A huge humpback whale briefly scooped a kayaker in its mouth in the seas off the coast of southern Chile before spitting him out unscathed in a dramatic incident caught on camera. The kayaker, Adrian Simancas, was out with his father last weekend in the seas off the town of Punta Arenas, when the whale […]
Tag: Humpback Whale
Humpback Whale Sets Record with Incredible 8,000 Mile Journey
A humpback whale has shattered records by traveling over 8,000 miles from the coast of South America to Africa, marking the longest known journey for an individual whale. This extraordinary feat was documented in research published in Royal Society Open Science. Initially spotted near Colombia nearly a decade ago, the same male whale was identified […]
Protecting 2.6% of oceans could prevent deadly whale-ship collisions: Study
Ship strikes are a leading threat to large whales, with global shipping routes overlapping 92% of their habitats, a new study finds. But protecting whales in the most dangerous collision hotspots would require action over just 2.6% of the ocean’s surface, researchers conclude, potentially saving thousands of whales with minimal disruption to global trade. The […]
Whales ‘relentlessly pestered’: tourism boom sparks new rules in French Polynesia
Lisette Muratore swam with humpback whales for the first time off the coast of Mo’orea, an island in French Polynesia, as part of a guided tour. She describes the experience as “overwhelming.” “You have a sudden realisation of the immensity of these creatures … seeing their wild beauty, it’s almost like there’s something sacred about […]
New Calf Sighting Brings Brief Hope for Endangered Orcas, But Challenges Remain
Hope surfaced for the endangered southern resident killer whales when a new calf named L128 was spotted swimming alongside their mother. This rare sighting briefly uplifted researchers who had seen only one other calf earlier in the year, which sadly died after a few months. However, by mid-October, L128 appeared to be struggling, as it […]
Inspired by nature – 6 times biomimicry has transformed outdoor gear
Recently, I traveled to the Swiss Alps with the outdoor brand Columbia to test out their newest technology. Omni-Heat Arctic is an insulating technology that is inspired by how a polar bear‘s fur works to keep it warm in frigid arctic conditions. Though polar bears appear white, they actually have heat-absorbing black skin and two […]
Humpback Whale Migration Sparks Cultural Festivities on Colombia’s Pacific Coast
In the tranquil waters of Colombia’s Pacific Coast, the annual migration of humpback whales from the chilly seas near Chile to the warmer breeding grounds near Colombia is more than a natural spectacle; it’s a celebration of culture and heritage. Each July, the seaport of Buenaventura becomes a hub of activity as thousands of tourists, […]
Humpback Whale Freed After Rescue at Sydney Harbour in Australia
A young humpback whale has been successfully freed after becoming entangled in ropes at Sydney Harbour in Australia. The rescue operation, confirmed by Jessica Fox, the second vice president of the volunteer organization Orrca, took place over two days. The whale, estimated to be between 10 to 15 meters long, was first spotted by a […]