Minimum duration of 3 months is highly recommended for all volunteers/interns, but placements can be up to a year long.

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The main goals of our research are:

• Monitoring the habitat use, abundance and distribution of cetaceans, Mediterrenean monk seals and sea turtles.

• Studying the population structure and its dynamics.

• Studying the behavior through visual and acoustic data.

• Investigating the impact of major threats, such as fishing and tourism, on the cetacean behavior.

• Our current work includes the following activities:

• Conducting boat-based surveys to collect data on cetacean abundance, distribution and behavior.

• Conducting land-based surveys to collect data on cetacean behavior and distribution without interacting with them.

• Collecting data about different types of marine vessels, their distance from the focal group, fishing activities and marine debris during the boat and land surveys.

• Assessing the populations of resident, transient and seasonal cetaceans through photo-ID.

• Developing an online photo-ID network.

• Using a hydrophone to collect acoustic data.

• Creating GIS maps to pinpoint critical habitats and understand the factors threatening them.

• Delivering first aid to the animals, rescuing them, performing necropsies and collecting data related to stranded individuals (e.g. cetaceans, seals and sea turtles).

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