PRESS REPORT

The foundation rmm

in prole

The Strait of Gibraltar and

its relevance for the cetaceans

Katharina Heyer:

Idealistic and Realistic Business Woman

Vita Katharina Heyer

A woman’s ght for the whales

in the Strait of Gibraltar

Fascinating Tarifa in Andalusia

Research in order to protect the whales

Scientists about rmm

rmm

-chronology

Facts about the oceans

Whales and Dolphins in

the Strait of Gibraltar

Press-photos

CONTENT      PAGE

PRESS REPORT

GOALS

The foundation ﬁrmm

is actively engaged in

protecting the whales and their habitat. Its main

focus is centred on research, information and

clariﬁcation. As mentioned in the name, a major

concern of the foundation is to share the rese-

arch results with as many people as possible.

It can be regarded as platform for the exchan-

ge between science and the interested layman.

The foundation wants to introduce new ways of

how to respectfully and ecologically handle the

oceans and their inhabitants without exploiting

them.

PURPOSE

The foundation ﬁrmm

creates possibilities for

humans to encounter marine mammals.

By experiencing these animals in the wild and

mediating knowledge about them, a basis of

support and love to the whales and dolphins and

the preservation of their natural habitat, the

oceans, can be formed. The encounter with the

marine mammals in freedom through respectful

whale watching as well as continuous educatio-

nal work with information at ﬁrst hand, research

and schooling lead to a sensitization of the peop-

le, pursuant to the foundation’s motto:

“Only what people know about they will be

able to love and protect”.

ﬁrmm

is establishing research stations at dif-

ferent locations where scientists hand in hand

with interested people record data and prepare

information. The results are being presented to

a broad audience at events.

At the same time ﬁrmm

greatly emphasizes

the value of cooperative collaboration with the

authorities, schools, public institutions and the

media.

STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION

The foundation for information and research on

marine mammals (rmm

) was established in

1998 by Katharina Heyer with domicile in Meis-

terschwanden and head ofﬁce in Stallikon,

Switzerland. The trigger was Heyer’s encounter

with dolphins and whales in the Strait of Gibral-

tar at the end of the year 1997: She recognized

that these wonderful beings and their habitat

urgently needed to be explored and protected.

FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS:

Katharina Heyer: President, Affoltern,

Switzerland

Caroline Burger: Buchrain, Switzerland

Prof. Dr. Patricia Holm: Marine Biologist,

University Basel, Switzerland

Benny Stutz: Meisterschwanden, Switzerland

Samuel Notz: Langnau a.A., Switzerland

The foundation rmm

in prole:

Adventure Whale-Watching : long-lasting

impressions of the Strait of Gibraltar

CURRENTLY FIRMM

IS REPRESENTED

IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:

• Switzerland (rmm

Schweiz): since 1998

• Spain (rmm

España): since 1998

The reliable rmm

team in Tarifa, Spain

During the months of April to October rmm

operates from their location in Tarifa. The team

there consists of the following persons:

• NinaCziczek, oce manager (since 2006)

• JörnSelling, marine biologist (since 2003)

• BarbaraLindenberg, promotion and sales

(since 2012)

•BrigitteAchatz, secretary (since 2013)

• OliverSchäfer, oce manager (since 2011)

• ChristineSchmid, secretary (since 2015)

•SeviGolinvaux, promotion (since 2018)

• BegoñiaMolinaColell, Spanish information

talks (since 2017)

• LucaPaulineVohns, customer service

(since 2019)

•MartinaNeitsch, customer service

(since 2019)

• DennisJensKöchling, guide and information

talks (since 2019)

•AntonioManuelReyesDaza, captain (since

2016)

•DanielMarinCerrudo, 2. captain (since 2018)

•JoseLuisPomaresFuentes,

mechanic (since 2018)

•FranciscoJavierRodriguezMartin,

mechanic (since 2018)

•MiguelAngelLopezCollantes,

mariner (seit 2016)

•GonzaloNuñezFernandez,

mariner (since 2019)

•JoséManuelEscobarCasado,

mariner (since 2019)

TASKS AND ACTIVITIES

The emphasis lays on whale and dolphin watching

as well as the preparation and transmission of the

collected knowledge. During the summer months,

rmm

primarily concentrate on research.

The team goes out into the Strait on boats to

record the whale stocks and the behavior of the

animals. Interested people have the opportunity to

accompany these tours and take a glimpse over

the shoulders of the rmm

team during its work.

In wintertime, the information comes into focus.

In collaboration with marine biologists, Katharina

Heyer presents the acquired knowledge to a

broad audience throughout Europe.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE PRODUCT

• Daily observational tours with the rmm

-boats

to the whales and dolphins in their natural habitat.

From Tarifa in the Strait of Gibraltar including an

half an hour informational talk and 2 hour trip

(April – October).

• Special three hour tours to see the orcas in July

and August.

• One week intensive whale watching course

in which sustained knowledge is theoretically

imparted by a marine biologist and made tangible

through daily trips.

• Systematic identication, recording and

interpretation of the behavior of the cetaceans

over a multi-year time span. This offer is

especially used by marine biology students as

well as volunteers. This knowledge and the data

also receive entry into the worldwide observation

of marine mammals.

• Lectures by marine biologists as part of an

educational program in Spanish school classes

to create an understanding for the importance

of the marine mammals, their habitat and their

conservation (in cooperation with the Spanish

environmental ministry).

• Cultural and informative events at different public

places in Germany and Switzerland.

• Presence with information stands on diverse

tourism trade shows in Switzerland.

