Anaïs Remili

Anaïs is the founder of Whale Scientists. She is a postdoc fellow at Simon Fraser University working on killer whale ecology, pollution, and health impacts. You can read more about her here.

The Great Whale Conveyor Belt: Earth’s Largest Mammals Keep Oceans Thriving

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Each year, the world’s largest mammals embark on epic journeys spanning thousands of miles across the planet’s oceans. However, large whales aren’t just impressive travelers – they’re also operating what scientists have called “the Great Whale Conveyor Belt,” the largest long-distance nutrient transport on Earth. An exciting study just published in Nature Communications has quantified […]

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Whale research without a PhD? Yes you can!

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While many dream of studying these incredible animals, it is easy to feel discouraged by the thought of spending many years getting a PhD before contributing to their research and conservation. But here’s a little open secret: you don’t need a PhD to make meaningful contributions to the field. To prove it, we asked six

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Eyes in the Sky: Drones Transform Sperm Whale Research

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Traditional sperm whale identification has long relied on photographing tail flukes from boats, capturing the distinctive notches and patterns that make each whale unique. However this method has a significant limitation: researchers can only identify whales when they perform their characteristic deep dive, raising their tails above the surface. Now, drone technology is opening new

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Meet the Australian Snubfin Dolphin – An Edemic and Threatened Species

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The Australian snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni) is one of Australia’s only endemic dolphin species, identified as a new species in 2005. This small dolphin is adorable, but it faces conservation threats due to its small population and coastal habitat preference. So this month, let’s celebrate the Australian snubfin dolphin and the 25th Biennial Conference on

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Want to do a PhD on killer whales? Start by narrowing your research niche

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So, you have finished your undergraduate or master’s in marine science and set your heart on pursuing a PhD working on a charismatic cetacean species. Whether it’s the killer whale, the beluga, or another species at risk, you would like to find a cool research project, study your dream species, and make a difference. The

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A complete guide to attending your first marine mammal conference

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Attending a marine mammal conference is an exciting opportunity to learn, share your research, and meet new people who share your passion. Whether it’s your first conference or you’ve been to many before, it can still feel a little overwhelming with so much happening all at once. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of

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Can Whales Eat and Swallow Humans?

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Whales are unlikely to swallow humans due to their anatomy and behavior. Baleen whales, with small esophagi, filter-feed on tiny prey, while toothed whales have larger throats but do not treat humans as prey. Encounters are generally non-aggressive and driven by curiosity. Historical anecdotes and myths exaggerate these possibilities.

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Russian ship played classical music to rescue entrapped belugas

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The Moskva was the largest and most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker at her delivery time. She got international attention in 1985 when she herded around 2000 ice-entrapped belugas back to the open sea … by playing classical music. Yes, you read that right! What is an icebreaker? An icebreaker is a class of ships that can

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Why are baby whales and dolphins born with whiskers?

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Vibrissae, or whiskers, are found in most mammals, including cetaceans like dolphins, whales, and porpoises. These were likely inherited from terrestrial ancestors, serving as sensory organs during these species’ evolution from land to water. While in many cetaceans, whiskers disappear as they mature, leaving behind small cavities termed ‘vibrissal crypts’, certain species, such as the Amazon river dolphin, retain them, helping in food detection and possibly electroreception.

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