Conservation

Toxic chemicals from plastics found in Norwegian marine mammals

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.

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Whale Scientists Story — Clare Andvik 

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.

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Florida Manatees -Tough on the outside, but not invincible

Manatees, affectionately known as “sea cows” or “mermaids,” are peaceful herbivorous giants found in fresh and saltwater coastal areas. Despite lacking natural predators in the case of the West Indian Manatees (the ones we find in North America), their population numbers are not as robust as one might expect. This post will shed light on

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Toxic Menus: Contaminants Threaten the Health of North Atlantic Killer Whales

In a ground-breaking new study just published in Environmental Science & Technology, a disturbing picture of contamination among North Atlantic killer whales has emerged. Persistent organic contaminants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides (DDTs, Chlordanes, etc.), and flame retardants, were detected at alarming levels in these apex marine predators. This study sheds light on the

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Unlocking the Secrets of Female Common Dolphin Reproduction in New Zealand

Understanding the life history of organisms helps us learn how they grow and develop traits that help them survive in their environment. It also reveals how vulnerable a population can be if certain behaviors and traits put them at risk of extinction. In our rapidly changing world, studying a species’ life history is important to

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Whale Scientists Story — Joëlle De Weerdt

Joëlle De Weerdt is a 35-year-old Belgian marine mammalogist currently doing her PhD in Nicaragua on humpback whales. She developed her own NGO in Nicaragua and funded her own PhD research! Here is her story… Joëlle’s education I completed my studies in 5 years (3 years bachelor’s + 2 years master’s). I did my master’s

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What do killer whales eat in the North Atlantic? Fat’s the question!

Here is a killer whale fact for you: despite decades of intensive research, we still do not know for sure what killer whales eat in most regions of the world. Killer whales are top predators, and the amount and types of animals they eat can greatly impact a whole ecosystem. To figure out how killer

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Whale Scientists Story – Agathe Serres

Agathe Serres is a 29 years old French postdoctoral marine mammalogist currently conducting research in China. She tells us how she traveled from France to China, following her passion for dolphins. She also tells us about how she used her good adaptation skills to learn mandarin and start a new life dedicated to the conservation

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Whale Scientists Story – Jasmin Groß

Jasmin Groß is a 33-year-old german postdoctorate research fellow. She works on humpback whale ecology at the Helmholtz Institut for Functional Marine Biodiversity, in Oldenburg, Germany. Jasmin’s education took her around the world I completed my studies at seven different universities all around the world. I did a gap year in the USA after high

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