Thumb dolphin discovered in Greece. The ‘paradise’ of these animals in the Aegean Sea is in danger – Executive Summary

The Gulf of Corinth is a true isolated paradise in the Aegean Sea, which borders Greece’s coasts and islands, and is the scene of unique interactions between different species of dolphins. Recently, a specimen was discovered containing what appears to be a “thumb”, the first time this has been observed.

The case was reported by ABC, and the discovery was made by the Cetacean Research Institute “Pélagos”, which monitors and studies the behavior of dolphins living in the Gulf of Corinth.

In this “mini-Mediterranean”, the water reaches a depth of 930 meters and forms an extremely rich ecosystem, ideal for four species of cetaceans that have made the place their home; Common dolphin, striped dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, and gray pilot whale.

In three species in particular (the common, striped and gray pilot whale) there were interesting interactions and behaviors never seen before in cetaceans anywhere in the world.

It is the only area in the world where pods of striped dolphins have been found in an enclosed bay, as this species prefers deeper waters away from the coast. However, in the Gulf of Corinth there are more than a thousand specimens living here.

Here are also the only permanently mixed populations of these cetaceans. “There are cases of dolphins of different species gathering together for a few hours, but only here have colonies been documented in which dolphins of different species coexist permanently,” explains Alexandros Frantzis, a researcher at Pelagos.

If species usually communicate differently and feed differently, here the reality is different: “They live together, at the same depth, feed on squid, and speak the same language. The genetic distance between the three species is similar to that between humans, gorillas and chimpanzees. Can you imagine humans? Gorillas and chimpanzees coexisting harmoniously in the same city? It’s absolutely amazing,” concludes the expert.

The scientific community is also interested in hybridization between species, resulting in hybrids with common stripes (unique in the world), or the specimen found that appears to have such a “thumb.”

However, this paradise is in danger: no protection measures have been implemented for the species living in the Gulf of Corinth, and the area is threatened by overfishing, widespread tourism and ocean pollution.