Informative lectures about

whales and dolphins

NUMBERS AND FACTS

The foundation rmm

• has reached since its founding about 293000

guests which were informed and guided to the

free living whales and dolphins in the Strait of

Gibraltar on whale watching trips.

• until now has informed approximately 30000

Spanish school children about the threats for the

marine mammals.

• has schooled roughly 4240 course participants

(adults and children) since 1998 within one- to

two week intensive observation courses.

• has offered numerous people the possibility to

work as a volunteer for several months since its

inception. In addition, rmm

has supported

many pupils and students in the preparation

of their Abitur, Master and Diploma theses.

These were published (in German) on the new

homepage www.rmm-education.org.

• has held approximately 300 lectures in hotels, in

Swiss and Spanish schools, for clubs, societies

and other organizations.

• iis regularly represented at tourist fairs in Basel,

Berne, St. Gallen and Zurich with stands and

lectures since 2001.

• offers 10-12 regular jobs in Tarifa plus additional

employment opportunities during the high season.

WEAREGRATEFULFORANY

KINDOFSUPPORT.

Via Donation Account:

Bank: UBS AG, CH-8098 Zürich

Account holder: Stiftung rmm

Swift: UBSWCHZH80A

Bank clearing: 206

Account EUR: 206-DP134211.2

IBAN: CH 17 0020 6206 DP13 4211 2

Account CHF: 206-DP134211.0

IBAN: CH71 0020 6206 DP13 4211 0

A receipt for your donation goes without saying.

This way the expense can be tax deductable.

Online through PayPal

in Euro or Schweizer Franken

http://www.rmm.org/en/foundation/donation

Excursions to the rocky coast of Tarifa

The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean

Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It is between 14 and

44 kilometres wide, 60 kilometres long and bet-

ween 300 and 1000 metres deep. Below the Strait

the Eurasian and the African tectonic plates push

against each other, creating the extreme depth.

The rmm

-area of research is located at a world-

wide unique intersection, home and passageways

for seven dolphin and whale species.

In the water way the shipping trafc lanes also con-

centrate: 300 freighters (excluding shing and ferry

boats) pass through the Strait daily at relatively high

speed. Inadequate wastewater treatment, the oil

trans-shipment centre Algeciras with its reneries,

and the new harbour Tanger Med on the Moroccan

side constitute a massive ecological challenge for

the whole region.

In spite of this enormous pollution and the noise

exposure under water there has to be a reason why

a signicant population of resident and semi-resi-

dent whales and dolphins remains here. The rea-

son has been found in the exceptionally high and

species-rich food supply which is available all year

round. As many regions worldwide are overshed,

the animals travel in search for nutrition throughout

the oceans.

But from where does the excellent supply on food

in this region come? The Mediterranean Sea, with

its few sweet water supplies, has a high evaporati-

on rate which lowers the sea level about 1.00m to

1.40m per year. This creates a strong surface ow

from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean Sea. Wi-

thout this inow the Mediterranean would dry out

in about 2000 years.

As the water in the Mediterranean contains more

salt through the high evaporation and thus is physi-

cally heavier, it sinks to the sea bottom and moves

as a deep current directing the Atlantic Ocean.

In the Strait of Gibraltar the outow sinks down

to 1,000m depth to collide against an underwater

mountain range on its further way. The arising tur-

bulences and currents churn the water masses and

push the nutrient-rich deep water upwards. Under

the inuence of sunlight the inorganic substances

can be transformed into organic ones – photosyn-

thesis takes place. Thus Plankton can grow and

develop all year around. Plankton constitutes the

beginning of the marine food chain: Zooplankton

feeds on Plankton and algae; this is eaten by big-

ger sh etc. Whales and dolphins are at the tail end

of this food chain.

Moreinformationunder:www.rmm.org

The Strait of Gibraltar

and its relevance for

the cetaceans

Only 14 km separate Tarifa from

the African continent.

KATHARINA HEYER

*Source: Extracts from an article by Gabriela Bo-

nin in the „Schweizer Familie“, Katharina Heyer is

a woman who consequently transforms her goals

into actions. When she rst actively got involved

in protecting whales and dolphins, she was also

a successful designer for international sport bag

brands. As a business woman she was permanent-

ly travelling back and forth between Zurich, Hong

Kong and the USA. Her two sons, whom she had

raised on her own, were long grown up. Kathari-

na Heyer could have settled down for a quiet re-

tirement life. Nonetheless she was looking for so-

mething that she still had not found in spite of her

successful career: a deeper meaning to life and a

fullled commitment.

After meeting whale and dolphin preservationists

during her vacation in 1997 in southern Spain and

learning more about the endangered animals, she

immediately felt a strong desire to help. With her

strong and consequent way she started implemen-

ting this desire. Already two months later she took

part in her rst conference for marine biology. Ano-

ther three months later, she founded the foundation

for information and research

on marine mammals rmm

and looked for premises in

Tarifa and experienced mari-

ne biologists. Katharina Heyer

quickly realized that people are

willing to protect animals, once

they know more about them,

are able to experience them

in the wild and nally learn to

love them. Right from the be-

ginning her focus was aimed

at informing and sensitizing a

broad audience.

Despite numerous opposi-

tions, setbacks and other dif-

culties the foundation quickly

developed into a recognized

platform for scientists. En-

durance and a good sense

of humour continuously hel-

ped taking and overcoming

new hurdles. Today, many years after the foun-

ding of rmm

, the foundation is respected by

other environmental organizations and engaged

as a valuable partner for informational programs at

schools. As a pioneer the non-prot organization

can also assert itself against the commercial whale

watching rms in Tarifa.

