NEW YORK TIMES - WASHINGTON — On the one hand, there is “the potential for harm to marine mammals,” Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said Wednesday at a Supreme Court argument over the Navy’s use of sonar in training exercises off the coast of Southern California.
On the other, the chief justice continued, there is “the potential that a North Korean diesel electric submarine will get within range of Pearl Harbor undetected” if Navy personnel are not properly trained in the use of sonar.
“Now, I think that’s a pretty clear balance,” Chief Justice Roberts said.
Other justices also indicated an inclination to overturn a decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, in San Francisco, imposing limits on the exercises, saying either that national security concerns trumped environmental ones or that judges are not competent to weigh the competing interests.
“I don’t know anything about this,” Justice Stephen G. Breyer said. “I’m not a naval officer.” But he said he was inclined to believe, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, a sworn statement from an admiral saying the restrictions would harm military preparedness.
Richard B. Kendall, a lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which had sued the Navy over the exercises, insisted that courts have an important role to play in protecting whales and dolphins even when the executive branch asserts a national security interest.
“The Navy cannot be judge of its own cause,” Mr. Kendall said.
The two sides agreed that sonar can harm marine mammals, but they disagreed about how much. Mr. Kendall said sonar produces noise as loud as 2,000 jet engines and that some whales die or become stranded in their frantic efforts to avoid it.
Gregory G. Garre, the United States solicitor general, said the impact on the animals was minor and passing. “They hear the sound, and they go in the opposite direction,” Mr. Garre said. “It can also mean that they could have some temporary effect on their feeding or breeding patterns.”
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Beluga Whale Numbers Stressed
HOMER TRIBUNE- Although numbers are low, beluga whales are still sometimes photographed in Cook Inlet.
Beluga whales were once a frequent sight in Kachemak Bay and the Fox River Valley, but increasingly only one or two are spotted.
The beluga whale population in Cook Inlet remains troubled, with numbers hovering at about 375 members of a genetically distinct group that formerly numbered at about 1,300.
CookInlet Keeper Director Bob Shavelson said the survey numbers confirm what his organization has said for a while now.
In response, marine mammal experts and conservation groups have renewed their calls for the Bush Administration to immediately list the Cook Inlet beluga whale as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
"We're expecting a decision after Oct. 20," said John Schoen, senior scientist at Audubon-Alaska. "At that point, the National Marine Fisheries Service could rule whether the beluga in Cook Inlet should be listed as threatened or endangered."
Beluga whales were once a frequent sight in Kachemak Bay and the Fox River Valley, but increasingly only one or two are spotted.
The beluga whale population in Cook Inlet remains troubled, with numbers hovering at about 375 members of a genetically distinct group that formerly numbered at about 1,300.
CookInlet Keeper Director Bob Shavelson said the survey numbers confirm what his organization has said for a while now.
In response, marine mammal experts and conservation groups have renewed their calls for the Bush Administration to immediately list the Cook Inlet beluga whale as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
"We're expecting a decision after Oct. 20," said John Schoen, senior scientist at Audubon-Alaska. "At that point, the National Marine Fisheries Service could rule whether the beluga in Cook Inlet should be listed as threatened or endangered."
Links Between US Navy Sonar And Whale Strandings
For many years, George Mason University professor Chris Parsons has been tracking the patterns of mass whale strandings around the world. In his most recent paper, "Navy Sonar and Cetaceans: Just how much does the gun need to smoke before we act?" Parsons and his co-authors bring together all of the major whale and dolphin strandings in the past eight years and discuss the different kinds of species that have been affected worldwide. They also strongly argue for stricter environmental policies related to this issue.
"Generally, if there is a large whale stranding, there is a military exercise in the area," says Parsons. "Sonar is killing more whales than we know about."
Parsons is a national delegate for the International Whaling Commission's scientific and conservation committees, and on the board of directors of the marine section of the Society for Conservation Biology. He has been involved in whale and dolphin research for more than a decade and has conducted projects in South Africa, India, China and the Caribbean as well as the United Kingdom.
Though Parsons believes that there is a good chance the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in favor of the Navy, he thinks there is a chance for a win-win situation on both sides.
"If the Navy uses proper mitigation efforts, it can still perform its exercises and affect less of the whale population," he says. However, he argues they need to avoid sensitive areas completely, and have trained, experienced whale experts as lookouts when performing these exercises - not just someone who has watched a 45-minute DVD, which is sadly the only training most naval lookouts get with respect to finding and detecting whales."
Even with all these efforts, however, Parsons worries that sonar is affecting many more whales than we even know about. "Eventually the Navy may have to reconsider the use of certain types of sonar all together. They could be wiping out entire populations of whales, and seriously depleting others."
"Generally, if there is a large whale stranding, there is a military exercise in the area," says Parsons. "Sonar is killing more whales than we know about."
Parsons is a national delegate for the International Whaling Commission's scientific and conservation committees, and on the board of directors of the marine section of the Society for Conservation Biology. He has been involved in whale and dolphin research for more than a decade and has conducted projects in South Africa, India, China and the Caribbean as well as the United Kingdom.
Though Parsons believes that there is a good chance the U.S. Supreme Court will rule in favor of the Navy, he thinks there is a chance for a win-win situation on both sides.
"If the Navy uses proper mitigation efforts, it can still perform its exercises and affect less of the whale population," he says. However, he argues they need to avoid sensitive areas completely, and have trained, experienced whale experts as lookouts when performing these exercises - not just someone who has watched a 45-minute DVD, which is sadly the only training most naval lookouts get with respect to finding and detecting whales."
Even with all these efforts, however, Parsons worries that sonar is affecting many more whales than we even know about. "Eventually the Navy may have to reconsider the use of certain types of sonar all together. They could be wiping out entire populations of whales, and seriously depleting others."
Monday, October 6, 2008
Rare Blue Whale Spotted Off Boston Coast
BOSTON -- A rare adult blue whale was spotted over the weekend 15 miles off Gloucester during a research cruise.
Researchers at the Whale Center of New England said that they were startled to find the whale on Sunday.
During the nearly 45 minutes that the whale was observed, its limited movement around the area suggested that the animal was feeding on a localized prey source. Despite their huge size, blue whales specialize in feeding on plankton, especially krill. The whale was seen in the same vicinity as approximately a dozen feeding humpback whales.
Whale Center staff took photos of both sides of the animal, where each individual whale has a distinctive pigment pattern used to identify individual whales. The photos will be contributed to an ocean-wide catalog of blue whales, coordinated by Canadian whale researchers, which contains more than 300 individual whales.
