Marine mammals of the Adriatic sea

Abstract

Morski sisavci su sisavci dobro prilagođeni na život u morskoj vodi. Oni uključuju kitove i perajare, sirene, morske vidre i polarnog medvjeda. U Jadranu je zabilježena prisutnost ukupno 9 vrsta kitova. Ipak, samo dvije vrste su trajno obitavale tamo do 1970. godine – obični i dobri dupin. Danas su obični dupini izuzetno rijetki jer su bili u kompeticiji za plavu ribu te su postajali žrtve namjernog ubijanja. Dobri dupin (Tursiops truncatus) je jedina vrsta koja i danas trajno živi u Jadranskom moru. Međutim, postoje i bilješke o zapažanju velikog kita, ulješure, glavatog, prugastog, krupnozubog, bijelogrlog i crnog dupina. Oni se smatraju povremenim posjetiocima. Sredozemna medvjedica je jedina vrsta tuljana koja živi u ovom području, ali je također veoma rijetko u današnje vrijeme. Prema IUCN – ovoj crvenoj listi vrsta je pred izumiranjem i statusom je kritično ugrožena. Morski sisavci općenito su ugroženi bukom, kemijskim onečišćenjem, klimatskim promjenama, pretjeranim izlovom ribe i degradacijom staništa. Mnogi od njih su ugroženi i nalaze se pod zaštitom različitih zakona, kako na nacionalnoj razini, tako i kao dio europskih i internacionalnih sporazuma i direktiva.Marine mammals are mammals well adapted for life in the marine environment. They include Cetaceans and Pinnipeds, sea cows, sea otters and the polar bear. Nine cetacean species have been reported to occur in the northern Adriatic Sea. However, only two species were considered regular there until the 1970s: the short-beaked common dolphin and the common bottlenose dolphin. Common dolphins are now extremely rare in this region. It was perceived as competition for the declining blue fish population which led to killing them on purpose. The common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus is the only cetacean species regularly reported in the area at the present time. However, striped dolphin, long – finned pilot whale, false killer whale, risso's dolphin, Cuvier's beaked whale, sperm whale and fin whale have been noticed too. They are just visitors here. Mediterreanean monk seal is the only seal living in this area but it is also very rare nowadays. According to the IUCN Red List from 2008, this species is facing extinction, with a status of critically endangered (CR). Marine mammals are threatened by noise and chemical pollution, climate changes, fisheries and habitats loss. Many of them are really endangared and have their places in many laws on nature or sea protection; not only on the national ones but also in European and international agreements and directives