Katharina Heyer is a restless whale and dolphin

protectionist. To reach her goal, she does not shy

away from an 18 hour day, be it during the sum-

mer working in Tarifa or during the winter on nu-

merous lectures and trade show presentations

in Switzerland and Germany. Katharina Heyer

receives her energy for this fulltime job from the

marine mammals at sea. When she encounters

“her” animals, she is content. In these moments

she realizes what she is investing all her energy

for. A special relationship, based on trust, exists

between this committed woman and the wha-

les. The animals show this by coming very close

to the boats or proudly presenting their calves.

These are behavioural patterns which free living

whales usually don’t show - an extraordinary

symbiosis between human and animal.

Katharina Heyer:

Idealistic and Realistic Business Woman

Katharina Heyer:

founder of the foundation ﬁrmm

• Born the 20 July 1942 in Zurich,

• Education as a foreign correspondent, professio-

nally active in Zurich,

• 1962 marriage and emigration to Tanzania, where

Heyer supported her husband as a foreign corre-

spondent in his job as an agronomist. Her love for

the underwater world is awakened during her rst

snorkelling trips,

• 1965 returning to Switzerland, birth of two sons

1967 and 1969,

• 1980 founding of the SONO Handels AG, an im-

port business for leather goods and accessories

with Katharina Heyer as manager,

• 1980-2001 expansion of the rms portfolio to-

wards design and development, core activities in

the Far East,

• During the 1980s Katharina Heyer discovers her

passion for diving,

• Heyer is working as a free designer for large inter-

national brands, among them major corporations

like Puma and L.A. Gear,

• 1997 Heyer meets the whales and dolphins in the

Strait of Gibraltar,

• 1998 founding of rmm

España in Tarifa (www.

rmm.org). Katharina Heyer is simultaneously still

working as a designer,

• 2002 she sells her share of her business to an

international rm in Hong Kong

• 2003-2005: another three years commitment as

a designer, during some months she runs the

foundation in Tarifa

• 2006-2014 : during the summer she is working

eight months in Tarifa, and four months in the

wintertime in Switzerland

• 2014 : she hands over a large part of the respon-

sibility to long-term employees, but as always

she supports all activities on land and at sea

• 2015-2016: continues to support the activi-

ties on the sea and collects research data.

In addition, Michèle Sauvain‘s book „Herzenssa-

che“ (A Matter of the Heart) about the last 20 ye-

ars was published in 2016.

• 2017: The faculty of philosophy and natural

sciences of the University of Basel awards her

on November 24th the honorary doctorate for 20

years of research and information work to pro-

tect the whales and dolphins in the Strait of Gi-

braltar. She continues to support the activities on

land and on sea.

• 2018-2019: The 21st and 22nd year in the Strait

of Gibraltar she used again for countless obser-

vation trips and could thus considerably inuen-

ce the number of research data.

Vita Katharina Heyer, founder of rmm

Katharina Heyer gathering important data

about the whales and dolphins

MORE INFORMATION UNTER WWW.FIRMM.ORG

Contact:

Katharina Heyer, rmm® Spanien, Pedro Cortés 4, E-11380 Tarifa

Tel. +34 956 62 70 08, Mobile +34 678 418 350

E-Mail: mail@rmm.org, Website: www.rmm.org

Extraordinary people and their actions are the fab-

ric good stories come from. The former fashion de-

signer Katharina Heyer tries to avoid the progres-

sing destruction of the whale’s habitat between

the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea with

a lot of enthusiasm and courage.

For two decades Katharina Heyer is ghting at

Spain’s southernmost location for an increasing

awareness to the marine mammals that live so clo-

se to people’s neighbourhood.

When the successful business woman recognized

that there was such a lack of knowledge about the-

se animals living in the busy Strait of Gibraltar, she

quit her job without further thoughts todedicate her

future life to this one talent.

Therefore she initiated the foundation rmm

(foundation for information and research on marine

mammals) to study about the dolphins and whales

in the Strait, to protect their habitat and to inform

and educate the public about these fascinating and

endangered creatures.

Her slogan: „Only what people know about they

will be able to love and protect“, the rmm

staff

in Tarifa and a great number of volunteers from in-

and outside of Europe do intensive research and

information work. The data collected upon the daily

boat trips about the whales and dolphins provide

an important input to the research of the last giants

of the sea.

Katharina Heyer will be pleased to answer your

questions

Contact person:

Katharina Heyer, Chairwoman

November - March:

rmm

headofce,

Zürichstrasse 116 b

CH-8910 Affoltern

Tel. +41 44 700 15 21

Mobile +41 79 356 96 46

E-Mail: mail@rmm.org

April - October:

rmm

España

Pedro Cortés 4

E-11380 Tarifa

Tel. +34 956 62 70 08

Mobile +34 678 418 350

E-Mail: mail@rmm.org

A woman’s ght for the whales in

the Strait of Gibraltar

Katharina on one of her boats

Tarifa is the southernmost city on the European

continent. Nowhere else Europe and Africa lie clo-

ser together. Picturesquely situated between the

Mediterranean Sea nd the Atlantic, Tarifa has been

called the wind capitol of Europe for a long time.

On more than 300 days a year the Poniente (cold

west wind) and the Levante (warm and dry east

wind) ght for domination in the Strait of Gibral-

tar. Six to seven beaufort are no curiosity here. The

constant wind attracts wave surfers, wind- and kite

surfers from all countries to the long, untouched

sand beaches and into the clear Atlantic water. At

low wind people enjoy a “tinto de Verano”(summer

wine, a zzy red one) in one of the popular chillout

lounges at the beach.

