:: Aims

• To study the genetic structure, distribution and movements of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis);

Legenda

• To study the habitat of these cetaceans species within the Azores, Madeira and Canary Archipelagos;

•To establish a Macaronesian Network for the Study and Conservation of the cetaceans

The up-to-date legislative measures of management and conservation of cetaceans in the Azores, Madeira and Canary Autonomous Regions became from empiric information's or sporadic studies carried out in each archipelago. The dispersion together with the wide range distribution area of cetaceans - not totally known but surely moving beyond each archipelago - make this scientific cooperation project very important because it will permit the analysis of more realistic and extended data, allowing a better management.

This is also the first large project covering the studies of this cetacean's species in the NE Atlantic region. For the first time, this project will make possible the use of telemetry techniques in all the three archipelagos, increasing the chances for an accurate knowledge of the habitat of these species. This project also marks the beginning of an effective cooperation between the scientific teams (working together) of the three archipelagos, based upon common methodological protocols that will stand for the future.

The succeeded scientific results from each archipelago will be applied following a group analysis. Finally, this project will contribute to establish a Macaronesian Network for the Study and Conservation of the cetaceans, which will allow performing future studies for a better conservation of the cetaceans in the Macaronesia..