During a research expedition aboard the research vessel “FILIA” of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), scientists collected and filtered water samples from the Ionian Sea and the Gulf of Corinth to extract environmental DNA (eDNA), which is the DNA that organisms leave behind in their environment. Similar sampling efforts have already been conducted in the Hellenic Trench and the Thracian Sea. The goal is to use genetic analysis of eDNA to detect the presence of marine mammals in the study areas.
Analyzing environmental DNA is a promising and innovative non-invasive technique for detecting species, like whales, that are hard to spot in the wild. At LIFE MareNatura, we are exploring the potential of using eDNA as a management tool to help protect endangered marine mammals.
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