US authorities have given wildlife managers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho permission to start killing hundreds of sea lions in the Columbia River basin in hopes of helping struggling salmon and steelhead trout. The marine mammals long ago figured out that they could feast on the migrating fish where they bottleneck at dams or where […]
Tag: national oceanic and atmospheric administration
Sea lions to be culled to protect salmon
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is accepting public comments on a new plan to cull sea lions on the Columbia River, along the Oregon-Washington border, in order to benefit populations of salmon and steelhead, which have been falling in recent years. Current management policy allows up to 92 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) to […]
Hundreds of dolphins have died along Gulf Coast since February, scientists say
At least 279 dolphins have become stranded across much of the US Gulf coast since the start of February, triple the usual number, and about 98% of them have died, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) said. Scientists will investigate whether lingering effects from the 2010 BP oil spill and more immediate […]
Petition: Urge the U.S. to Deny Import of Captive Dolphins
An application has been filed by The Chicago Zoological Society and the Brookfield Zoo to import three bottlenose dolphins to the United States. The dolphins are currently held at Dolphin Quest Bermuda and would either be sent the to Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, IL or to the Coral World Ocean Park in St. Thomas, U.S. […]
Fisherman Risks His Life to Save a Humpback Whale
As they headed back toward the central California coast after fishing for slime eel in the Pacific Ocean, Sam Synstelien and Nicholas Taron made a troubling discovery: a humpback whale was entangled in a buoy’s rope, frantically trying to free itself. Synstelien immediately called the U.S. Coast Guard but was told it might take a […]
No Calves This Year Means Right Whales Are Closer to Extinction
Scientists were already worried about the survival of North Atlantic right whales following a slew of tragic deaths over the past year. Now, even more concerns are being raised about the lack of calves this year. Once considered the “right” whales to kill, this species was nearly hunted to extinction. Today, there are estimated to […]
Climate Change is Turning These Green Sea Turtles Female
Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef is home to one of the largest populations of green sea turtles on earth, but warming temperatures there linked to climate change are having a bizarre and worrying impact on them – they’re turning an alarming number of hatchlings female. Unlike most animals, genetics don’t determine the sex of sea […]
Trump plan to shrink ocean monuments threatens vital ecosystems, experts warn
The Trump administration’s plan to shrink four land-based national monuments has provoked howls of anguish from environmental groups, Native American tribes and some businesses, such as the outdoors company Patagonia. Accompanying changes to protected monuments in the oceans – vastly larger areas than their land-based counterparts – have received less attention, but could have major […]
