Whales and other cetaceans

A cartoon by Kaamran Hafeez. Enter the rabbit hole of our @NYerCartoons at Random tool: https://t.co/WoT482HlOY pic.twitter.com/WmPVP5Bn9M — The New Yorker (@NewYorker) December 31, 2015

How realistic are the vengeful whales of “Moby-Dick” and “In the Heart of the Sea,” really? - Quartz : Gentle giants—or monsters of the deep? (Flickr user Biodiversity Heritage Library (licensed under CC-BY-2.0; image has been cropped)) "Mess with a sperm whale, get an 80-ton torpedo—one that will sink a ship and, like a giant mammalian Jaws, stalk the surviving crew across the ocean. That, at least, is the plot of Ron Howard’s cinematic rendering of In The Heart of the Sea. Based on the 2000 book by Nathaniel Philbrick, it’s a loose retelling of the 1821 sinking of the whaleship Essex, after an enormous sperm whale bashed in its hull with its head. The story eventually helped inspire Herman Melville’s 1851 novel, Moby-Dick, which describes a whaleship captain’s self-destructive obsession with hunting down the white sperm whale that sank a previous ship and severed his leg. In the movie version of In the Heart of the Sea, the sperm whale goes beyond the historical account...

Omura's whales: Scientists release video of first confirmed sighting of species in wild Published on 26 Oct 2015 Dr. Salvatore Cerchio of the New England Aquarium and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and an international team of whale biologists have just released images and detailed descriptions on the first scientific observations in the wild ever of Omura’s whales, one of the least known species of whales in the world.

Japan rejects international court jurisidiction over whaling : From Sydney Morning Herald in October "Japan has moved suddenly to fence itself off from any future challenge to its Antarctic whaling in the International Court of Justice. After its last whaling program was ruled illegal by the court in a case brought by Australia, its latest plan to restart whaling within weeks has come under strong scientific attack. Now the Japanese government has told United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in a special declaration that it will take a sweeping exception to the court's jurisdiction. It says the court's jurisdiction "does not apply to ... any dispute arising out of, concerning, or relating to research on, or conservation, management or exploitation of, living resources of the sea". The declaration was made by Japan's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa​, earlier this month, and disclosed in Australian political circles on Sunday night. Un...

The World Today - Japan's new 'scientific' whaling program still breaches international law: legal experts 01/12/2015 : "Legal experts from Australia and New Zealand say Japan is breaking international law by resuming so-called 'scientific' whaling. Last month the United Nation's International Court of Justice ruled Japan's scientific whaling program was a sham that should be stopped. Despite that, the Japanese whaling fleet is leaving port today and heading south to the Southern Ocean, as Lucy Carter reports.  LUCY CARTER: At a Japanese port, four ships and more than 100 crew members are preparing to set sail. Japan's fisheries agency has committed to what it calls 'lethal research' from December until March next year. The whaling fleet used to kill 1,000 whales a year this time its target will be 333. The fleet is heading south to the Antarctic despite last year's International Court of Justice ruling that Japan's whal...

Japanese whaling ships depart for Antarctic hunt - BBC News : "Japanese whaling ships have departed for the Antarctic hunt, resuming the programme after a year, despite international opposition. Japan says its whaling programme is for scientific research - one of the exceptions in which whaling is allowed under international rules. But in 2014 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said its Antarctic hunt was not scientific and should cease. Activists say the programme is inhumane and unsustainable. Japan insists it is trying to prove the whale population is large enough to justify a return to whaling for commercial purposes, and says it has to kills the mammals to carry out its research. In the 2014/2015 season Japan said it would respect the ICJ's decision and did not catch any whales in the Antarctic, although it did go ahead with a smaller hunt in the Pacific. Japan's Fisheries Agency said on Monday that it has taken into account the ICJ's ruling and this ...

