Nine dolphin species, and several more subspecies and local populations, are currently critically endangered or endangered, according to the most recent assessment by the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. September 12 marks World Dolphin Day, an awareness day created in 2022 by marine conservation nonprofit Sea Shepherd to bring attention to the threats that these highly intelligent […]
Tag: sharks
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 […]
“When they use these spines, they puncture them really deeply into their attacker. They can deliver venom into the wound”
In a new study, researchers compared the features of 30 different stingray spines to find out why some break off while others remain sturdy Scientists have gained a fascinating insight into how stingrays‘ iconic spines differ across species and the trade-off between different features. “Stingray spines are highly modified scales,” says Emily Poulin, a PhD candidate […]
Petition: Protect Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks and Their Birthing Grounds in Panama
There is finally some hopeful news for one of the ocean’s most endangered sharks. Critically endangered scalloped hammerhead sharks are still thriving in part of the Galapagos, where decades of protections have allowed huge numbers to gather and survive. In some areas, so many sharks swim together they can temporarily block out the sunlight. But […]
“My fingers were trembling.” Divers were removing ghost nets in the Mediterranean, when THIS happened…
Divers believe they have recorded the first ever footage of an adult great white shark in Mediterranean waters. They spotted the apex predator during a mission to remove ghost nets from a shipwreck off the coast of the Strait of Sicily. “We, as a team of three, saw this huge shark,” Derk Remmers, a volunteer with Ghost Diving told BBC […]
It’s as big as a Ford transit van, can reach speeds of 50kph and can detect blood from a gobsmacking 3 miles away…
The great white shark is the only extant species in the genus Carcharodon and the largest predatory fish in the world. Why are they called great white sharks? Great white sharks belong to the family Lamnidae, which also includes porbeagle sharks, salmon sharks and mako sharks, which are the fastest shark in the ocean. A type of mackerel […]
“Each seal is swimming for its life.” These seals must cross shark-infested waters to find a meal. Will they make it?
The BBC’s Planet Earth series has captured plenty of unprecedented animal behaviour, from a deep-sea vampire squid glowing in the dark to a hungry polar bear risking the tusks of a walrus to secure a meal. And the original 2006 series captured an incredible first-of-its-kind, slow-motion sequence of great white sharks hunting fur seals off Cape Town. Each dawn, […]
“It’s up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide.” 10 most poisonous animals in the world, from frogs to sharks – and even butterflies. Yes that’s right…
It’s a tough world out there and many animals have had to arm themselves. One capacity that has evolved time and time again is toxic weaponry – venoms and poisons. Although oft confused, there is a clear distinction between these two forms of toxins. Whereas venoms are produced in specialised tissues and are delivered to predators or prey through […]