Blue whales are the largest mammals, and possibly the largest animals, ever to live. The largest blue whale ever accurately measured was 102 feet, although animals longer than 90 feet are rare in the North Atlantic
Researchers at the Whale Center of New England said that they were startled to find the whale on Sunday.
During the nearly 45 minutes that the whale was observed, its limited movement around the area suggested that the animal was feeding on a localized prey source. Despite their huge size, blue whales specialize in feeding on plankton, especially krill. The whale was seen in the same vicinity as approximately a dozen feeding humpback whales.
Whale Center staff took photos of both sides of the animal, where each individual whale has a distinctive pigment pattern used to identify individual whales. The photos will be contributed to an ocean-wide catalog of blue whales, coordinated by Canadian whale researchers, which contains more than 300 individual whales.
Blue whales are the largest mammals, and possibly the largest animals, ever to live. The largest blue whale ever accurately measured was 102 feet, although animals longer than 90 feet are rare in the North Atlantic
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Supreme Court to Hear Bush Exemption on Navy Sonar Testing
On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court will hear from environmentalists who are challenging an exemption President George Bush granted the U.S. Navy from an environmental law protecting endangered whales.
Lower courts have ordered the Navy to stop using sonar off the southern California coast because it could harm the whales. But the Bush administration holds that judges cannot interfere with presidential authority in military matters.
Lower courts have ordered the Navy to stop using sonar off the southern California coast because it could harm the whales. But the Bush administration holds that judges cannot interfere with presidential authority in military matters.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Well Known Biologists Study Beached Whale
AVALON, NEW JERSEY--A rare wash up in Avalon is getting major attention as world renowned biologists head to the Jersey shore to examine the large sea creature. The find is so unique that even officials with the Smithsonian are excited.
It was a discovery that shocked beachgoers in Avalon yesterday, and now even a day later, the large whale is still getting a lot of attention, but this time in the borough's public works yard. "It's amazing," said Don Diehl, who works there, "we've seen dolphins wash up and turtles, big sea turtles, but this is definitely something different."
So different, it's gained the attention of a world renowned marine biologist with the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. James Mead, who traveled here today from Washington, D.C. to examine the 14-and-a-half foot whale. "Magnificent," said the doctor as he measured the creature.
Experts have determined by looking at the position of the animals teeth that it is not a True's beaked whale as initially thought, but actually an even rarer species. "It turns out to be a Gulf Stream beaked whale," said Mead, "it's very very rare."
While little is still known about what caused this deep sea creature to come ashore, biologists have been able to determine it's a nearly 3,000 pound male, and it could be close to 70 years old. "We very rarely get a cause of death in these stranded animals," said Mead. He says this type of whale is so rare, there have only been about 60 of the species that have been stranded in the U.S. in the last 150 years. "We have only one other adult male in the collection. This doubles our samples of adult males."
While experts continue to examine the creature, they admit they may never figure out a cause of death, but say there's a lot more to learn about something so unique.
The biologists will transport the whale's entire skeleton to the Smithsonian for further studies. They say they have so few records on the species, they can't wait to learn more about it.
It was a discovery that shocked beachgoers in Avalon yesterday, and now even a day later, the large whale is still getting a lot of attention, but this time in the borough's public works yard. "It's amazing," said Don Diehl, who works there, "we've seen dolphins wash up and turtles, big sea turtles, but this is definitely something different."
So different, it's gained the attention of a world renowned marine biologist with the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. James Mead, who traveled here today from Washington, D.C. to examine the 14-and-a-half foot whale. "Magnificent," said the doctor as he measured the creature.
Experts have determined by looking at the position of the animals teeth that it is not a True's beaked whale as initially thought, but actually an even rarer species. "It turns out to be a Gulf Stream beaked whale," said Mead, "it's very very rare."
While little is still known about what caused this deep sea creature to come ashore, biologists have been able to determine it's a nearly 3,000 pound male, and it could be close to 70 years old. "We very rarely get a cause of death in these stranded animals," said Mead. He says this type of whale is so rare, there have only been about 60 of the species that have been stranded in the U.S. in the last 150 years. "We have only one other adult male in the collection. This doubles our samples of adult males."
While experts continue to examine the creature, they admit they may never figure out a cause of death, but say there's a lot more to learn about something so unique.
The biologists will transport the whale's entire skeleton to the Smithsonian for further studies. They say they have so few records on the species, they can't wait to learn more about it.
Noisy Oceans Problem for Marine Mammals
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - As the world's oceans become more acidic, the underwater sounds that whales and other marine mammals depend on for survival may turn into a confusing racket, a new study says.
That's because the ocean's ability to conduct sound is expected to increase dramatically due to global warming. The shift could make it easier for rare whales to find each other and reproduce, researchers say.
More likely, though, the effect would be comparable to a person in a crowded place straining to talk over all the chatter.
That's because the ocean's ability to conduct sound is expected to increase dramatically due to global warming. The shift could make it easier for rare whales to find each other and reproduce, researchers say.
More likely, though, the effect would be comparable to a person in a crowded place straining to talk over all the chatter.
California Wants Design For "Whale Tail" License Plate
The California Coastal Commission is inviting artists, designers, and photographers to enter a contest to design a new WHALE TAIL(SM) License Plate. This is an opportunity to get widespread exposure and visibility for your work and take an active part in preserving California's coast. The winning design will be seen by millions, and proceeds from the specialty plates will fund coastal restoration and education projects.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Major UK Military Exercise Staged Days Before 26 Dolphins Died
CORNISH, UK - The Government has confirmed that 20 ships were involved in an intense military exercise off the Cornish coast, just days before the mass stranding of dolphins this summer.
The death of 26 dolphins in the incident in June, most of them in the shallow waters of Porth Creek on the Roseland, was one of the UK's biggest wildlife tragedies in recent years.
Though up to 200 other dolphins were saved by the intervention of RNLI and wildlife volunteers, campaigners say that 80 more could have been traumatised by the incident.
The Royal Navy at first denied involvement in the disaster, but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) later confirmed it was carrying out exercises in Falmouth Bay just hours before the dolphins beached themselves.
The death of 26 dolphins in the incident in June, most of them in the shallow waters of Porth Creek on the Roseland, was one of the UK's biggest wildlife tragedies in recent years.
Though up to 200 other dolphins were saved by the intervention of RNLI and wildlife volunteers, campaigners say that 80 more could have been traumatised by the incident.
The Royal Navy at first denied involvement in the disaster, but the Ministry of Defence (MoD) later confirmed it was carrying out exercises in Falmouth Bay just hours before the dolphins beached themselves.
Rare Whale Washes Ashore
AVALON, NEW JERSEY--Beachgoers were given quite a shock today in Avalon after a rare off-shore whale beaches itself. Bystanders say they did all they could to try and save the large sea creature.