Scientists find hundreds of dead sei whales in Patagonia, Chile - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : More than 300 whales have been found washed up in a remote inlet in Patagonia in southern Chile in one of the largest die-offs on record. Vreni Haussermann of the Huinay Scientific Centre was one of the scientists who made the discovery. "It was an apocalyptic sight. I'd never seen anything like it," Ms Haussermann said. Scientists launched an expedition to count the animals after 20 sei whales were reported dead in April. They were beached in an extremely remote region some 2,000 kilometres south of the capital, Santiago. When researchers flew over the region in June, they found the scale of the die-off was much larger. There were at least 337 dead whales, including the bodies and skeletons of the mammals. 'via Blog this'

Japan to resume whaling in Antarctic despite court ruling : Japan has announced it will resume whaling in the Antarctic early next year after a break of more than a year. The decision comes despite an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Japan cease all whaling. The Japanese government says it has taken into account the court ruling and its "scientific" whaling programme will be much smaller. But the announcement has been condemned by environmental groups and the Australian and UK governments. 'via Blog this' 'via Blog this'

Greens demand action against Japan whaling : "The Greens are demanding the federal government use submarine contracts to pressure Japan out of sending whaling ships to the Southern Ocean. The Japanese government says it will dispatch a "research" whaling mission to the Southern Ocean on Tuesday. The announcement came as Attorney-General George Brandis told parliament Australia was making diplomatic representations at "the highest levels" in a bid to get Japan to change its mind. He told the Senate on Monday the government would consider sending a Customs patrol vessel to the Southern Ocean if talks weren't successful. Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson says Japan are "thumbing their nose" at the Australian people." 'via Blog this'

Drones being used to assess health of whales off WA coast - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : "Drones are being used to assess the health of whales and their calves for the first time in research being trialled off the Western Australian coast. Murdoch University said the drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), were being used to measure seasonal changes in body condition of humpback whales in the Exmouth Gulf and their influence on calf growth. Cetacean Research Unit researcher Dr Fredrik Christiansen said the current practice for measuring whales off boats could be invasive and dangerous." 'via Blog this'

Australian court fines Japanese whaling company $1m for 'intentional' breaches | Environment | The Guardian : "An Australian court has found a Japanese whaling company guilty of “wilful contempt” of court for breaching an order to stop killing whales, and has fined it $1m. On Wednesday, the Australian federal court heard an application by Humane Society International (HSI) as part of a decade-long legal battle against the company Kyodo Senpaku to stop Japan killing whales within Australia’s Antarctic whale sanctuary. HSI alleged that the company had several times breached a 2008 injunction to stop taking whales in the sanctuary. It is the first finding of contempt of Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Campaigners try to halt Japan whale hunt in last-ditch legal fight Read more Federal court judge Jayne Jagot found Kyodo had engaged in all the alleged breaches." 'via Blog this'

Large shark stalks dead sperm whale off Australian shore - BBC News : "Swimmers have been warned to stay out of the water off far east Gippsland in Victoria, Australia, after a large shark was spotted stalking a whale carcass that washed up on the shore. The state parks authority tweeted images of what appears to be a 4m (13ft) white pointer at Salmon Rocks Parks Victoria worker Mike Irvine said he was surprised to spot the shark heading towards the beached whale. Authorities said the whale probably died of natural causes. They said they were monitoring it but hoped the carcass would wash out to sea with the tide." 'via Blog this'

Lost whale calf spotted swimming alone off Barcelona beach has died - The Local : "A young whale that appeared off the beach in Barcelona had to be put down by vets on Friday after becoming so weak because it had lost its mother." 'via Blog this'

What an amazing capture this week of a humpback whale breaching in front of Cape Pillar by Martino Gavazzi #tasmania pic.twitter.com/djg1gHV8w8 — Greg Faull (@greg_faull) November 11, 2015

These Animals Use Personal Names, But Never Gossip - Facts So Romantic - Nautilus : "In the ocean, bottlenose dolphins and calves whistle to call each other when they’re out of visual contact: Mom calls Junior using his signature whistle, and he echoes it back in acknowledgement. ... Just as human children typically bear their parents’ last name, some dolphin calves adopt whistles that are like their mother’s 'via Blog this'

There Are Whales Alive Today Who Were Born Before Moby Dick Was Written | Smart News | Smithsonian : In Alaska’s North Slope, the population of bowhead whales seems to be recovering. But that’s really not the coolest part of this Alaska Dispatch story . Instead, it’s this, noticed by Geoffry Gagnon: There are bowhead whales still alive in arctic that were born long before Moby Dick was written in 1851. That's nuts http://t.co/FjGI9EZf — Geoffrey Gagnon (@geoffgagnon) January 8, 2013 'via Blog this'

