A surprising discovery has highlighted a troubling link between human pharmaceuticals and marine life. Researchers at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi recently identified traces of fentanyl and other drugs in the blubber of bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico, signaling a growing environmental issue. The finding came after a routine boating survey in September 2020 […]
Tag: dolphins
Wildlife and humans face shared health risks from plastic pollution
Humans are surrounded by plastic. So are animals. While numerous studies have shown the wide-ranging health effects in humans linked to plastic, very few have looked at how plastic, especially microplastic, impacts wildlife. That’s beginning to change, contributor Sharon Guynup reports for Mongabay. “Plastic pollution has been found on every continent and in every ocean, […]
‘It’s nonstop’: how noise pollution threatens the return of Norway’s whales
From the moment that the biologist Dr Heike Vester presses play, the sound of the static of the fjord fills the room. First comes the constant, steady rumbling of a boat engine. Then, every eight seconds, like a foreboding bass drum, comes the explosion of seismic airguns – extremely loud blasts used in oil and […]
Belgium Bans Dolphinariums, Marks Major Victory for Animal Rights
Belgium has become the seventh country globally and the fourth in Europe to permanently ban dolphinariums, marking a significant step forward for Animal rights advocates. This decision follows decades of persistent efforts by GAIA, an organization dedicated to ending the captivity of dolphins and other marine animals. Flanders, the final Belgian region to allow dolphinariums, […]
Microplastics are sickening and killing wildlife, disrupting Earth systems
Bottlenose dolphins leapt and torpedoed through the shallow turquoise waters off Florida’s Sarasota Bay. Then, a research team moved in, quickly corralling the small pod in a large net. With the speed of a race car pit crew, veterinarians, biologists and their assistants examined the animals, checking vital signs while taking skin, blood and other […]
Film Looks into the Mystery of Hvaldimir, the Beluga Whale Accused of Espionage
Five years ago, a beluga whale equipped with unusual surveillance gear appeared in the waters of Norway, sparking rumors of espionage. Nicknamed Hvaldimir by locals, the whale’s strange equipment and potential connection to Russian intelligence raised many questions. But as new information emerges, a different story about Hvaldimir’s mission is starting to take shape. The […]
Researchers Detect Microplastics in Dolphin Breath
For the first time, researchers have found microplastics in dolphin breath, raising concerns over the amount of microplastics the animals are drawing when they come up for air. The team collected samples of air released by five bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay, Florida and six dolphins in Barataria Bay, Louisiana in May and June of […]
Petition: Demand Disney Retire Dolphins to a Sanctuary Instead of Another Amusement Park
While Disney announced plans to retire three beloved dolphins from an EPCOT attraction, the seemingly good news hides the dark reality. Rainier, Calvin, and Malabar are being sent to Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, where they will continue to be forced to work in entertainment and shows. While Disney wanted us to think this was a […]