"It's absolutely unbelievable." Those were the only words stunned beachgoers had to describe the more than 14-foot whale that washed ashore this afternoon in Avalon. "It's just so sad and very exciting," said Ann Longaker.
"We just came down to see what was going on," said Jane Abbey, "but it was a little worse than we hoped."
Dozens watched from the shore as people jumped in the water in an attempt to try and help the rare True's Beaker Wale, weighing more than 3,000 pounds. It was something Stephen Salvensen knew he had to do. "We really wanted to do the right thing," he said, "we really felt this creature was trying to...he knew we were there."
After nearly two hours of trying to stabilize the creature, officials with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center arrived to help, although it was too late. "We did the right thing," said Salvensen, "you know...we did the best we could."
"That was what we believe to be a True's Beaked Whale," said Jay Pagel with the MMSC, "female, not sure of the age or anything, these are very rare."
At this point, officials have no idea what caused the whale to come this close to shore, especially because they're usually found more than 50 miles out at sea. Tests will be done to try and determine what went wrong. "We're gonna do our best to find out," said Pagel, "didn't see anything that was obvious, but again, we've only see a couple of these animals. They're so rare nobody seems to know much about them."
While experts don't know much about the whale just yet, those who tried to help save it say regardless of the details, it's an experience that will stick with them. "Quite an experience, no doubt about," said Salvensen, "it's one we'll definitely never forget."
Experts say it could be weeks before they learn anything about what caused the whale to was ashore. They say they've only seen a handful of the rare species in the last decade.
"It's absolutely unbelievable." Those were the only words stunned beachgoers had to describe the more than 14-foot whale that washed ashore this afternoon in Avalon. "It's just so sad and very exciting," said Ann Longaker.
"We just came down to see what was going on," said Jane Abbey, "but it was a little worse than we hoped."
Dozens watched from the shore as people jumped in the water in an attempt to try and help the rare True's Beaker Wale, weighing more than 3,000 pounds. It was something Stephen Salvensen knew he had to do. "We really wanted to do the right thing," he said, "we really felt this creature was trying to...he knew we were there."
After nearly two hours of trying to stabilize the creature, officials with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center arrived to help, although it was too late. "We did the right thing," said Salvensen, "you know...we did the best we could."
"That was what we believe to be a True's Beaked Whale," said Jay Pagel with the MMSC, "female, not sure of the age or anything, these are very rare."
At this point, officials have no idea what caused the whale to come this close to shore, especially because they're usually found more than 50 miles out at sea. Tests will be done to try and determine what went wrong. "We're gonna do our best to find out," said Pagel, "didn't see anything that was obvious, but again, we've only see a couple of these animals. They're so rare nobody seems to know much about them."
While experts don't know much about the whale just yet, those who tried to help save it say regardless of the details, it's an experience that will stick with them. "Quite an experience, no doubt about," said Salvensen, "it's one we'll definitely never forget."
Experts say it could be weeks before they learn anything about what caused the whale to was ashore. They say they've only seen a handful of the rare species in the last decade.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Princess Pilolevu to be Tonga's 'Royal Patron of Whales'
HRH Princess Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita will be officially declared as Tonga's 'Royal Patron of Whales', in Neiafu, Vava'u on Friday, October 3.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said that the appointment of Princess Pilolevu Tuita as the Royal Patron of Whales is in honour of the Tongan Royal Family's commitment to the protection of whales.
The late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, in a Royal Degree banned whaling in Tongan waters in 1978, and since then it has been estimated that the number of whales visiting Tonga annually has increased from 63 to 700.
Whale Watching has become a multi-million pa'anga industry for Tonga, particularly in the Vava'u group of islands.
The occasion will be officiated by Edgar Cocker, the CEO for the Tonga Visitors Bureau, Erica Martin, Director IFAW for Asia Pacific, Lelisio Lui, president of the Vava'u Tourism Association and Allan Bowe, the president of the Tonga Whale Watching Operators Association.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said that the appointment of Princess Pilolevu Tuita as the Royal Patron of Whales is in honour of the Tongan Royal Family's commitment to the protection of whales.
The late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, in a Royal Degree banned whaling in Tongan waters in 1978, and since then it has been estimated that the number of whales visiting Tonga annually has increased from 63 to 700.
Whale Watching has become a multi-million pa'anga industry for Tonga, particularly in the Vava'u group of islands.
The occasion will be officiated by Edgar Cocker, the CEO for the Tonga Visitors Bureau, Erica Martin, Director IFAW for Asia Pacific, Lelisio Lui, president of the Vava'u Tourism Association and Allan Bowe, the president of the Tonga Whale Watching Operators Association.
Chile Creates Stranded Whale Workshop
After the beaching of a sperm whale in Chile's Region I (Tarapacá) last week, the National Fisheries Service (SERNAPESCA) and Chile's Whale Conservation Center (CCC) took the initiative to create a stranded-whales workshop.
The workshop aims to improve the technology used to investigate stranded or beached whales and encourage better information exchange between experts nationally and internationally. There is also a desire to establish a local network of people who can respond to whale strandings quickly once they occur.
“We are preparing for a series of regional educational workshops,” said Bárbara Galletti, president of CCC. “They are meant to strengthen awareness about beached whales and other marine mammals in Latin America.”
The sperm whale, found last Monday on the coast 20 km south of the city of Iquique, was buried the following day due to public health concerns. It was with much regret, however, because the quick burial did not give scientists enough time to do any measurements on the whale or to study the cause of death.
SERNAPESCA normally tries to study stranded whales. Tests can show if the whale has been exposed to any kind of contamination or if it has any bruises or lesions on the body that could explain why it was stranded and died.
The incident led CCC to arrange the first workshop together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (ONAA) of the Unites States, SERNAPESCA and Chile's Universidad Mayor.
“The stranding in Antofagasta proves that, despite an increasing awareness of these events, we need to make a better effort throughout the country,” said Galletti. “The goal is to achieve better information about the biology of marine species and their state of conservation and to analyze their immediate threats.”
There are several reasons why whales strand, and the stranding of a single whale is likely to be natural. If the whale dies close to a shore, its body can strand on the beach before it decomposes.
A stranded whale quickly becomes a health concern and must be removed within a short time. The thick layer of blubber on its body keeps the inner tissues warm, serving as a paradise for bacteria.
The workshop aims to improve the technology used to investigate stranded or beached whales and encourage better information exchange between experts nationally and internationally. There is also a desire to establish a local network of people who can respond to whale strandings quickly once they occur.
