A multidisciplinary approach to the study and conservation of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea

Since the deployment of the first test structures for underwater neutrino detector (NEMO - OnDE) and the beginning of the collaboration between INFN and INGV, the scientific community has shown deep interest in biological underwater acoustic signals detected by the EMSO and KM3NeT infrastructures placed on the seabed of the Western Ionian Sea. These facilities gave the chance to take advantage as a powerful tool to study better and more deeply the life of marine mammals in the Mediterranean Sea and in particular in the Ionian Sea. Biologists and physicists from different academic and scientific institutions gathered to realize a common project, according to their own competences, to investigate the behaviour, the hunting methods, the social life and other aspects regarding these marine mammals. CABIRIA is the Italian acronym chosen to indicate this network of researchers, involving the University of Torino, Pavia (CIBRA), Messina and Catania, the Italian National Council of Research (CNR) and the Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Development (ENEA), with the support of INFN, INGV leading the KM3NeT Italia and EMSO Projects. One of the aims of this group is the presentation of projects for funding on the protection and conservation of cetaceans, with particular reference to sperm whales. The starting point is the recognition of the sounds emitted by the animals, their differentiation and identification among dolphins, sperm whales, fin whales and so on. Further, a focused sight is being reserved to other aspects such as the effects of the antropic activities on the life of cetaceans, the damages that they might suffer from the naval traffic, the reasons why many of them run aground on the seashore, the necessity to delimitate protected areas and to design adequate policies aimed to both conservation and protection of these species. The activities of the network, including also the tracking of sperm whales, the analysis of specific territorial economic policies and the relapses on tourist flows, will be depicted.