Tarifa’s Moorish old town with its winding alleys,

cosy cafés and numerous shops is ideal for strolling

or lingering over a cup of coffee. Parts of the thick

old town wall, the gate to the old town, the baroque

Iglesia de San Mateo or the castle Castillo de Guz-

mán between port and town show evidence of the

long and changing settlement of Tarifa.

The popular resorts at the Costa de la Luz (Conil,

Chiclana etc.) or at the Costa del Sol (Estepona,

Marbella etc.) can easily be visited in a one-day

trip. The culturally interesting cities Cádiz, Sevilla,

Granada or the famous rock of Gibraltar lie within

day distance. Excursions to the shifting sand dune

in Bolonia or the Roman village Baelo Claudia only

need an hour’s drive. After a ferry trip of only 35

minutes the visitor can dive into Africa’s mysterious

world in Tanger, Morocco.

Due to the rising numbers of surf fans and the in-

creasing interest in whale watching Tarifa reached

an unexpected attractiveness. The infrastructure

has been adapted to the growing number of tou-

rists, but still accommodation in high season of

July/August is hard to get. Regarding the growth,

Tarifa’s population is divided in two: Some want

to preserve the charms of the small town situated

in front of the windmill-littered hills, others plan a

huge expansion of the port. It will soon turn out

which interests are going to prevail.

Activities in Tarifa: Biking, diving, shing, climbing,

surng, horse-riding or golf, Spanish classes, cul-

tural offers such as Flamenco or cinema, countless

Tapas bars and restaurants, nightlife in bars and

clubs into the early morning hours and much more.

Arrival: ight to Málaga, travelling on with a rented

car or public transport. The bus is the only

public transport. Direct connection from Málaga

ca. 3x daily, duration about 2½h.

Accommodation: Offers can be found in every ca-

tegory - from camp site to design hotel.

MORE INFORMATIONEN:

www.tarifa.de, www.tarifa.net, www.gotarifa.com

Fascinating Tarifa in Andalusia:

Whale observation and more

The island La Paloma in front of Tarifa.

In the background the African coast.

The foundation nances its

research activities through

donations as well as by ta-

king interested persons or

tourists for whale observa-

tion tours and scientic re-

search excursions. Next to

a marine biologist rmm

engages students of bio-

logy, marine sciences and

environmental sciences as

volunteers.

The research projects were

supervised by Professor Dr.

David Senn for twelve years,

who was member of the board for rmm

as scien-

tic responsible. In February 2010 he retired and

Professor Dr. Patricia Holm took over his duties.

The scientic results add to deepen the knowledge

about the living conditions of the animals on site

and eventually to back up the foundations claims

for protection.

The research area is located at a worldwide unique

point of intersection. The Strait (see also “The Strait

of Gibraltar and its relevance for the cetaceans”) is

a food source for the whales with an eminent whale

population: Constantly common dolphins (Delphi-

nus delphis), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleo-

alba), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and

pilot whales (Globicephala melas), but also killer

whales/orcas (Orcinus orca), sperm whales (Phy-

seter macrocephalus) and n whales (Balaenoptera

physalus) can be observed.

Since the founding of rmm

in the year 1998

every sighting of animals has been documented.

For a start this is done to record the species and

the populations. To (re-)cognize single, individu-

al animals, rmm

les e.g. pilot whale and bot-

tlenose dolphin populations by means of so-cal-

led photo-identications. This is an internationally

used method for whale identication and it is ack-

nowledged by the scientic committee of the IWC

as non-invasive: A photograph of the dorsal n

(with Globicephala melas), shot from the right ang-

le allows a distinct mapping of every

individual with the help of scars, outline, angle and

ratio. Another project is aimed on the unknown

point of origin and destination of the sperm wha-

les, which obviously use the Strait of Gibraltar as

a “feeding ground”. The photo-ID with Physether

macrocephalus is done with photos of the tail n.

The n whales’ migration routes can also be stu-

died with photo-ID by comparing the photos with

those of other institutes active in the Mediterrane-

an Sea. The narrow Strait of Gibraltar alsosuits to

count the number of n whales travelling through

every year.

Each year students of the University of Basel tra-

vel to Tarifa to take plankton assays off the rmm

boat. This leads to the registration of the species

found here. The statistical analysis of the data col-

lected since 1998 gives information about the tem-

poral and spatial distribution of the species as well

as about the possible changes of those parame-

ters. The development of group size and birth rate

can be tracked over the years, too.

Research in order to protect the whales

Striped Dolphins live in the Strait of Gibraltar all year round.

Descending Sperm Whale

For a long time any regulations to protect the ma-

rine mammals were nonexistent in this area due to

the fact that it was not known for whale sightings

and – research, not even to mention any surveil-

lance. rmm

has successfully made an effort to

constitute rules for gentle and respectful “whale

watching” (as it is applied e.g. in the USA) with the

Spanish authorities. The rules and standards put in

force on the 1.1.2009 shall inure to the benet of

the whales in all Spanish waters.

