In what is being described as an “important first step,” for marine protections in the island nation of New Zealand, 5 new marine preserves will enter into force next month. Surrounding a district called Otago near the southeastern tip of the South Island, 308 square miles of key marine habitats filled with charismatic species will […]
Tag: dolphins
Seeking swordfish, catching dolphins and whales: EU pushes to rein in driftnets
Driftnets, vertically hanging nets that drift with ocean currents and can stretch for kilometers, are used to catch large pelagic species such as swordfish and tuna. However, they have long drawn criticism from conservationists as they also capture and kill sharks, turtles, dolphins and other marine wildlife. For decades, debate has raged about use of […]
‘Scavenger’ dolphins increasingly rely on trawlers for food in overfished Adriatic, say scientists
Bottlenose dolphins in the Adriatic are increasingly following trawlers to scavenge for food, with baby dolphins learning the technique from their parents, a study has found. “These days the easiest way to find [bottlenose dolphins] is to look for trawlers,” said Giovanni Bearzi, a co-author of the study and the president of Dolphin Biology and Conservation in […]
I’ve caught the baby wombat”: 10 unbelievably idiotic and foolish acts committed by tourists that will have your blood boiling
Tourists, eh? What are they like? There’s clearly something about going on holiday that turns off the part of the brain that deals with common sense. Mix that with a devil may care ‘we’re on holiday, let’s do it’ attitude and a wild animal or two, and you’ve got a potent recipe for disaster, says Dixe […]
It’s as long as a Ford Transit van – and has an elongated, odd-looking torpedo-shaped beak, perfect for grabbing slippery prey…
One of the most interesting traits of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is their colour – or variations that differ between populations, age groups and individuals – from grey to white, even pink. Some look mottled or albino. Their shallow, coastal and estuarine (often murky water) habitat means they have adapted in some fascinating ways. Learn all […]
Canadian government endorses a plan to move whales from shuttered Marineland park to US and Spain
TORONTO (AP) — Canada’s government endorsed a plan Wednesday to move the last remaining captive whales from a shuttered theme park in Ontario to aquariums in the United States and Spain — a plan that could save them from mass euthanasia if the deal goes through. There are 30 belugas and four dolphins left in the Marineland park […]
9 animals that could take on (and probably kill) a saltwater crocodile: Just which creatures are able to take on one of the world’s deadliest animals?
The saltwater crocodile, also known as the estuarine crocodile or saltie, is the largest of all living reptiles. Males can exceed 6m in length and a tonne in weight and are widely touted as producing the strongest bite-force of any animal. Like other crocodilians, they dismantle their prey using a manoeuvre called the ‘death roll’, which […]
Strange, devil-like sea creatures are about to gather in huge numbers off ‘Europe’s Hawaii’. Here’s what’s going on
Sitting on the edge of a small dive boat, clad in a thick wetsuit and bulky scuba gear, every movement feels awkward and cumbersome. But with a deep breath, I roll backwards into the Atlantic Ocean. The instant rush of cool water is a relief, and the heaviness of the equipment eases as gravity releases […]