As you may or may not have heard that there is a potentially new species of a beaked whale! Scientists just discovered this new species off Baja California. Here we explain how scientists discovered this possibly new species. We will also dive into how to determine if there is, in fact, a new species of […]
Whale Ho! A Potential New Whale Species? 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 »
What species are out there in the big blue ocean? How many individuals are there? These are some of the biggest questions scientists face when studying populations. Specifically, when a particular species is in danger of becoming extinct. In marine science, visual tracking alone is not always practical. Our first post on the vaquita was
Acoustic monitoring of the critically endangered vaquita Read More »
In brief: Female bottlenose dolphins in Australia use tools such as sponges for hunting fish. They teach their daughters this unique technique and create a new culture. The presence of standard behavior is considered indicative of the culture. Scientists have long-questioned the existence of culture in non-human species. Culture is a reason for uniformity within
Dolphin girl gang uses sponges to catch prey and create a new culture Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
With their petite size ranging from 2 to 2.8 meters (6 to 9 feet), Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) possess an endearing resemblance to baby beluga whales. What sets these shy and endangered dolphins apart is their super cute and expressively charming faces. In this post, we highlight some fascinating facts about these endangered marine creatures.
The Irrawaddy dolphin needs our help 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 »