Orca Protection Bill Would Phase Out SeaWorld's 'Shamu Shows' | ThinkProgress : "Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) announced on Friday that he will introduce the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement (ORCA) Act, to “phase out the captivity of orcas so that their display ends with this generation.” The legislation, which would ban breeding, wild capture, and import or export of orcas for the purpose of public exhibition, would eventually put an end to SeaWorld’s controversial “Shamu Shows.” Schiff tweeted: “Orcas are too socially complex, too intelligent, too long-lived and simply too big to thrive in confinement.” His office released a fact-sheet noting that the proposal is supported by the Animal Welfare Institute, the Human Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. SeaWorld, however, was quick to respond with a SeaWorld Cares blog post claiming that the amusement park chain has “always supported sc...

SeaWorld To Change Its Criticized Orca Show After Next Year : The Two-Way : NPR : SeaWorld has been deluged by negative publicity over how its parks treat killer whales, or orcas. The 2013 documentary Blackfish — which delved into the death of marine-mammal trainer Dawn Brancheau — highlighted the alleged toll years of captivity can take on the animals. The company's market value has plummeted since the documentary was shown on CNN . And some lawmakers began taking up the animal-rights activists' cause. Last year, California state lawmakers pushed legislation that would prohibit SeaWorld from using orcas in its shows . And this past Friday, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., introduced a bill in Congress that would "prohibit the breeding, the taking (wild capture), and the import or export of orcas for the purposes of public display." On Monday during a webcast, SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby announced changes to the orca shows . Manby said the new show would be "inf...

An incredible whale shot captured near @AmazingAlbany in @AustraliasSW (Photo: mattblakersphoto/via IG) pic.twitter.com/FfSiMxORSU — Australia (@Australia) November 7, 2015

SeaWorld Sinks in Wake of Killer Whale Outcry - Bloomberg Business : "SeaWorld Entertainment Inc., the theme-park operator under fire from animal activists for its treatment of killer whales, dropped as much as 9.5 percent after reporting third-quarter results that fell short of analysts’ estimates and cutting its 2015 earnings forecast." 'via Blog this'

Ten pilot whales stranded on Calais beach - BBC News : "Ten long-finned pilot whales have been found stranded on a beach in Calais. Three were able to be rescued and returned to sea, but six of the whales were dead before the authorities arrived and one more died as they were trying to save it." 'via Blog this'

Humpback whale swimming tours set to begin off WA's Ningaloo coast - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : Tours giving people the chance to swim with humpback whales are to be trialled in Western Australia next year after the success of a similar program with whale sharks at Ningaloo Marine Park. The trial will give people the opportunity to get up close with humpback whales at Coral Bay and Exmouth, Environment Minister Albert Jacob announced. Tours allowing people to swim with humpback whales are hard to come by, with only a handful of places offering the experience. "It's very rare," Mr Jacob said. "I'm only aware of three other jurisdictions that offer it — Mexico, Tonga and Queensland are the ones I know of." The tours in Queensland  are being offered for a second year . The humpback whale was previously an endangered species on the West Australian coast, but Mr Jacob said since the end of commercial whaling in the 1960s, conservat...

Rescued pregnant bottlenose dolphin returned to ocean after miscarriage - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : "A pregnant dolphin that washed up on a south-east Queensland beach has been released back into the wild, but has lost her unborn calf. The offshore bottlenose dolphin, nicknamed Sandy, washed up at Cape Moreton on the northern-most tip of Moreton Island on September 2. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service rescuers took the animal to Sea World, where she spent seven weeks in intensive care and rehabilitation. Sea World director of marine science Trevor Long said when she was found, the dolphin was in poor condition and in the early stages of pregnancy." 'via Blog this'

Dolphins suspected in whale attack off Skye - BBC News : Marine wildlife experts believe dolphins attacked a young pilot whale which was found stranded on a beach in Skye. Vets had to put down the badly injured three-year-old female calf, which was discovered on Tuesday at Dunvegan. Teeth marks were found on the whale's body, flippers and dorsal fin. The Scottish Marine Animals Stranding Scheme and Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) suspect the calf was attacked by bottlenose dolphins. 'via Blog this'