PUBLICATIONS:

Onaregularbasis,wepresentourndings at

International Marine Biology Congresses, e.g.

atconferencesoftheEuropeanCetaceanSoci-

ety(ECS).Herearesomeexamples:

• Fin whales of Gibraltar (HighRes) by Jörn Selling

• Long-nned pilot whales in the Strait of Gibraltar

(HighRes) by Michael Casanova, Matthias Tobler

• Preliminary Assessment of Epidermal Condi-

tions, Lesions and Malformations in Cetaceans

of the Strait of Gibraltar by Jörn Selling

Comprehensivestatisticalanalysis

In 2009 Prof. Dr. Jürgen Holm, doctor of biology

and designated statistics expert, evaluated the

huge database collected since 1998 by rmm

with scientically appropriate software. Marine

biologists Professor Dr. Patricia Holm and Profes-

sor Dr. David Senn together with rmm

marine

biologist Jörn Selling have been editing relevant

questions. Several complex steps with statistical

methods and tests are necessary until reliable sta-

tements can be made. After all, the interpretation

of the results is of high importance to discuss them

critically in context with the known whale research

so valuable conclusions can be deduced.

Possible questions are:

• which species were observed when and where,

also with regard to day time and season,

• if their appearance and their spread correlate to

weather and tides,

• how big the groups of the different species are

and which species appear in mixed groups,

• documentation of the number of offspring over

several years,

• how did the animals react to the research boat,

did they ee, did they seem to be unimpaired

or were they even approaching the observers?

Mapping Sperm-Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

Mapping Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas)

Mapping Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba)

Mapping Orcas (Orcinus orca)

The rst part of the comprehensive analysis will be

realized as a part of a master’s thesis: A master

student of the interdisciplinary study “Sustainable

Development” at the University of Basel started to

sight the data base in summer 2009. The results

will be of high interest among experts.

2014: Katharina Heyer and the rmm

-biologist

Jörn Selling made the assumption that the four

new ports built at the Moroccan coast are inuen-

cing the whereabouts of the resident pilot whales.

Analyzing the extensive data collected by rmm

during the last 15 years, which gives evidence of

the whereabouts of the pilot whales since 2007

(when “Tanger Med”, the largest of the new ports

started to work), it might be possible to see if there

have been any changes.

Considering the limitations of our way to get that

data, it appears that the pilot whales stayed in

principle in the area. However, there is a trend that

groups with newborns have been moving more

westerly than other groups, while they have been

moving more easterly than others before.

That might indicate that they prefer the stress of

meeting orcas (mostly at the west-end of the Strait)

to exposing their babies to the danger of the in

creasing trafc close to the harbour. However it

is too early to make an unambiguous statement

about the inuence of the new harbours on the pi-

lot whales´ territory

ﬁrmm

suspects that the four new ports on the Maroccan coast have an inﬂuence

on the whereabouts of the resident pilot whales.

This is what scientists say about rmm

Prof. Dr. rer.nat. Patricia Holm, professor for ma-

rine biology at the University of Basel, member of

the scientic committee of the International Wha-

ling Commission IWC and member of the board

of rmm

“The foundation rmm

accomplishes a highly

valuable contribution in the tertiary education. We

and our students in the elds of marine biology and

sustainable development prot on the one hand of

the infrastructure that the foundation provides in

Tarifa in form of course premises and daily obser-

vation trips. But even more valuable are the expe-

riences with the marine mammals from more than

16 years of activity in the Strait of Gibraltar invol-

ving the passive knowledge that has been accu-

mulated at rmm

For our research the work of the

rmm

- crew is a huge step forward.”

Prof. Dr. David Senn, professor for zoology at the

University of Basel, member of the scientic com-

mittee of the International Whaling Commission

IWC and former member of the board of rmm

“On every trip to the whales and dolphins in the

Strait of Gibraltar population sizes, family struc-

tures, migrational behaviors et cetera are collec-

ted with the help of observation and meticulous

documentation. The analysed data is introduced

into our research work and contribute to broaden

our decent knowledge about the whales. The pi-

lot whale project has to be honoured especially.

Without the tireless efforts of the rmm

crew the

whales and dolphins in the Strait of Gibraltar would

still be alien to us. rmm

wants to bring the wha-

les into the awareness of the people. This will be

the best path to their protection.”

MORE INFORMATIONS UNDER WWW.FIRMM.ORG

Orca-sightings in the Strait of Gibraltar

rmm

- Chronology

• CHRISTMAS 1997: A fateful encounter with

dolphins and pilot whales in Tarifa changes the

life of Swiss fashion designer Katharina Heyer

radically. She gives up her career to devote her

life to protect the endangered animals. As a

foreigner with a limited prociency in Spanish

she at rst experiences great difculties. But

with a lot of condence Katharina plunges into

the adventure.

• SPRING 1998: Founding of the foundation

rmm

and opening of an ofce in Tarifa.

Friends help to transform the run-down former

bar in the Calle Pedro Cortes 4 (today’s main

ofce) into a small shop with an ofce. First

season with whale watching trips in the Strait

of Gibraltar with the company-owned Zodiac

„Beluga“ and the chartered boat of the diving

school Scorpora. Data collection and lectures

for course participants. Collaboration with Orca

researcher Diego proves to be a dead end.

• 1999: Initiation of the research method which is

still used to date: a) Biodiversity with recording

of all the sightings, b) Photo-identication for

recording populations and migrating, c) mapping

of the different whale species. New boat

„fundación rmm

”.

• 2000: Season full of problems, damages on the

boat by storms, approximately half of the trips

have to be cancelled due to very strong winds.

Petition led against building new dolphinariums

in Europe.

• 2001: already three children camps take place.

All of the research data 1999/2000 are purloined

by a Spanish biologist. Petition launched for

the dismissal of Japanese whaling activities to

support the international petition.

