The recent death of a critically endangered freshwater Irrawaddy dolphin in southern Thailand’s Songkhla Lake has brought the plight of the waterbody’s tiny remaining population into stark focus. As few as 14 of the dolphins, Orcaella brevirostris, are thought to survive in the lake amid a slew of threats ranging from entanglement in fishing gear […]
Tag: dolphins
Miami Seaquarium is Getting Evicted, but Where Will the Animals Go?
As the closure of the Miami Seaquarium draws near, questions surrounding the future of its inhabitants remain unanswered. CBS News Miami recently reached out to the Miami-Dade County Mayor’s Office and the Miami Seaquarium regarding the fate of the animals post-closure but received no definitive answers. Source: USA TODAY/YouTube This uncertainty comes after years […]
10 Common Practices in Maintaining Lagoon Biodiversity
Here’s a fact: 13% of the world’s coastlines are lagoons. Because of that, they present one of the highest biological productivities in marine life. Teeming with species, they provide homes for fish gliding through rippling seagrass, birds skimming the glittering surface, dolphins spinning joyously, ancient sea turtles returning to their nest, and many tiny creatures […]
Investigation Shows PCB Chemicals Found at Extremely High Levels in Stranded Whales
An investigation published in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Technology has shown that high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) are present in stranded whales and dolphins found in the United Kingdom’s waters. Despite being banned nearly 20 years ago, the continued presence of PCBs shows their continuing threat to marine health. The findings also […]
The sex lives of animals: three hours of foreplay – and mass orgies on the move
On a dark November afternoon at Southampton’s City Farm, the animals are going about their business. They are all rescues. Penny the pig, a clutch of former battery farm chickens, three pygmy goats and Salvatore the cane snake, so orange and shiny he looks as though he is glowing from within as he twines around […]
Scores of dead pilot whales found on Tasmanian beach in ‘confronting scenes’
Thirty-four pilot whales were found washed up across a beach on Tasmania’s east coast on Tuesday in what was described as a “confronting” and “devastating” scene. While out training on a boat, local guide Chris Theobald came across an “overnight mass stranding” of more than 30 pilot whales at Bryans beach near the southern end […]
Brazilian Ex-President Allegedly “Harassed” a Humpback Whale
Brazil’s former president, Jair Bolsonaro, is under investigation, this time for an unusual environmental offense—alleged harassment of a humpback whale during a jetski excursion on vacation. The incident reportedly took place off Brazil’s south-eastern coastline near São Sebastião in June and has sparked federal police interest. Bolsonaro, infamous for his anti-environmental policies during his four-year […]
World-First Video of Dolphins Stealing From Crab Pots Leaves Scientists Fascinated
In a bit of never-before-seen film, a dolphin was recorded off the coast of Australia robbing the bait from a crab trap. The behavior was captured by a camera mounted on the trap by the Dolphin Discovery Centre in Bunbury, Western Australia. In the footage, the dolphins can be seen using their eyes, bodies, teeth, […]