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 […]
Pass the sunscreen: do whales get sunburnt? Read More »
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 »
What do baleen and sperm whales have to do with climate change? More than you may initially think! Long-lived species help to enhance the predictability of marine environments. This helps to keep the ecosystem stable. However, after an extensive period of whaling, humans have disrupted this natural process. The number of great whales has declined
Whales are the engineers of their ecosystems Read More »
Francesca Soster is a 36-year-old Italian whale scientist, currently working as a researcher on bottlenose dolphins in Malta. Here is her story… Francesca’s story started in the textile industry I studied Textile Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin. I have completed a Master’s Degree in Nobel Fibres, a specialized path in fabrics and clothing
Whale Scientists Story – Francesca Soster Read More »
As a child, you may have come across the book “Everyone Poops.” Well, what about farts? In this article, we will explore the lovely world of whale flatulence and try to answer, “Do Whales Fart?” “Better out than in…” Passing gas or farting can be seen in most mammals, even marine ones! It allows animals
Stefano Bellomo is a 32-year-old Italian whale scientist currently working as a marine mammal observer and a social media manager for the Jonian Dolphin Conservation. Here is his story. Stefano’s education at the University of Bari I studied both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental biology at the University of Bari, my city. I wanted
Whale Scientists Story: Stefano Bellomo Read More »
Commercial whaling is a complicated topic. Almost everybody has a strong opinion about it, and discussions can get heated quickly. So let’s take a deep breath and try to keep the blood pressure low. Nowadays, three countries openly conduct commercial whaling: Japan, Norway, and Iceland. Indigenous people in various parts of the world, e.g., Alaska
Will whales be hunted for profit in the future? Read More »
We are wrapping this year with a lesser-known, but very well studied ziphiid, or beaked whale, the northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus). The northern bottlenose whale is the largest member of the beaked family found in the North Atlantic Ocean. They have a bottle-shaped beak and a hooked dorsal fin, hence the “bottlenose” in their
The Northern Bottlenose Whale Read More »
Jeroen Hoekendijk is a 33 years-old Dutch marine mammalogist currently working on his PhD on marine wildlife detection using aerial and satellite imagery. Here is his story. It all started with an orca encounter in Canada I’ve always been fascinated by the sea, the oceans, and everything inside it, but I never considered making a
Whale Scientists Story: Jeroen Hoekendijk Read More »
Few things are more relaxing than floating in a pool, hearing the sound of water, and resting your eyes for just a little while. For whales and dolphins, however, sleeping in the water is a bit more complicated. Indeed, whales do not have the luxury of floating on pool beds, and the sea is pretty
Whales sleep with half their brain to avoid drowning Read More »
