Tutela del Tursiops truncatus, Marine conservation site in Tuscany, Italy.

The Tutela del Tursiops truncatus is a marine conservation site along the Tuscan coast that protects key ocean habitats in the Mediterranean. Common bottlenose dolphins and loggerhead turtles depend on these waters for feeding and breeding.

The site is part of the European Natura 2000 network and of the Mediterranean Whale Sanctuary. Its eastern boundary runs about 3.5 km off the Tuscan coast between Viareggio and Piombino, and its southern boundary runs between Piombino and Capraia. The Secche della Meloria site lies within it off Livorno, while the waters around Capraia and Gorgona form separate Natura 2000 sites.

The site overlaps the Mediterranean Whale Sanctuary, a separate protected area for cetaceans. Its waters around Capraia and Gorgona are themselves designated as distinct Natura 2000 sites, Isola di Capraia and Isola di Gorgona, while the Secche della Meloria site lies within it off Livorno.

The best time to spot dolphins is from spring through fall, when they are more active in the shallower waters near the coast. Boat trips departing from shore offer the most reliable way to observe these marine animals.

Within the site lies the Secche della Meloria, a separate Natura 2000 area off Livorno, while the waters around Capraia and Gorgona form their own distinct protected sites. The area is also part of the Mediterranean Whale Sanctuary.