The next volunteers' training session organised by the Biological Conservation Research Foundation will be held on June 27 at the GAIA foundation centre.
The session will be on Dolphins and Whales of Maltese Waters: How To Study, Assist and Conserve.
Bicref's conservation biologist Adriana Vella said the organisation has been active in marine conservation research for many years and it was looking forward to another summer of active research and awareness work.
She said effective scientific work needed proper methodology so research expeditions were preceded by training sessions to allow volunteers to make the best contribution to the effort.
While the dolphin and whale conservation research project out at sea was demanding in time and effort, the data accumulated, scientifically analysed and presented at local and international conferences had put Malta on the map of cetacean conservation research.
Bicref's long-term assistance to the cetacean project has been investigating the status of various cetacean species in the central and southern Mediterranean including bottlenose dolphins, Risso's dolphins, striped dolphins, and common dolphins.
Whales were also found in this study region and were integrated in the project to understand movement patterns of the sperm and fin whales.
This cetacean research project has several sponsors including Medcoms Ltd, Mecca and General Soft drinks.
Bicref can be contacted at P.O. Box 30, Hamrun; e-mail: bicref@hotmail.com.
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