Populations of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus), playful animals that resemble large dolphins, stretch across the Atlantic Ocean, with each group of whales living year-round in a particular deep ocean canyon. Historically, commercial whaling targeted these animals, causing their numbers across the basin to collapse. Even as protections against whaling increase, northern bottlenose whale populations […]
Tag: whales
A dead whale shows up on your beach. What do you do with the 40-ton carcass?
When a whale dies, its body descends to the bottom of the deep sea in a transformative phenomenon called a whale fall. A whale’s death jump-starts an explosion of life, enough to feed and sustain a deep-ocean ecosystem for decades. There are a lot of ways whales can die. Migrating whales lose their way and, […]
These rare whales had never been seen alive. Then a team in Mexico sighted two
It was an early morning in June 2024 and along the coast of Baja California in Mexico, scientists on the Pacific Storm research vessel were finishing their coffee and preparing for a long day searching for some of the most elusive creatures on the planet. Suddenly a call came from the bridge: “Whales! Starboard side!” […]
Nature’s weirdest defenders: From blood-shooting lizards to slime-spewing fish, 10 creatures that fight back dirty if attacked
Nature isn’t just red in tooth and claw – sometimes it’s downright bizarre. Across the animal kingdom, evolution has equipped creatures with an astonishing armoury of unconventional, often outrageous defence strategies. Some wrap themselves in mucus sleeping bags, others weaponise their own skeletons or bodily fluids – and a few simply out-slime anything that dares […]
Good Samaritans Stripped Down to Briefs to Rescue 3 Stranded Whales on Canadian Beach (WATCH)
Time was running out when Mark Rankin and Grant Cameron arrived on a Nova Scotia Beach earlier this week. After apparently swimming too close to shore, three pilot whales were found stranded at 9 a.m., with low tide quickly approaching. If the two friends didn’t intervene soon, the whales might never have a chance. One […]
Petition: Stop Marineland From Allegedly Threatening to Euthanize Beluga Whales
In a shocking move, Marineland Canada has reportedly threatened to euthanize its remaining 30 beluga whales after the government denied its request to export them to a marine park in China. These intelligent, social animals deserve protection, not punishment. Sign now to demand that Canada build marine sanctuaries and make it illegal to randomly euthanize […]
Tell Your Representative: Don’t betray marine mammals by voting to gut the MMPA!
America’s waters are home to an incredible array of marine mammals – many species of whales, dolphins, manatees, sea otters, polar bears and more. Right now, those animals are protected from deadly threats by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). But this key law is under attack in Congress by a draft proposal to gut […]
Whale and her calf entangled in shark net off Queensland coast
A whale entangled in a shark net about five days ago with her calf is yet to be fully freed, two of four humpback whales to be entangled in shark nets off the coast of Queensland in recent days. Dr Olaf Meynecke, who researches marine mammals at Griffith University, said humpback whales were caught in […]