Étude comparative des échouages de cétacés sur les côtes méditerranéennes de France et d'Espagne

Abstract

Comparative study of cetacean strandings on the French and Spanish Mediterrean coasts
During the years 1977-1987, 475 stranded cetaceans (302 in France and 173 in Spain) have been recorded. The fauna appears fairly homogeneous, eight species belonging to both countries: Stenella coeruleoalba, Delphinus delphis, Tursiops truncatus, Grampus grisew, Globicephala melaena, Physeter catodon, Ziphius covirostris and Balaenoptera physaus. Balaenoptera acutorostrata in France, and Mesoplodon densirostris in Spain have been exceptionally recorded. The highest number of species and strandings has been found on the French coasts near the Ligurian sea, and in the southern part of the Spanish coasts. Stenella coeruleoalba is the most common species but it appears more frequently in autumn on the French coasts and in spring on the Spanish coasts.