“We are preparing for a series of regional educational workshops,” said Bárbara Galletti, president of CCC. “They are meant to strengthen awareness about beached whales and other marine mammals in Latin America.”
The sperm whale, found last Monday on the coast 20 km south of the city of Iquique, was buried the following day due to public health concerns. It was with much regret, however, because the quick burial did not give scientists enough time to do any measurements on the whale or to study the cause of death.
SERNAPESCA normally tries to study stranded whales. Tests can show if the whale has been exposed to any kind of contamination or if it has any bruises or lesions on the body that could explain why it was stranded and died.
The incident led CCC to arrange the first workshop together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (ONAA) of the Unites States, SERNAPESCA and Chile's Universidad Mayor.
“The stranding in Antofagasta proves that, despite an increasing awareness of these events, we need to make a better effort throughout the country,” said Galletti. “The goal is to achieve better information about the biology of marine species and their state of conservation and to analyze their immediate threats.”
There are several reasons why whales strand, and the stranding of a single whale is likely to be natural. If the whale dies close to a shore, its body can strand on the beach before it decomposes.
A stranded whale quickly becomes a health concern and must be removed within a short time. The thick layer of blubber on its body keeps the inner tissues warm, serving as a paradise for bacteria.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Navy Sonar Testing Site In Question
The Virginian-Pilot NORFOLK - The Navy has decided that a controversial sonar training range it proposed building off North Carolina's coast would be better located off Florida, where its East Coast sub-hunting helicopters are based.
More than 40,000 pages of public comments - most of them critical - had flooded in after the Navy announced coastal North Carolina as its preferred site for the range in 2005. It also considered locating the range off Virginia, South Carolina or Florida.
The switch in preference to a site off Jacksonville, Fla., may prove to be just as troublesome for the Navy. The border of the proposed 625-square-mile range would come within a few dozen miles of calving grounds of the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
More than 40,000 pages of public comments - most of them critical - had flooded in after the Navy announced coastal North Carolina as its preferred site for the range in 2005. It also considered locating the range off Virginia, South Carolina or Florida.
The switch in preference to a site off Jacksonville, Fla., may prove to be just as troublesome for the Navy. The border of the proposed 625-square-mile range would come within a few dozen miles of calving grounds of the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
Whale Rescue 'Toughest Ever'
GOLDCOAST.CO - Janelle Estreich
MARINE rescuers who spent almost eight hours working to free a humpback whale snared in shark netting off the Gold Coast today have described the operation as their most difficult yet.
The whale was spotted towing a long trail of netting by ski paddlers early this morning about 5km east of Currumbin.
The SeaWorld rescue team, Queensland Boating and Fisheries and a shark contractor caught up with the whale around 10am near the Tugun desalination barge.
MARINE rescuers who spent almost eight hours working to free a humpback whale snared in shark netting off the Gold Coast today have described the operation as their most difficult yet.
The whale was spotted towing a long trail of netting by ski paddlers early this morning about 5km east of Currumbin.
The SeaWorld rescue team, Queensland Boating and Fisheries and a shark contractor caught up with the whale around 10am near the Tugun desalination barge.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Stranded Whale Back at Sea
NEW ZEALAND - A seven-metre long whale which was stranded after washing up on Papamoa Beach near Tauranga on Saturday morning has been successfully sent back to sea.
"Nobbie" is well known to local conservationists and has been on the beach before. Several hundred people turned out to the beach where the orca whale had stranded and volunteers helped keep the animal wet and comfortable.
Department of Conservation spokeswoman Katrina Knill says a good tide and a freshly dug trench helped to get Nobbie back into the water sooner than anticipated.
She says he looks like he will be all right but she is urging the public to contact the Conservation Department if they see him getting too close to shore.
"Nobbie" is well known to local conservationists and has been on the beach before. Several hundred people turned out to the beach where the orca whale had stranded and volunteers helped keep the animal wet and comfortable.
Department of Conservation spokeswoman Katrina Knill says a good tide and a freshly dug trench helped to get Nobbie back into the water sooner than anticipated.
She says he looks like he will be all right but she is urging the public to contact the Conservation Department if they see him getting too close to shore.
Bush to Expand Protections in Pacific?
President Bush says he wants to extend environmental protections to more of the Pacific Ocean. Bush said Friday he has asked the secretaries of the Interior, Commerce and Defense to identify additional areas that could be eligible for conservation.
Acknowledging that his administration is coming to an end, Bush said he is "sprinting to the finish. I mean, four months, you can actually get a lot done," he said.
Bush's comments came in a speech at the newly completed Sant Ocean Hall, scheduled to open to the public Saturday at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
In his comments Friday, Bush noted a life-size model of a right whale in the museum and said his administration has sought to help protect these endangered whales.
Indeed, the government has recommended a speed limit for commercial ships along the Atlantic coast, where collisions with the right whale threaten its existence. Only about 300 or 400 of the whales are left in the wild, and they migrate annually between their southeastern Atlantic breeding grounds to feeding areas off the Massachusetts coast, intersecting busy shipping lanes.
Acknowledging that his administration is coming to an end, Bush said he is "sprinting to the finish. I mean, four months, you can actually get a lot done," he said.
Bush's comments came in a speech at the newly completed Sant Ocean Hall, scheduled to open to the public Saturday at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
In his comments Friday, Bush noted a life-size model of a right whale in the museum and said his administration has sought to help protect these endangered whales.
Indeed, the government has recommended a speed limit for commercial ships along the Atlantic coast, where collisions with the right whale threaten its existence. Only about 300 or 400 of the whales are left in the wild, and they migrate annually between their southeastern Atlantic breeding grounds to feeding areas off the Massachusetts coast, intersecting busy shipping lanes.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
No Decline in Count of Cook Inlet's Beluga Whales
FORT MILLS TIMES - ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The number of beluga whales estimated to be in Cook Inlet off Alaska's largest city have not increased in the last year, leading critics to reiterate their call for greater protections over the objections of Gov. Sarah Palin.
The new estimated count will be considered when deciding if the white whales should be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act - a move first opposed by Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee, last year over concerns that the listing would harm the local economy.
Federal scientists have said the Cook Inlet whales have a 26 percent chance of going extinct in the next 100 years. A decision is required by Oct. 20.
The new estimated count will be considered when deciding if the white whales should be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act - a move first opposed by Palin, the GOP vice presidential nominee, last year over concerns that the listing would harm the local economy.
Federal scientists have said the Cook Inlet whales have a 26 percent chance of going extinct in the next 100 years. A decision is required by Oct. 20.
573 Days Later, Whale Protection Rule Clears White House
The White House has finally given approval to a rule that would protect the North Atlantic right whale, one of the planet's most critically endangered marine species.
