cetologica nel Mar Egeo", laurea in Scienze Biologiche, Università di Roma, 1997.
Study
about the ecology and the habitat of the Monk seal in northern Aegean Sea
A study in the "Sporadi" Island will allow to know the habitat, the ecology and the behaviour of seals in the Archipelago waters. At this moment the Academy is developing a collaboration with the Hellenic Society in order to study and to protect the Monachus monachus.
The Academy is collecting in the computers the scientific publications on Marine Mammals: at the moment more than 1000 card have been filed in the computer.
Participation at
scientific meeting with communications on marine mammals
- -IV meeting of the European Cetacean Society (Palma de Mallorca (E), 1990);
- -V meeting of the European Cetacean Society (Sandefjord (N), 1991);
- -Symposium "Whales: Biology-Threats-Conservation", Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences (Bruxelles, 1991);
- -VI meeting of the European Cetacean Society (San Remo, 1992);
- -VII meeting of the European Cetacean Society (Inverness (UK), 1993);
- -X Meeting on Marine Mammal Biology (Galveston, Texas, 1993);
- -VIII meeting of the European Cetacean Society (Montpellier (F), 1994);
- -IX meeting of the European Cetacean Society (Lugano (CH), 1995);
- -World Marine Mammal Meeting (Monaco, 1998).
For any further information, please contact us:
Dott.ssa Antonella Arcangeli, Accademia del Leviatano, Viale dell'Astronomia 19, 00144 Roma, Italia.
E-Mail:
aleviatano@hotmail.com
2001 