• 2002: Another boat damage. The data base

of the „Long nned Pilotwhale Project“ is

constantly growing. Initiation of regular lectures

about Orcas to the local shermen, extension

of school lectures, big event with school kids in

Marbella. Katharina searches in Morocco for a

suitable bay for her planned Dolphin Sanctuary

and nds it in Ras Laouka…

• 2003: New record with 1373 dolphin and whale

sightings. Intensifying of the research- and

informational work. Marine biologist Jörn Selling

and Diego Diaz Piñero, captain and mechanic,

join the team.

• 2004: The small boat yields at the end of the

season to the new „rmm

UNO” (24 seats).

Beginning of the yearly visits by Prof. David

Senn with students of the University of Basel for

research on plankton in the Strait of Gibraltar,

which continue up to today.

• 2005: Research and information are further

expanded and professionalized. The leasing of

the shing rights by the Spanish to the Japanese

lead to the arrival of a factory ship in the port of

Tarifa, where tons of red tuna are slaughtered.

• 2006: Record number of visitors, for the rst

time both boats are running simultaneously

during the high season. Sightings climb up

to 1870, less than 1% trips without sightings.

Newly Katharina can count on the vigorous

assistance of ofce manager Nina Cziczek.

• 2007: A larger boat is necessary. Employment

of a second captain for the whole season,

Sebastian Gonzalez. For the rst time, the

Academia Engiadina School of Tourism comes

with students to microscope plankton and to

create an access database. Over the past 10

The ﬁrmm-ofﬁce in the old-town of Tarifa

years rmm

has been giving between 5000

and 7500 short lectures with over 50 volunteers

in ve different languages. Start of cooperation

together with Aldiana Hotels in Chiclana and

Alcaidesa. A dead Humpback Whale beaches in

Zahara. Highlight: Sperm Whale mating!

• 2008: The year of strandings (1 Pilot Whale,

2 Beaked Whales and even 1 Sperm Whale).

Shooting manoeuvre in the Strait by the Spanish

army. Unfortunately injured Pilot Whales are

sighted again whose wounds can be traced

back to collisions with boats. Tough 11th season

for rmm

with strenuous waiting for the arrival

of the new boat rmm

Spirit“ until its rst trip

on August 14th. Due to the higher capacity of

the boat only 450 whale watching trips take

place. New team member: Eduardo Montana

Peralto, marinero. Approximately 1500-1600

short lectures given by the volunteers, this is a

new record.

• 2009: Successful season with new record

numbers of guests as well as of sightings. New

regulations for the necessary captain papers

shortly stall all activities. The documentary “The

Last Giants - Wenn das Meer stirbt” about the

whales and dolphins in the Strait of Gibraltar

and Katharina’s work launches in September in

the German cinemas.

• 2010: Turbulent season with short-term

investment in a new boat of the same size as

the „rmm

Spirit“, named „rmm

Fly Blue“.

Two new employees necessary to take care

of the growing amount of guests. Sightings:

Few Sperm Whales, but lots of Fin Whales and

extra-large groups of Common Dolphins (more

than 1,000 animals) and Striped Dolphins (up

to 500), Pilot Whales and Bottlenose Dolphins

with several calves. Orcas show up occasionally

between mid July and mid August and to our big

surprise once again in October.

• 2011: Season of the extremes demanded a

lot from us. A cold and rainy spring, a windy

and stormy October. We were rewarded with

a summer and a record number of visitors due

to less wind. Sightings: Again very few Sperm

Whales, but 25 Fin Whales. A record of 38 Orca-

sightings despite the short tuna shing season.

The last Orca-sighting on the 4th of October

in the Bay of Algeciras! Pilot Whales and

Bottlenose Dolphins had a remarkable number

of calves. Due to our long time research data

we managed to prevent a newly planned ferry

line from Tarifa to the new port of Tangier MED

which would have taken course through Pilot

Whale territory. The marine biologist Jörn follows

the question if and under which conditions the

position data of the whales equipped with GPS-

transmitter can be handed out by the scientists

to the whale watching companies.

• 2012: Despite the palpable crisis in Spain the

15th season in Tarifa was satisfactory: last year’s

visitor numbers could be slightly exceeded.

Extraordinary sightings: 130 Sperm Whale

sightings - among others even a Sperm Whale

mating; 34 Fin Whales passed by; between July

4th and the end of September we were able

to nd the Killer Whales 59 times - the largest

family had 23 animals! 4 curious Orca calves

frequently played around our rmm

-boats!

We once again witnessed how the Pilot Whales

chased the Killer Whales. The Pilot Whales had

a lot of calves again. The Bottlenose Dolphins

offered spectacular shows near the boat and

often showed us their newborns. Fortunately, of

the Striped and Common Dolphins there are still

schools with over 1,000 animals!

• 2013: Much wind and the ongoing crisis in

Spain gave everybody a hard time. Thanks to

The ofﬁce in the port: starting point

of the excursions to the whales

an unexpected mild autumn we nevertheless

almost reached the gures of the previous

year. All three dolphin species were about

equally often sighted. Although we can be

satised with the Pilot Whale sightings, we

still have the impression that there are fewer

families in the Strait of Gibraltar. The sightings

of Sperm Whales and Fin Whales decreased

slightly; the Orcas were regularly seen from

July 13th until the end of August. In the group

of Orcas, Camacho, the old father of the pod,

was missing. Probably he died of old age. The

younger Camorro has succeeded him. We have

not seen the badly injured Curro since April,

although we have often sighted his whole family.

It seems that he is also gone. An absolute

highlight has been the mating of Sperm Whales

in May; three Sperm Whales were involved

and around 80 Pilot Whales and 50 Bottlenose

Dolphins observed the scene for a long time.

