Photogrammetry applications on stranded cetaceans: fin whale case study and preliminary results

Yearly, an important number of cetacean strandings is recorded on the Italian coastline. The Italian stranding network is involved in multidisciplinary investigations on these episodes. Morphometric measurements collection of a stranding cetacean represents fundamental data for the study of marine mammals, despite some logistic limitations due to field and carcass conditions. The use of photogrammetry for surveying cetaceans has shown many vantages and several applications in recent years. In this work, the photogrammetry applications on a fin whale stranded on Campania coasts demonstrate the vantage of this method in supporting and replacing the classical one as well as in creating 3D models useful for more accurate carcass inspection and educational use.