Five years ago, a beluga whale equipped with unusual surveillance gear appeared in the waters of Norway, sparking rumors of espionage. Nicknamed Hvaldimir by locals, the whale‘s strange equipment and potential connection to Russian intelligence raised many questions. But as new information emerges, a different story about Hvaldimir’s mission is starting to take shape. The […]
Tag: whales
Iceland’s president urged to intervene over licence for Europe’s last whaler
A coalition of conservation and animal welfare groups are urging Iceland‘s president to step in and stop any plans the prime minister has to issue a whaling licence to Europe’s last whaler before the Icelandic election at the end of the month. Earlier this year, the country granted a one-year licence to Hvalur to kill […]
Outrage against Canada’s Marineland theme park after fifth beluga dies
A fifth beluga has died at Canada’s Marineland, as questions mount over the future of both the controversial theme park and one of the world’s largest populations of captive whales. The most recent fatality marks the 17th beluga to die at the Niagara Falls aquarium since 2019. Neither the Ontario government nor the park have […]
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 […]
Near-extinct North Atlantic right whales get a small population boost
The population of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale increased by five individuals, bringing the estimated total to 372 in 2023, according to an Oct. 22 report. The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) population has declined since 2011. However, the slight rise in recent years may signal some stability for these ocean giants, […]
Petition: Tell the International Whaling Commission to Reconsider Approving Whale Sanctuary
Whale advocates’ hopes were dashed at the recent International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Lima, Peru, where a critical vote to establish a whale sanctuary was blocked. The proposed South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary would have made the South Atlantic permanently off limits to whaling, and has been considered at almost every IWC meeting since 1999. […]
Sperm Whales Vanish from Gulf of California as Ecosystem Shifts
A new study highlights the concerning departure of sperm whales from Mexico’s Gulf of California, suggesting broader signs of ecosystem instability. The study, published in PeerJ Life and Environment, details how these apex predators have vanished from the region in response to dramatic drops in the jumbo squid population, their primary food source. Sperm whales […]
Orca baby born to Washington’s L pod
An orca has been born to the southern residents: L128, calf of a first-time, 31-year-old mom, L90. The baby is tiny, with clear fetal folds, making it probably about three days old. It was seen for the first time on Sunday, said Michael Weiss, research director for the Center for Whale Research, which confirmed the […]