Last Monday, September 15, OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs — the White House office in charge of reviewing and editing new regulations — approved the rule "consistent with change" (its most common designation for rules it has reviewed). OIRA had been reviewing the rule since Feb. 20, 2007. Since agencies cannot go forward without OIRA's blessing, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been unable to make substantive progress on the rule for more than one-and-a-half years.
According to the executive order that governs the OIRA review process, OIRA has 90 days to review agency proposals. OIRA, in consultation with the agency, may extend the period once by 30 days. So, under the White House's own rules, OIRA is not supposed to hold up rules for more than 120 days.
OIRA reviewed the right whale rule for 573 days.
Last Monday, September 15, OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs — the White House office in charge of reviewing and editing new regulations — approved the rule "consistent with change" (its most common designation for rules it has reviewed). OIRA had been reviewing the rule since Feb. 20, 2007. Since agencies cannot go forward without OIRA's blessing, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been unable to make substantive progress on the rule for more than one-and-a-half years.
According to the executive order that governs the OIRA review process, OIRA has 90 days to review agency proposals. OIRA, in consultation with the agency, may extend the period once by 30 days. So, under the White House's own rules, OIRA is not supposed to hold up rules for more than 120 days.
OIRA reviewed the right whale rule for 573 days.
Whale Researchers Capture Unique Underwater Footage
PETERSBURG-AK KFSK - A team of researchers captured some very unusual footage of humpback whales this summer. It shows cooperative bubble-net feeding and other behavior from a whale calf’s point of view. The Alaska Whale Foundation’s Doctor Fred Sharpe has been studying humpback whale behavior and vocalizations in southeast Alaska for decades. Based out of Five-Finger Lighthouse in northern Frederick Sound this summer, Sharpe and his colleagues captured the rare video using a national geographic “critter-cam” which they suction-cupped to the back of a whale calf.
The underwater scenes are exceptionally clear of a mother-whale nursing her calf and a large group of whales creating a bubble-net to catch herring. What’s more, the video was obtained without a boat or divers in sight.
Along with the National Geographic Society, Sharpe credits the Petersburg Marine Mammal Center and the Juneau Lighthouse Association for their support in the research. Sharpe stopped by to talk with KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein about some of these humpback sights and sounds he’s gathered: more...
© Copyright 2008, Narrows Broadcasting Corp.
The underwater scenes are exceptionally clear of a mother-whale nursing her calf and a large group of whales creating a bubble-net to catch herring. What’s more, the video was obtained without a boat or divers in sight.
Along with the National Geographic Society, Sharpe credits the Petersburg Marine Mammal Center and the Juneau Lighthouse Association for their support in the research. Sharpe stopped by to talk with KFSK’s Matt Lichtenstein about some of these humpback sights and sounds he’s gathered: more...
© Copyright 2008, Narrows Broadcasting Corp.
Whales Heard in NY Harbor
CORNELL SUN - Imagine looking out from the Statue of Liberty and seeing not only the New York City harbor, but also one of the most endangered mammals living today. We now know that this is a possibility, as researchers from the Bioacoustics Research Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have, for the first time, recorded the presence of the northern right whale, along with four other species, in the water.
According to Chris Clark, the director of the Bioacoustics Research Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the study found the presence of sei whales, blue whales, minke whales, humpback whales and northern right whales in clusters by New York Harbor between JFK airport and New Jersey.
“That to me was the amazing part — how easy it was to find [whales] once we decided to look for them. I thought it would be more like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it turns out it wasn’t a haystack and they weren’t needles,” Clark said.
The study began March 1, 2008 and stopped in late May before resuming again in September.
According to Chris Clark, the director of the Bioacoustics Research Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the study found the presence of sei whales, blue whales, minke whales, humpback whales and northern right whales in clusters by New York Harbor between JFK airport and New Jersey.
“That to me was the amazing part — how easy it was to find [whales] once we decided to look for them. I thought it would be more like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it turns out it wasn’t a haystack and they weren’t needles,” Clark said.
The study began March 1, 2008 and stopped in late May before resuming again in September.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Record Whale Numbers in Western Australia
The Department of Environment and Conservation says an astounding number of Southern Right Whales have been seen off the south coast this year.
Wildlife officers have spotted a record 700 Southern Rights between Albany and Augusta.
The department's Peter Collins says the number of Southern Rights that come to Albany each year depends on the availability of food in Antarctica.
Mr Collins says the whales travel to Albany to calve in the protected bays.
"As a result of that very low abundance of krill, the cows didn't become pregnant so they didn't come up last year," he said.
"So subsequent to that, they had a very good year two years ago from this season and the cows have become pregnant and they've come up in much larger numbers than we've seen before."
Wildlife officers have spotted a record 700 Southern Rights between Albany and Augusta.
The department's Peter Collins says the number of Southern Rights that come to Albany each year depends on the availability of food in Antarctica.
Mr Collins says the whales travel to Albany to calve in the protected bays.
"As a result of that very low abundance of krill, the cows didn't become pregnant so they didn't come up last year," he said.
"So subsequent to that, they had a very good year two years ago from this season and the cows have become pregnant and they've come up in much larger numbers than we've seen before."
Dead Whale Washes Up On Plymouth Beach
PLYMOUTH (WBZ BOSTON) ― A dead whale has washed up on a Plymouth beach and now researchers are preparing to take it away.
The young humpback whale is about 25 feet long. Tony LaCasse of the New England Aquarium told WBZ it had been dead for awhile and had been floating in Cape Cod Bay last week.
It washed ashore on Manomet Beach Tuesday morning. There is no indication it had been tangled or struck by a boat. It's not clear yet what killed it.
Researchers will strip off the whale's tissue and deliver the skeleton to a state biologist. LaCasse said there is a waiting list from places around the world for whale skeletons.
The young humpback whale is about 25 feet long. Tony LaCasse of the New England Aquarium told WBZ it had been dead for awhile and had been floating in Cape Cod Bay last week.
It washed ashore on Manomet Beach Tuesday morning. There is no indication it had been tangled or struck by a boat. It's not clear yet what killed it.
Researchers will strip off the whale's tissue and deliver the skeleton to a state biologist. LaCasse said there is a waiting list from places around the world for whale skeletons.
Scottish Students Investigate Sighting of Rare Whale in Iceland
PRESS-JOURNAL Scottish students on a marine mammal field course in Iceland are investigating a rare sighting of the bottlenose whale in the country. Environmental and marine biology students from St Andrews University are observing a group of four whales spotted in a narrow fjord in Eyjafjördur.
The 14 students are on the international field course as part of a collaboration between St Andrews and the University of Iceland.
