University of Auckland tohorā research team, Department of Conservation permit DJI After close to a decade of globe-spanning effort, the genome of the southern right whale has been released this week, giving us deeper insights into the histories and recovery of whale populations across the southern hemisphere. Up to 150,000 southern […]
A humpback whale jumps to the surface of the Pacific Ocean GETTY IMAGES More than 350 scientists and conservationists from 40 countries have signed a letter calling for global action to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises from extinction. They say more than half of all species are of conservation concern, […]
The humpback whale was found in Australia’s East Alligator River NT GOVERNMENT Australian officials say they will try to guide a humpback whale out of a crocodile-infested river in the Northern Territory after it got lost and ended up 30km (18.5 miles) inland. The whale and others were on an […]
To see so many blues back in the waters around South Georgia is tremendously encourgaing M.COLLINS/BAS SOUTH GEORGIA WHALE PROJECT Scientists say they have seen a remarkable collection of blue whales in the coastal waters around the UK sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Their 23-day survey counted 55 animals – […]
Gray whales might need good solar weather in order to stay on track when migrating. (Image: © Mogens Trolle/Shutterstock) Strandings of healthy gray whales increase with the prevalence of solar storms. AUSTIN, Texas — Migrating animals that live in Earth’s oceans may have a closer relationship with the sun than we thought. […]
Sea otters in Alaska were found to be infected with the virus in 2004 GETTY IMAGES The decline in sea ice seen in the Arctic in recent decades has been linked by scientists to the spread of a deadly virus in marine mammals. Researchers found that Phocine distemper virus (PDV) […]
The WorldView-2 satellite will see features at the surface larger than half a metre across SATELLITE IMAGE ©2019 MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES Scientists developing techniques to count great whales from space say the largest ever recorded mass stranding event was probably underestimated. The carcasses of 343 sei whales were spotted on remote […]
There are seven distinct Southern Hemisphere populations SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Estimates of population size depend on a range of data and accounting techniques. Pretty good records were kept by the whaling industry itself, so there is some confidence in describing the humpbacks’ status at the outset of commercial exploitation and […]
A southern right whale surfaces in the clear waters off the coast of Península Valdés. Credit: Fredrik Christiansen, Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies How do you weigh a living whale? The obvious response is very carefully, but scientists can’t exactly put these large marine mammals on a scale. Researchers from […]
Rescued southern sea otter pup 327 with surrogate mother at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium Scientists estimate surrogate-raised otters and their wild offspring account for more than half of the sea otter population growth over the past 15 years; now scientists are evaluating benefits otters could bring to […]