Imagine being a humpback whale mom-to-be. You have been pregnant for 10 months. Your 2600-pound calf is due in just four to six weeks. Over the summer and fall, you have consumed as much food as possible, preparing for the journey ahead. Soon, you will embark on a 3000-mile migration south to the Hawaiian breeding […]
Super-sized Sacrifice: The Enormous Costs of Being a Humpback Whale Mom Read More »
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
Whale research without a PhD? Yes you can! Read More »
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
Eyes in the Sky: Drones Transform Sperm Whale Research Read More »
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
Meet the Australian Snubfin Dolphin – An Edemic and Threatened Species Read More »
Despite progress in reducing pollution, long-banned contaminants continue to threaten whales in Eastern Canada.
Banned contaminants are still affecting whales in Eastern Canada Read More »
In a newly published study in Seismica, researchers used instruments on land designed to monitor earthquakes (seismometers) to detect the presence of fin and blue whale calls in the Gulf of St Lawrence. What is a seismometer? Seismometers are instruments that measure the ground motion and are typically used to study earthquakes. However, they can
Eavesdropping on whales using land seismometers Read More »
Marine mammals are difficult for scientists to study; they spend most or all of their lives in and around water habitats. Because of their vastness (hundreds of thousands of square kilometers) and depth (thousands of meters), marine mammal habitats are difficult for humans to access and explore. Cetaceans – whales, dolphin, and porpoises – spend
How To Study The Deepest Diving Whales? Use Chemistry! Read More »
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
Russian ship played classical music to rescue entrapped belugas Read More »
Plasticizers added to plastics give them their properties, but these chemicals can leach into the oceans and harm marine life. Recent studies found plastic chemicals in marine mammals in Norway, raising concerns about their prevalence and impact. To help, reduce plastic use, recycle, and support policies to ban harmful chemicals and protect ocean creatures.
Toxic chemicals from plastics found in Norwegian marine mammals Read More »
Clare Andvik is a marine mammal toxicologist and PhD student studying pollution effects on Norwegian orcas at the University of Oslo. Despite initially studying Philosophy due to discouragement from teachers and working unrelated jobs, a passion for marine biology led her to Norway, where she began a biology degree and later interned at the Norwegian Orca Survey. Ultimately her master’s thesis focused on pollutant levels in orcas correlated with their diet. Juggling parenthood and her career, Clare advocates for normalized parenthood within academia. Her present focus lies in publishing more research papers while expecting her second child.
Whale Scientists Story — Clare Andvik Read More »