Normally considered a deep-diving, oceanic species, the bottlenose whales have been sighted regularly for more than a month close to shore.
Patrick Miller, of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews, said one of the four whales was observed entangled on a buoy line a few days ago and only three whales have been seen since.
The 14 students are on the international field course as part of a collaboration between St Andrews and the University of Iceland.
Normally considered a deep-diving, oceanic species, the bottlenose whales have been sighted regularly for more than a month close to shore.
Patrick Miller, of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews, said one of the four whales was observed entangled on a buoy line a few days ago and only three whales have been seen since.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Beached Whale Resists Rescue Attempt
SCOTLAND - A 20 ft Pilot whale which became stranded in North Uist met a tragic end over the weekend, despite residents doing their best to save it.
Discovered on Friday morning on Berneray, the whale was cared for by a number of residents who dried to keep the mammal hydrated as rescuers scrambled to launch a rescue plan.
Stornoway, Benbecula and Griminish Coastguard and representatives of the Scottish SPCA all attended and managed to re-float the animal which moved out to sea.
But the initial success was thwarted when the whale was discovered the next morning not far from the initial beach site. Unfortunately it was already dead.
The Coastguard thanked all those who helped the rescue effort and reminded people to alert their local coastguard station or SPCA officer if they discovered a beach animal.
Discovered on Friday morning on Berneray, the whale was cared for by a number of residents who dried to keep the mammal hydrated as rescuers scrambled to launch a rescue plan.
Stornoway, Benbecula and Griminish Coastguard and representatives of the Scottish SPCA all attended and managed to re-float the animal which moved out to sea.
But the initial success was thwarted when the whale was discovered the next morning not far from the initial beach site. Unfortunately it was already dead.
The Coastguard thanked all those who helped the rescue effort and reminded people to alert their local coastguard station or SPCA officer if they discovered a beach animal.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Push on for Whaling Moratorium
A moratorium on whaling in the Southern Ocean is New Zealand's ultimate goal at next year's meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick said yesterday.
But Chadwick said she was not overlooking the difficulties of getting Japan to agree to a temporary halt to all killings.
"I think it's a huge challenge for them. I don't think they are ready for that yet. But you've got to keep pushing that as a diplomatic solution," she said. A blanket moratorium on whale hunting was agreed at the IWC in 1986, but a loophole allows them to be hunted for scientific purposes.
Chadwick was speaking in Kaikoura yesterday while giving her Australian counterpart, Peter Garrett, a first-hand look at New Zealand's world-famous whale-watching region. New Zealand and Australia have been working closely on the whaling issue this year and hope to use such eco-tourism ventures to highlight the economic benefits of a sustainable use of whales.
Both countries sit on a 28-nation working group set up at a June meeting of the IWC in Chile.
Chadwick said there could be as many as four informal sessions of the group before the next IWC sitting, with great opportunity for progress.
She acknowledged the June meeting had raised expectations: "They are high, but I think they are also realistic.
"People did expect when we went over to Chile that there could be a walk-away, and we came back very buoyed up, actually, about the fact that we had engaged on bilaterals constructively and also that New Zealand, Australia and the South American countries were really saying the same thing."
Garrett was invited to Kaikoura after holding discussions with Chadwick in Chile. He said the New Zealand example could help convince other countries to support the moratorium.
"This is a first-class opportunity for me to see a very well developed whale-watching business which has breathed economic vitality into the community, and which is something of a model for communities in other parts of the world."
But Chadwick said she was not overlooking the difficulties of getting Japan to agree to a temporary halt to all killings.
"I think it's a huge challenge for them. I don't think they are ready for that yet. But you've got to keep pushing that as a diplomatic solution," she said. A blanket moratorium on whale hunting was agreed at the IWC in 1986, but a loophole allows them to be hunted for scientific purposes.
Chadwick was speaking in Kaikoura yesterday while giving her Australian counterpart, Peter Garrett, a first-hand look at New Zealand's world-famous whale-watching region. New Zealand and Australia have been working closely on the whaling issue this year and hope to use such eco-tourism ventures to highlight the economic benefits of a sustainable use of whales.
Both countries sit on a 28-nation working group set up at a June meeting of the IWC in Chile.
Chadwick said there could be as many as four informal sessions of the group before the next IWC sitting, with great opportunity for progress.
She acknowledged the June meeting had raised expectations: "They are high, but I think they are also realistic.
"People did expect when we went over to Chile that there could be a walk-away, and we came back very buoyed up, actually, about the fact that we had engaged on bilaterals constructively and also that New Zealand, Australia and the South American countries were really saying the same thing."
Garrett was invited to Kaikoura after holding discussions with Chadwick in Chile. He said the New Zealand example could help convince other countries to support the moratorium.
"This is a first-class opportunity for me to see a very well developed whale-watching business which has breathed economic vitality into the community, and which is something of a model for communities in other parts of the world."
Friday, September 19, 2008
Did We Really Save the Whales?
THE INDEPENDENT - UK
Blue whales have been spotted in the Irish Sea, and humpbacks have been removed from the endangered list. But did we really save the whale? The acclaimed writer Philip Hoare, who has spent four years researching these magnificent creatures, reports.
Blue whales have been spotted in the Irish Sea, and humpbacks have been removed from the endangered list. But did we really save the whale? The acclaimed writer Philip Hoare, who has spent four years researching these magnificent creatures, reports.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
No Comment on Makah Tribe Whale Killing
Peninsula Daily News
BETHESDA, Md. — The federal advisory Marine Mammal Commission had little comment, with no major objection, to an environmental assessment of the Makah tribe's proposed return to whaling.
The commission — created by the same Marine Mammal Protection Act that covers the Pacific gray whales that the tribe hopes to hunt — wrote that a draft environmental impact statement "meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act."
The response has angered anti-whaling activists.
In Joyce, Margaret Owens of Peninsula Citizens for the Protection of Whales, said she was "shocked" by the marine mammal commission's decision not to comment on the environmental statement.
Earlier commissions, she said, were "nitpicky" in their criticism of fisheries service scientific assumptions.
BETHESDA, Md. — The federal advisory Marine Mammal Commission had little comment, with no major objection, to an environmental assessment of the Makah tribe's proposed return to whaling.
The commission — created by the same Marine Mammal Protection Act that covers the Pacific gray whales that the tribe hopes to hunt — wrote that a draft environmental impact statement "meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act."
The response has angered anti-whaling activists.
In Joyce, Margaret Owens of Peninsula Citizens for the Protection of Whales, said she was "shocked" by the marine mammal commission's decision not to comment on the environmental statement.
Earlier commissions, she said, were "nitpicky" in their criticism of fisheries service scientific assumptions.
