It’s not just humans who get wiser as they age – animals do too, according to a growing body of research. The bigmouth buffalo fish can reach 127 years old, the Greenland shark 392, and some sponges can live for 10,000 years or more. And age is not just a number: as animals get older […]
Tag: whales
‘Old’ animals offer wisdom and stability, need protection: Study
In many animal societies, elderly individuals are critical contributors to their species’ survival, a new study has found. That’s why wildlife conservation must account for older animals, researchers say. Keller Kopf, lead author and ecologist at Charles Darwin University, Australia, told Mongabay he wanted to counter the idea that “getting old is always a bad […]
Carcass of giant fin whale draws scores of onlookers to Alaska beach
An endangered fin whale that washed up near a coastal trail in Alaska‘s largest city has attracted curious onlookers while biologists seek answers as to what caused the animal’s death. The carcass found over the weekend near Anchorage was 47ft (14.3 meters) long – comparable to the width of a college basketball court – and […]
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 […]
Film Looks into the Mystery of Hvaldimir, the Beluga Whale Accused of Espionage
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 […]
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 […]