•2014: Thanks to a windless season we can look

back to outstandingly good visitor numbers. In

October the Levante has given us a break of

approximately two weeks, what cannot diminish

the overall success of the year. The number

of guests interested in the environment has

increased and so our work to raise awareness

is popular and bears fruit. All dolphin species

we have seen more or less equally, with the

big schools of Common Dolphins increasing

slightly. Among the Pilot Whales we have seen

many animals that are available for adoption

several times. Fortunately also this year there

were many new borns. Nr.117, the oldest Pilot

Whale known to us, we unfortunately did not see

anymore. The number of Fin Whales adds up to

the same number as in the year before, whereas

we had an unusual amount of Sperm Whale

sightings in May and June. The Sperm Whales

even jumped every now and then. The Orca-

season lasted from June 26th to August 29th,

although we saw them again on September 11th

and 13th, and once again on October 07th. Also

the Orcas had many juveniles with them at the

end of the season. Thanks to a well-functioning

team the season went really well.

• 2015: Another record year in every respect. We

have never made so many trips, recorded so

many sightings and worked for so many hours.

June was with 16 days of Levante the worst

month, but July and August due to little wind

were among the best months ever. All in all

a really satisfying season. We saw the Orcas

three times in May and then regularly from June

30th to August 27th. Sperm Whales we saw

only about 110 times, that comes to less than

one third of the sightings of the year 2014. Fin

Whales on the other hand we saw more than

37 times. The Pilot Whales especially in spring

had many babies, who caused great interest

amongst our guests. More than 970 encounters

provide a lot of information. The adoptions are

very well received. The most popular was the

little Orca Baby Wilson, followed by the male

Orca Camorro and the Bottlenose Dolphin Baby

Leila with his mother Melissa. Followed in 4th

place by the Sperm Whale Observador. About

all the animals we reported on a regular basis in

our blogs. The staff in Tarifa was reinforced and

functioned harmonious and highly efcient on

the sea as well as on land.

• 2016: Having been blessed with mild wind for

two years, we were faced with an extremely

windy summer. 11 days of Levante in July, 16

days of wind in August in the middle of the peak

Striped dolphin

tourist season and 11 more days in September

hit us hard.

We commissioned our new boat rmm

VISION

at the end of June. Our clients have been

delighted with the glass observation facilities

below deck. Since spring the port authorities

raised the requirements concerning captains

and mechanics, and so we had to employ two

new captains and two new boat mechanics.

After an accelerated period of training we were

able to develop a brilliant crew. The shore based

team on land once again performed very good

work.

Our sightings were highly interesting this

season: 10 Sperm Whales were in the Strait of

Gibraltar for several days. A rare appearance

of a Fin Whale with his head out of the water

cavorting with Bottlenose Dolphins impressed

us. Another Fin Whale played with the high

Levante waves and leapt completely out of the

water seven times. We also saw a Humpback

Whale being harassed by 40 Pilot Whales.

Looking for help the nearly 12 meter long whale

repeatedly swam underneath our boat. The Pilot

Whales obviously defended their territory.

Orcas showed up punctually on the 2nd of July.

But they unfortunately already disappeared

on the 23rd of August in direction Portugal.

Camacho and the female called “Matriarchin”

we didn’t see the whole summer. But Baby

Wilson, our favourite whale available for

adoption, has shown himself often together with

three other young Orcas.

• 2017: was the 20th year of rmm

in Tarifa! It

was already the 2nd year with a lot of wind. Over

100 days without tours in 7 months are more

than last year and hit us very hard. The sightings

were usually very good and varied. The Orcas

arrived on July 1st and stayed continuously until

August 9th. After that they were only to be seen

sporadically. There has been offspring again:

Lucia, who we know well, has become the

mother of little Estrella, who was probably born

in spring 2017.

In September, 10 Sperm Whales were here at

the same time. The Pilot Whales had calves

throughout the whole season; their mothers let

them inspect the boat. In the Bay of Algeciras

there were over 1000 Common Dolphins and

one wonders why the mothers raise their young

where there is enormous trafc and air and

water are extremely polluted. Our biologist will

look into it.

November 24th: Katharina Heyer receives

an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of

Philosophy and Natural Sciences of the

University of Basel as a reward for 20 years

of whale and dolphin research in the Strait of

Gibraltar.

On our additional new website www.rmm-

education.org we publish all papers from

pupils published in cooperation with rmm

and diploma/master theses by students, as

well as the work of our biologist and research

reviews.2018: In the 21st year we can consider

ourselves lucky weather-wise. With only 75 days

of wind, we were able to sail more frequently

than last year, which was also reected in a new

record number of visitors.

There were a noticeably large number of new-

borns among the Pilot Whales, but also young

Bottlenose Dolphins were to be seen until

autumn. Even the Orcas had another new-born,

which we baptized Tina. A special Orca day

was October 17th, when we unexpectedly saw

14 Orcas, including Baby Wilson with four larger

Tarifa Island

siblings. There was Camorro, Lucia with Estrella

and, as a big surprise, the matriarch was also

there.

The Sperm Whale and Fin Whale sightings

were within the usual range and were always

impressive. The Striped and Common Dolphins

pleased us again and again, also in larger

groups, whereby it was noticeable that the

Common Dolphins often came very close to the

boat. Four new Pilot Whales can be adopted:

Oliver, Willy, Pomares and the wounded Lola.

We hope they all survive the winter.

• 2019: the 22nd season brought less wind than

the years before, which allowed us to organize

many trips and therefore show the whales and

dolphins to a lot of guests. The Pilot Whales

once again had many new-borns, thanks to a

temporary large inux, which we could observe

in the spring months. The Bottlenose Dolphins

also had many cheeky young ones until autumn.

