Telemetry Lab

Tracking whale movements to support evidence-based marine conservation

Telemetry Lab

Tracking whale movements to support evidence-based marine conservation

The Tethys Telemetry Lab is a research unit within the Tethys Research Institute dedicated to the study of movement, ecology and habitat use of large marine vertebrates-especially fin whales (Balenoptera physalus) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and other cetaceans, in the Mediterranean Sea and beyond.

By combining satellite telemetry, spatial modelling, and environmental data analysis, the Tethys Telemetry Lab supports evidence-based marine conservation through rigorous, field-driven science.

informing evidence-based policies
suggesting mitigation efforts to reduce human impacts on marine ecosystems, such as vessel strikes
improving knowledge and public awareness on marine megafauna, through education, capacity sharing, and national and international collaborations.

The lab is coordinated by marine scientist Dr. Simone Panigada and works closely with regional and international bodies including ACCOBAMS, the Pelagos Agreement, the International Whaling Commission (IWC), to promote cross-boundary conservation strategies.

Skills and Techniques

Use of satellite-linked transmitters and bio-logging tools to collect high-resolution movements, diving, and habitat use data on fin whales, sperm whales and other large marine vertebrates.
Identify important areas, such as feeding hotspots and migratory corridors, using advanced statistical frameworks.
Overlay whale movement data with environmental factors (chlorophyll levels, sea surface temperature, bathymetry) and human pressures (ship traffic, noise pollution) to assess risks and suggest mitigation measures.
Inform spatial planning and policy to support the identification of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs), Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs) and dynamic management tools like time-area closures or shipping lane adjustments (Traffic Separation Schemes, TSS).

Activities

Mediterranean Sea

Since the late 1990s, Tethys has pioneered bio-logging in the Mediterranean Sea, starting with velocity-time-depth-recorders (TDRs) to study fin whale diving behavior in the Ligurian Sea. Since the mid-2010s, satellite tracking has been used to document movements of fin whales across the Ligurian Sea, the Gulf of Lion, the Spanish Migration Corridor in the Balearic Sea, and the Strait of Sicily. These data revealed strong links between whale behavior and environmental productivity, helping identify priority areas for protection that often lie outside currently managed zones. Since 2024, satellite tagging has been applied also to sperm whales in the Hellenic Trench, Ionian Sea, Greece.

Antarctica

Since 2015, the Telemetry Lab has contributed to international research efforts in Antarctica, participating in projects involving satellite tracking and biopsy sampling. Research activities included tagging Type-C killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) in 2015 and fin whales around Elephant Island, northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula in 2022.

©Accobams

Workshop ECS 2025

On May 12^th, 2025, the Tethys Telemetry Lab co-organized a workshop on “Advances in Marine Mammal Telemetry”, together with CIRCE, CIMA Research Foundation, IWC, and ACCOBAMS during the 36^th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society (ECS). The event focused on best practices in bio-logging techniques (including satellite tagging) and data analysis, with particular attention to animal welfare, regulatory frameworks, and future directions for telemetry-based conservation.

Blue Corridors

The Tethys Telemetry Lab collaborates with “Protecting Blue Corridors”, (link) a WWF global initiative that brings together 30 years of satellite tracking and scientific data to map critical habitats and migratory routes in all the world’s oceans. This massive project supports regional and international conservation efforts by identifying key threats, offering mitigation advice, and promoting science-based solutions for policymakers.

Visit Blue Corridors website

Projects

Publications

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id	authors	year	title	source	project	type
544	Panigada S., Lauriano G., Zanardelli M., Pierantonio N., Donovan G., Zerbini A., Geyer Y., Druon J-N., Fossi M.C., Notarbartolo di Sciara G	2013	Satellite tracking of fin whales in the Pelagos Sanctuary (western Mediterranean sea)	European Research on Cetaceans 27.	TELEMETRY LAB	Conference
590	Donovan G.P., Panigada S., Pierantonio N. .	2015	Satellite telemetry applied to fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea: integration to tag whales in the Sicily Straits in winter 2013. Final report.	International Whaling Commission. May 2015. 53 pp. (Unpublished)	TELEMETRY LAB
591	Panigada S., Pierantonio N. .	2015	Satellite telemetry applied to fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea.	Internal report to UNEP/MAP–RAC/SPA. Contract RAC/SPA N° 05/RAC/SPA_2015, 36 pp. (Unpublished)	TELEMETRY LAB
592	Panigada S., Donovan G.P., Druon J-N., Lauriano G., Pierantonio N., Pirotta E., Zanardelli M., Zerbini A. N. .	2015	Satellite telemetry on Mediterranean fin whales to identify critical habitats and mitigate ship strikes.	Working paper SC/66a/HIM14 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, San Diego, CA, USA, 14pp.	TELEMETRY LAB
593	Panigada S., Donovan G.P., Druon J–N., Lauriano G., Pierantonio N., Pirotta E., Zanardelli M., Zerbini A.	2015	Satellite telemetry on Mediterranean fin whales to identify critical habitats and mitigate ship strikes.	21st Biennial Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference, San Francisco, USA, 13–18 December 2015.	TELEMETRY LAB	Conference
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