We all have in mind these targeted and organized research projects, where scientists go into the field and collect specific data. But not everything in the scientific realm is as predictable as that. Some events, such as cetacean strandings, are unexpected and may only happen a few times per year. Still, there can be a …
Studying large creatures, like whales can be difficult. Especially when they spend most of their time deep underwater. But scientists have become pretty creative in their approach to studying them, especially when it comes to quantitative attributes. In this post, we will discuss how scientists can measure the size of sperm whales by using their …
Sizing them up! Scientists use sound to measure sperm whales Read More »
Whalecome to our new whales of the month: the dwarf and pygmy sperm whales. Like their cousin, the sperm whale, they like to spend most of their time deep underwater to hunt their favorite prey: squid and deep-sea fish, and crustaceans. Did you know they can release “ink” from their butts to confuse predators?! Find …
Kogia: dwarf and pygmy sperm whales – November 2021 Read More »
It is a solid, waxy, greyish substance that smells: Ambergris, is also known as sperm whale vomit (or poop). It has often been described as one of the world’s strangest natural occurrences. You may have heard about it for its use in the production of perfumes and fragrances. You’re probably asking yourself now why smelly …
Pooping Gold? The Valuable Secret of the Sperm Whale Read More »
This post talks about the future of sperm whales and other deep-divers in the Canary Islands. Sperm whales are such amazing animals. These whales are the world’s largest toothed whales, living up to 70 years. These giant whales are quite similar to submarine: they can deep-dive while holding their breath for about 45 minutes below …
Protecting the Canary Islands’ sea and its sperm whales Read More »
The sperm whale or Physeter macrocephalus is one of our favorite animals on earth. This fascinating whale is one of the most recognizable with its square-shaped head. It looks like it comes from another world. First, the name, “sperm whale,” resulted from whalers misinterpreting the function of the “spermaceti” oil in the forehead of the …
In our world, we say size does not matter. However, we find animals in the wild kingdom with various large parts: elephants have large trunks, baboons have oversized butts … and male southern right whales have massive testes. This article will explain the unique features of whales’ reproductive systems and explore the potential reasons for …
This month, we decided to focus on whale watching and have prepared three posts to tell you all about it: What are good places to go whale or dolphin watching? What are things to keep in mind? And what should you look for in a good whale watching operator? Keep reading to find out more …
Everything you wanted to know about Whale Watching – Part Two Read More »
Whales and dolphins spend a good chunk of their time close to the surface, especially when they are resting or socializing. With no shade around, do whales get sunburnt? Do they have a natural defense against UV radiation? In this article, we come to the surface of the ocean to see how UV radiation affects …
As if giving birth was not hard enough, when you are trying to push a 1.5-tons baby out of your womb, having to deal with hormone-triggered males adds another level of stress to a humpback whale in labor. A new study published this September detailed six previously un-published humpback whale birth events. In most cases, …
Humpback whale males escort females giving birth, but it can get chaotic Read More »