The use of nets to prevent sharks reaching beaches is common in New South Wales. But there is one unfortunate side effect of preventing swimmers and surfers - whales are regularly the innocent victims. Humpback whale calf freed from netting on New South Wales South Coast - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : A humpback whale calf has been rescued near Batemans Bay on the New South Wales South Coast after an extensive operation by Parks and Wildlife. The whale, still being protected by its mother, was spotted on Monday, however bad weather caused a rescue attempt to be aborted. The pair was relocated further south, near Narooma on Tuesday afternoon. "There was the good fortune for the support vessel which was out first thing yesterday morning ... They were able to relocate the entangled calf with its mother," Lawrence Orel from Parks and Wildlife said. "[They] were still quite close to shore, which was very helpful." Mr Orel said the whale wa...

From The Independent : Image of feeding whale wins photography prize An image of a giant whale feeding on a swirling ball of fish has won the “underwater” category of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The prize-winning photographer, announced last night at the Natural History Museum in London, was Sydney-based Michael Aw for his picture of a Bryde’s whale just after it had taken a giant gulp of sardines off South Africa’s Eastern Cape.

SeaWorld barred from breeding whales in captivity - BBC News : "Californian authorities have prohibited SeaWorld from breeding animals in captivity, calling into question the future of the park's popular killer whale attraction. The ruling by the California Coastal Commission came after a request by the San Diego aquarium to build new tanks for its orcas. In a statement SeaWorld said it was "disappointed" with Thursday's ruling." 'via Blog this'

Whales bask under Northern Lights in Norway - BBC News : 'via Blog this'

Whales bask under Northern Lights in Norway - BBC News : 'via Blog this'

Pod of whales capsizes tinnie off Fraser Island, man taken to hospital - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) : "A man has been left with a broken leg after a pod of whales capsized his tinnie in waters off Queensland's Fraser Island. The man, in his 40s, was whale watching with friends when the pod swam past causing waves that flipped the boat." 'via Blog this'

Lump of rare whale vomit sells for £11k at auction - BBC News : A lump of whale vomit found by a dog walker on an Anglesey beach has sold at auction for £11,000. Ambergris is a wax-like substance found in the the intestine of a sperm whale and it's a very rare and sought-after ingredient in the perfume industry. The 1.1kg (2.4lb) chunk was bought by an anonymous telephone bidder in France. 'via Blog this'

Esperance whale encounter captures hearts across Australia - ABC Esperance - Australian Broadcasting Corporation : 'via Blog this'

The Secret To The Inuit High-Fat Diet May Be Good Genes : The Salt : NPR : In the Arctic, the typical meal looks very different. There, a traditional plate would have some fatty marine animal like seal or whale and not much else – fruits and vegetables are hard to come by in the harsh climate. And yet despite the fact that the high-fat Arctic diet may sound like a heart attack waiting to happen, these people tend to have low rates of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers thought maybe it was the omega-3 fatty acids in the meat and blubber that might be protective. But a  new study on Inuit in Greenland suggests that Arctic peoples evolved certain genetic adaptations that allow them to consume much higher amounts of fat than most other people around the world, according a team of researchers reporting Thursday in the journal Science. 'via Blog this'

The Navy said its war games couldn’t avoid precious whale habitat. This judge didn’t buy it. - The Washington Post : A Navy ship near whales in 2003. (Kenneth Balcomb) from the Washinvgton Post The Navy’s reputation as a fearsome fighter is more than earned — on the high seas and in U.S. courts. In the 75 years since the Navy started conducting war games in a vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean between the Hawaiian and California coasts, conservationists have often sought to restrict its use of bombs and sonar that harms marine mammals. Each time, the military branch blew the activists away, arguing that what’s good for the Navy is best for America. That’s why a recent court loss, and the Navy’s surprise capitulation to working out a settlement agreement with conservation groups that was announced this week, is startling. For the activists, it was a win by a hopeless underdog, a mouse chasing an elephant, an ant moving a rubber tree plant. 'via Blog this'