Gökcen Canbolat experience | 2025
“Hello! My name is Gökcen and I am a master’s student in marine biology. During the spring of 2025, I completed a two-month internship at Mar Ilimitado, where I focused on developing a photo-identification catalog for pilot whales.
Pilot whales are deep-diving marine mammals typically found near offshore submarine canyons. They are not resident to the Sagres region, but pass through these waters as part of their migratory route. Their occurrence is therefore seasonal and often limited by environmental factors such as sea conditions and water depth, making encounters rare and fieldwork challenging. During my internship, I contributed to individual identification of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) based on unique dorsal fin features such as nicks, scars, and shape. The final outcome was a photo-ID catalog of 127 individuals, which will hopefully support the long-term monitoring of the species and their movement patterns.
The internship was a great opportunity to apply and expand my fieldwork and data analysis skills. I learned how to collect usable photographic data in challenging sea conditions, organize metadata, and carry out photo-ID protocols using a structured workflow. Being part of a team that combines ecotourism with scientific research gave me valuable insight into marine mammal conservation practices, and I am grateful to the Mar Ilimitado team for this experience.”