Dolphins feeding at fish farm.

The bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are the only cetacean species permanently inhabiting the eastern Adriatic Sea. Habitat degradation, incidental by-catch and overfishing are believed to be among main threats to Mediterranean population. In Croatia, this species is listed as endangered and is protected by the Nature Protection Law and several international agreements (EU Habitats Directive, ACCOBAMS, Bonn Convention) which require monitoring programs. There are currently two study sites in eastern Adriatic Sea where the research on this species' biology and ecology takes place – island of Lošinj and island of Vis. This project aims to expand the research effort to include previously unsurveyed area between the two current study sites and combine existing and new results to create a complete overview into status of bottlenose dolphins across a 300 km stretch, which includes two protected areas.

Calf surfacing.