The Orcas unfortunately showed themselves

even less than last year, which could be due to

their numerous offspring. A special Orca day

was the 12th of August, when we surprisingly

found 18 Orcas atypically in the Strait of

Gibraltar.

Everyone was there: Camorro, the Matriarchin,

Lucia with the little Estrella, Baby Wilson, Tina

and several other curious juveniles.

9-11 Sperm Whales surprised us on September

20th. They stayed until October 7th and

delighted us daily with their majestic dives.

The Fin Whale sightings were more or less the

same as in former years, spread over the entire

season.

We saw the Striped and Common Dolphins in

about the same number as the years before.

Especially larger schools are always an

impressive experience. We observed all of the

animals available for adoption, some more,

some less frequently. (see separate blog)

Orcas

• About 350.000 whales are killed annually in

shing nets. Those nets could span the world

several times, if they were strung together.

This is the ofcial number of reported cases, in

fact the estimated number is about one milli-

on.

• 85 percent of the sh stocks are heavily

exploited, one third of them are overshed or

collapsed, two thirds are endangered. Thus,

many giants of the ocean starve to death.

• About one fth of the total catch is caught

illegally.

• The “disturbing by-catch” of marine animals

(including marine mammals) that go overboard

dead, is about 60 - 80 percent, in shrimp s-

hing it is even 90 percent.

• Until 2050 the oceans will be presumably dried

out as a safe sh source.

• Every cubic meter of ocean contains about

18.000 particles of plastic. The concentration

of such particles on the seabed is much hig-

her. This is the reason for the deaths of more

than 100.000 marine mammals.

• Nearly all 80 whale species are endangered

according to Greenpeace.

• The range, within blue whales can communi-

cate has been reduced by 90 per cent due to

risen noise pollution.

• Our oceans have been existing for millions of

years. Within only one generation men have

destroyed large parts of their own environment.

• 70 per cent of our planet is covered by water.

• 96 percent of the world‘s oceans are now

poisoned, littered, acidied, overheated and/

or overshed. Only four per cent remain totally

intact.

• Only 4.3 percent of the world‘s oceans are

protected in some form, and only 1.9 percent

are prohibited for use. What is actually needed

is a network of large-scale protected areas for

40 percent of the world‘s oceans..

Orca-Mother with calf

Some facts about the oceans and their inhabitants

Whales and Dolphins in the Strait of Gibraltar

Size comparison:

Common Dolphin

(Delphinus delphis)

A truly beautiful dolphin, with its hourglass pattern of

white, grey, yellow and black on the side. It is an ener-

getic acrobat and one of the fastest cetaceans. It can

reach a maximum speed of 65 km/h.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: Permanent

Sperm Whale

(Physeter macrocephalus)

The Sperm Whale is the largest toothed whale; a male can reach up to

18m and 50t. It is one of the best divers among the marine mammals:

it can reach depths up to 3000m during dives of over 1h length. Down

there it is hunting for its main prey: 10m-long giant squids.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar:

Year round, but especially in spring

Long-nned Pilot Whale

(Globicephala melas)

Its Latin name means” Black Globe-Head”, referring to

the bulbous forehead. This species shows a strong ﬁdelity

to the waters close to Tarifa. The animals mainly seem to

follow their prey, which is squid.

A mature male can reach a length of 6m and a weight

of 3,5t.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: Permanent

Striped Dolphin

(Stenella coeruleoalba)

The Striped Dolphin may resemble a Com-

mon Dolphin at ﬁrst glance. In both species

full-grown individuals have a size of around

2m and a weight of 100 kg.

Striped Dolphins regularly form mixed

species groups with Common Dolphins in the

Strait of Gibraltar.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: Permanent

Orca

(Orcinus orca)

The Killer Whale is the largest member of the dolphin family. The males can reach up to almost 10m and have

a very high dorsal ﬁn, up to 1,8m. The animals can travel at 55km/h. The short time of presence in the Strait

is determined by the migration of their preferred food, the Blue-ﬁn Tuna, Thunnus thynnus. In Tarifa the pods of

the smart Killer Whales follow the ﬁshing boats and take tunas from the ﬁshing lines.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: July / August

Bottlenose Dolphin

(Tursiops truncatus)

The Bottlenose Dolphin varies greatly in size,

shape and colour from one individual to another

and according to the geographical region in which

it lives. Animals can reach an age of 40-50 years.

They can dive to depths of 300m. Bottlenose

Dolphins are well known from dolphinariums and

the Flipper-movies.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: Permanent

Fin Whale

(Balaenoptera physalus)

The Fin Whale is the second largest animal in the world (besides the Blue Whale) and belongs to

the sub-order of baleen whales. It can cover a distance of 300km per day, whereby it can reach a

maximum speed of 37km/h. Therefore an individual is able to cross the Strait of Gibraltar within

1h in order to reach the Mediterranean population, which is estimated around 3000 animals.

Presence in the Strait of Gibraltar: Few sightings

Press-Photos 1/2

Finwhale ©rmm

Orca‘s © rmm

Press-Photos 2/2

Orca in front of boat

Marine biologist Jörn Selling

Strait of Gibraltar

Katharina Heyer

Logo ﬁrmm

Port offce

Ofce in the old-town

Centro

Phone: +34 956 62 70 08

Mobile: +34 619 45 94 41

ﬁrmm

España

Pedro Cortés 4

11380 Tarifa

E-Mail: mail@ﬁrmm.org

ﬁrmm

headofﬁce

Zürichstrasse 116 b

CH-8910 Affoltern a.A.