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 Read More »
We like to focus on a fossil whale every October since we are close to Halloween. This month we look back at the cetacean evolutionary tree and talk about the Dorudon (Dorudon atrox). This primitive cetacean swam the ancient Eocene oceans of what is now Egypt and the United States, along with the Basilosaurus. Just
Dorudon, an ancient whale Read More »
Welcome to our new “whale of the month,” the leopard seal. This muscular seal has a large reptilian-like head and is the third-largest pinniped in the world. This Antarctic seal has also been featured in a TikTok video on a beach in South Australia, a couple of days ago. Whether you came here from TikTok
The leopard seal is more impressive than you think Read More »
This month we crack into the life of sea otters as our “Whale of the Month.” Though they have a charming disposition, looks are deceiving for these feisty creatures! Sea Otter vs River Otters Before we get started, what is the difference between sea otters and river otters? Well, let’s start with size: sea otters
Sea Otters are marine mammals too Read More »
Happy July! This month, we decided to celebrate the Yangtze finless porpoise. You might have heard of the Baiji, also called the Yangtze river dolphin. Sadly, the species was officially declared to be extinct in 2006. Yet, another freshwater species resides in the Yangtze River, and if you thought the Irrawaddy dolphin was the cutest,
The endangered Yangtze finless porpoise Read More »
Let’s give a big Aloha to our new “whale” of the month, the Hawaiian Monk Seal! In this post, we will dive into their subtropical home and explore these endangered creatures. What in the Monk? The monk seal gets its common name from the thick fold of skin around its neck, which resembles a monk’s
These hawaiian monk seals are threatened Read More »
This month, we will celebrate the newly classified species, the Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei)! Once mistaken as the Bryde’s (pronounced “broodus”) whale, new evidence proves the rice whale is different, both morphologically and genetically! Same but Different Because of their similar features, scientists misclassified the Rice whale for the Bryde’s whale. They have similar features.
Rice’s Whales: one of the newest species of baleen whales Read More »
This April, let’s celebrate Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori). They are the only cetaceans endemic to New Zealand, which means they are only found there. Hector’s dolphins actually include two subspecies: the endangered South Island’s Hector’s dolphins and the critically endangered Maui dolphin. Let’s find out more about Hector’s dolphins in this post. One of the
The mysterious Hector’s dolphins Read More »
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are fascinating marine mammals; they are among the largest whale species on the planet. They are found in almost every ocean and might also be the nicest animals in the world. They also happen to have one of the longest migrations of any mammal. In this post, we’ll learn more about
Humpback Whales: Migrating Giants Read More »
This month, we want to talk about a very large pinniped, the walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)! Learn about our tusk fighting, mollusk eating, flipper footed marine mammal of the month. We hope to highlight some facts and their climate-changing plight. Where in the world do they live? There are two subspecies of walrus. The first one
Tusky friends: walruses Read More »