Fiji's Whales Survey
FIJI TIMES _ The Fiji Department of Fisheries and the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium research team has completed a three week survey for whales and dolphins in the waters off Levuka.
This survey, following on from similar surveys undertaken in 2002 and 2003, confirmed an increase in the number of humpback whales sighted since the last survey five years ago.
Mr Aisake Batibasaga, Principal Fisheries Research Officer with the Fiji Department of Fisheries said: "it is encouraging to see the results of the survey have shown an increase in whale numbers since the Fijian Government declared the waters of Fiji a whale sanctuary in 2003."
The research team lead by Mr David Paton from Blue Planet Marine, undertook a survey of whales and dolphins in the Lomaiviti waters to compare current numbers with that sighted during a survey conducted 50 years ago by Dr Bill Dawbin.
The team also recorded a number of pods of pilot and false killer whales as well as spinner and bottlenose dolphins during the survey.
This survey, following on from similar surveys undertaken in 2002 and 2003, confirmed an increase in the number of humpback whales sighted since the last survey five years ago.
Mr Aisake Batibasaga, Principal Fisheries Research Officer with the Fiji Department of Fisheries said: "it is encouraging to see the results of the survey have shown an increase in whale numbers since the Fijian Government declared the waters of Fiji a whale sanctuary in 2003."
The research team lead by Mr David Paton from Blue Planet Marine, undertook a survey of whales and dolphins in the Lomaiviti waters to compare current numbers with that sighted during a survey conducted 50 years ago by Dr Bill Dawbin.
The team also recorded a number of pods of pilot and false killer whales as well as spinner and bottlenose dolphins during the survey.
Groups Sue Over Decision to Remove Protections for Whales
WASHINGTON – Defenders of Wildlife and The Humane Society of the United States filed suit yesterday over the National Marine Fisheries Service's decision to roll back protections for critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, humpbacks and fin whales. The agency's decision removes older protections deemed necessary to protect whales from deadly entanglement in fishing gear, and at the same time delays new, more protective requirements. The resulting gap in protections puts whales at serious risk of entanglement for a full six months.
"After stalling more than three years to announce new rules to reduce whale entanglements, the Bush administration now wants to delay even further," said Sierra Weaver, staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. "Even worse, at the same time they're delaying new measures, they're getting rid of old ones. Right whales especially cannot withstand this type of gamble. It's reckless and irresponsible to leave the most endangered large whale on the planet unprotected in this way."
"After stalling more than three years to announce new rules to reduce whale entanglements, the Bush administration now wants to delay even further," said Sierra Weaver, staff attorney for Defenders of Wildlife. "Even worse, at the same time they're delaying new measures, they're getting rid of old ones. Right whales especially cannot withstand this type of gamble. It's reckless and irresponsible to leave the most endangered large whale on the planet unprotected in this way."
Whale Songs Heard in NYC Waters for First Time
ITHACA, N.Y. — For the first time in waters surrounding New York City, the beckoning calls of endangered fin, humpback and North Atlantic right whales have been recorded, according to experts from the Bioacoustics Research Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
"This is an exciting time for New Yorkers. Just think, just miles from the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Carnegie Hall and Times Square, the great whales are singing," says Chris Clark, the Director of the Bioacoustics Research Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "These are some of the largest and rarest animals on this planet trying to make a living just a few miles from New York's shores. It just goes to show us that there are many important and wonderful discoveries to be made about the living world right here, right in our back yards."
"With data generated by acoustic monitoring, we can better understand New York's role in the life history of these endangered whales and make more informed conservation decisions," says James Gilmore, chief of the DEC's Bureau of Marine Resources. "This is especially important for the survival of right whales."
The recorders were placed about 13 miles from the New York Harbor entrance and off the shores of Fire Island. Information about the seasonal presence of whales will help New York state policymakers develop management plans to protect them. Knowing the whales' travel paths will help ship traffic managers avoid whale collisions in New York waters. Further, the study will characterize New York waters' acoustic environment and examine whether underwater noises, including shipping, affect the whales.
Acoustic monitoring was initiated in spring 2008 – between March and June – in order to record the right whales' northward migration from their calving ground off the Florida eastern coast to their feeding grounds off Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Acoustic monitoring has begun for the whales' southern migration in the fall, back to the calving areas. The study will continue through February 2009 and is expected to reveal which species occur in New York waters throughout the winter months.
"This is an exciting time for New Yorkers. Just think, just miles from the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Carnegie Hall and Times Square, the great whales are singing," says Chris Clark, the Director of the Bioacoustics Research Program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "These are some of the largest and rarest animals on this planet trying to make a living just a few miles from New York's shores. It just goes to show us that there are many important and wonderful discoveries to be made about the living world right here, right in our back yards."
"With data generated by acoustic monitoring, we can better understand New York's role in the life history of these endangered whales and make more informed conservation decisions," says James Gilmore, chief of the DEC's Bureau of Marine Resources. "This is especially important for the survival of right whales."
The recorders were placed about 13 miles from the New York Harbor entrance and off the shores of Fire Island. Information about the seasonal presence of whales will help New York state policymakers develop management plans to protect them. Knowing the whales' travel paths will help ship traffic managers avoid whale collisions in New York waters. Further, the study will characterize New York waters' acoustic environment and examine whether underwater noises, including shipping, affect the whales.
Acoustic monitoring was initiated in spring 2008 – between March and June – in order to record the right whales' northward migration from their calving ground off the Florida eastern coast to their feeding grounds off Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Acoustic monitoring has begun for the whales' southern migration in the fall, back to the calving areas. The study will continue through February 2009 and is expected to reveal which species occur in New York waters throughout the winter months.
New Whaling Rules for Greenland?
BBC News - Greenland is trying to eliminate its whale hunt from the control of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
The state’s whalers are angered that the IWC has declined to allow the addition of humpback whales to its annual allowance on two occasions. The move would make Greenland the only state outside the IWC to hunt the humpback whale.
The news comes just before a Florida meeting aimed at uniting the divided IWC, a “peace process” which began over a year ago. Documents sent by Greenland’s delegation shows a division still remains.
People in Greenland’s Inuit community are permitted to catch minke, fin, and bowhead whales under regulations stating that whale hunting can occur where there is a cultural and nutritional need.
At both the 2007 and 2008 IWC meetings, Greenland requested that an annual quota of 10 humpback whales be added to the permission regulations.
The state’s whalers are angered that the IWC has declined to allow the addition of humpback whales to its annual allowance on two occasions. The move would make Greenland the only state outside the IWC to hunt the humpback whale.
