Whales, dolphins, and porpoise occupy a wide variety of habitats. They range from the small harbor porpoise found in shallow coastal waters to massive sperm whales diving below 1000 meters to catch the perfect squid! The underwater world can be like a labyrinth, and at times can have limited visibility-, especially below 200m, in the […]
Echolocation 101: How dolphins see with sound Read More »
Vaquita porpoises have puzzled scientists since their discovery in 1958. Regrettably, their populations have gotten much smaller over time due to illegal fishing practices. In this post, we highlight that while these “little cows” may be difficult to protect, we should try everything we can to save them. The Mysterious Nature of the Vaquita Vaquita
Vaquita, the most endangered cetacean in the world Read More »
When we think about molting, the most familiar example we can think of is the snake “shedding its skin” and replacing it with a new one. However, did you know that also mammals shed something? Mammals shed their fur. Pinnipeds, such as seals, otariids, and walruses, belong to this category of fur shedding mammals. Once
Seals molt every year to keep their fur healthy Read More »
Bad news in Tasmania The world just woke up to the terrible news: at least 470 pilot whales beached themselves in Tasmania and around 400 are dead. First, a pod of 270 individuals stranded together on Tuesday. They were soon followed by 200 other individuals on Wednesday. This is the biggest stranding event in Tasmania
Massive graveyard in Tasmania: Why do whales beach themselves? Read More »
We found long-banned pesticides and industrial pollutants in the blubber of humpback whales from Antarctica, suggesting these contaminants accumulate in Antarctic food webs. The pollution levels however were the some of the lowest measured in the world for these whales. Good news for the whales! Our study on humpback whales from Antarctica just got published
What can whales tell us about pollution in Antarctica? 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 »
The Arctic is an extreme environment and surviving on ice when you are a vulnerable Arctic seal pup can be pretty tough. Fortunately, seals have developed strategies to thrive in the cold. Keep reading to find out how. The Arctic is an extreme environment. The Arctic is the region surrounding the North Pole. It consists
How do Arctic seal pups survive in the cold? Read More »
Whales can adapt to seasonal and environmental conditions. But they are not working alone… They, just like us, team up with a vast army of microscopic soldiers every day called the microbiome. Different microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, make up the whale’s microbiome. We can take a look at the composition of whales’ microbiomes
New Research Suggests Fasting Could Impact Humpback Whales’ Respiratory Health 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 »
Whales did not just appear from the depths of the ocean. They have an intriguing evolutionary story. This story shines a light on what makes them so unique and well-adapted for their watery world. In this post, we explain the evolution of whales, from tiny ungulates to the killer whale. It All Began on Land…
These Hips Don’t Lie! The Evolution of Whales Read More »
