Other tools for monitoring cetaceans
The European Biodiversa + partnership is funding the EMPHATIC project to monitor cetacean populations in the Bay of Biscay, the western Mediterranean and the Iberian coast.
The EMPHATIC project brings together 6 European partners over a 36-month period. For La Rochelle University, the project is led by Paula Mendez Fernandez from the Pelagis Observatory.
Cetacean populations are heavily impacted by multiple stress factors, leading to a deterioration in their health and a decline in the number of individuals. The research work carried out as part of this project aims to implement an innovative toolbox with minimally invasive methods for monitoring the state of health of cetaceans. The health status indicators will be based mainly on the respiratory tract microbiome, stress levels and body condition. This toolbox can be used for environmental assessments.
