The sperm whale named “Ciccio” has returned to the Aeolian Islands. Monica Blasi, president of Filicudi Conservation and founder of a mini-hospital for treating whales, turtles, and dolphins, made the announcement. Ciccio was spotted in the waters of Filicudi during one of the boat expeditions with vacationers who enjoy encountering and playing with dolphins, which are increasingly present in the archipelago. The area is also a place where turtles often get injured by boats or encounter plastic and fishing lines. “Now,” says Blasi, “the surprise is that Ciccio is passing by! He is an old acquaintance of ours and one of about 60 identified sperm whales in our catalog.” The Aeolian Islands are home to sperm whales, and the association “Filicudi Wildlife Conservation” has been collecting data on the species and the threats they face during their passage to the islands. Blasi explains that October has always been the month when sperm whales visit the Aeolian Islands. Various groups of these cetaceans, including solitary adult males, young males, females, and their calves, pass through these waters during their migratory routes in the Mediterranean. They feed on mesopelagic squid, which they catch in canyon and slope areas, reaching depths of up to 2,000 meters and diving for up to 45 minutes. The Aeolian area is one of the most important areas in the Tyrrhenian Sea for this species and could potentially serve as both a feeding and breeding habitat.
Alle Eolie torna il capodoglio «Ciccio»
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