The news comes just before a Florida meeting aimed at uniting the divided IWC, a “peace process” which began over a year ago. Documents sent by Greenland’s delegation shows a division still remains.
People in Greenland’s Inuit community are permitted to catch minke, fin, and bowhead whales under regulations stating that whale hunting can occur where there is a cultural and nutritional need.
At both the 2007 and 2008 IWC meetings, Greenland requested that an annual quota of 10 humpback whales be added to the permission regulations.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Commission Attempts Whaling Compromise
An international ban on commercial whaling that has stood for 22 years will face new challenges next week when negotiators from around the world gather in Florida.
International Whaling Commission delegates scheduled talks in St. Pete Beach to try to work through disagreements one delegate described as having "turned debate in the IWC into highly publicized trench warfare."
A retired United Nations diplomat, former Under Secretary-General Alvaro de Soto, is scheduled to lead closed-door discussions in hopes of finding common ground.
Conflict on the commission centers on the moratorium, which dozens of nations accepted in 1986 over concern that the giant mammals could be hunted to extinction. Some countries, led by Japan, argue a full ban is unneeded now and say the commission is failing to do its original job - managing whale populations as a resource to be used.
"There's been two camps that have been at a bit of a gridlock," said Scott Smullen, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokesman. NOAA manages U.S. participation in the commission.
The gathering is for a small working group that cannot change anything by itself, but it could negotiate a proposal for changes and ask the full commission to adopt that next year.
Some whale advocates worry that commissioners who are tired of rancor could abandon protections many Americans assume are permanent.
"I think of whales as being saved in the '80s. ... And that's exactly what's being overturned, or could be overturned," said Jake Levenson, a spokesman for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Commission members identified more than 30 subjects that might be taken up, with no guarantee of addressing any one item. Included in the mix is a Japanese proposal to allow coastal hunting of one type of whale, the minke, which many whalers argue is plentiful.
"The impact of the moratorium on commercial whaling in these communities has been enormous," the Japanese proposal added. The request suggested negotiation about any details, including the number of whales, and argued that coastal whaling could be authorized without undoing the commercial moratorium that governs hunting across the world's oceans.
International Whaling Commission delegates scheduled talks in St. Pete Beach to try to work through disagreements one delegate described as having "turned debate in the IWC into highly publicized trench warfare."
A retired United Nations diplomat, former Under Secretary-General Alvaro de Soto, is scheduled to lead closed-door discussions in hopes of finding common ground.
Conflict on the commission centers on the moratorium, which dozens of nations accepted in 1986 over concern that the giant mammals could be hunted to extinction. Some countries, led by Japan, argue a full ban is unneeded now and say the commission is failing to do its original job - managing whale populations as a resource to be used.
"There's been two camps that have been at a bit of a gridlock," said Scott Smullen, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration spokesman. NOAA manages U.S. participation in the commission.
The gathering is for a small working group that cannot change anything by itself, but it could negotiate a proposal for changes and ask the full commission to adopt that next year.
Some whale advocates worry that commissioners who are tired of rancor could abandon protections many Americans assume are permanent.
"I think of whales as being saved in the '80s. ... And that's exactly what's being overturned, or could be overturned," said Jake Levenson, a spokesman for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Commission members identified more than 30 subjects that might be taken up, with no guarantee of addressing any one item. Included in the mix is a Japanese proposal to allow coastal hunting of one type of whale, the minke, which many whalers argue is plentiful.
"The impact of the moratorium on commercial whaling in these communities has been enormous," the Japanese proposal added. The request suggested negotiation about any details, including the number of whales, and argued that coastal whaling could be authorized without undoing the commercial moratorium that governs hunting across the world's oceans.
Scientists Complete their Joint Study on Elusive Beaked Whales
NewswireToday -Verwood, Dorset, United Kingdom - Marinelife, ORCA, AMBAR and Seamark Trust, a group of Europe's leading marine research and conservation organisations complete a joint research project, investigating the life of rarely encountered beaked whales.
A group of Europe’s leading marine conservation and research organisations joined forces to carry out crucial research into some of the rarest and most elusive marine animals on the planet – beaked whales. The research programme, called “Diver 2008”, after these animals’ deep diving ability, ran during July 2008 off the northern coast of Spain, within the Bay of Biscay – an area with a number of deep water canyons which is renowned for sightings of these mysterious marine mammals.
The research was important and timely because beaked whales are known to be very sensitive to certain sub-sea noise and there have been numerous cases of mass strandings of these animals which have been linked to concurrent use of military sonar.
A group of Europe’s leading marine conservation and research organisations joined forces to carry out crucial research into some of the rarest and most elusive marine animals on the planet – beaked whales. The research programme, called “Diver 2008”, after these animals’ deep diving ability, ran during July 2008 off the northern coast of Spain, within the Bay of Biscay – an area with a number of deep water canyons which is renowned for sightings of these mysterious marine mammals.
The research was important and timely because beaked whales are known to be very sensitive to certain sub-sea noise and there have been numerous cases of mass strandings of these animals which have been linked to concurrent use of military sonar.
Whales Had Legs, Wiggled Hips, Study Says
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC NEWS - An early whale had large back legs, a tail like a dog's, and a hip-wiggling swimming style, according to a new fossil study. The discovery helps pinpoint the advent of "modern" whale flukes to between 38 and 40 million years ago, scientists say. Flukes are the two wide, flat triangular lobes on a whale's back end and are made of skin and connective tissue, with bones in the middle.
Scientists have known whales evolved from semiaquatic, four-footed creatures with long, thin tails to today's fully aquatic mammals with fluked tails, no back legs, and flippers instead of front legs.
But it was previously unknown when the tail flukes first arose in the whale family tree.
"What's interesting about this animal is that it had these back legs that it used to push itself through the water," said study author Mark D. Uhen, a paleontologist from the Alabama Museum of Natural History.
"This animal didn't have flukes, but the ones just a little bit younger [geologically] did. So we can really narrow that time frame now."
Uhen's study is detailed in the latest issue of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Scientists have known whales evolved from semiaquatic, four-footed creatures with long, thin tails to today's fully aquatic mammals with fluked tails, no back legs, and flippers instead of front legs.
But it was previously unknown when the tail flukes first arose in the whale family tree.
"What's interesting about this animal is that it had these back legs that it used to push itself through the water," said study author Mark D. Uhen, a paleontologist from the Alabama Museum of Natural History.
"This animal didn't have flukes, but the ones just a little bit younger [geologically] did. So we can really narrow that time frame now."
Uhen's study is detailed in the latest issue of the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Chile Approves Whale Sanctuary
SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile is making its entire Pacific Ocean territorial waters a whale sanctuary.
The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill submitted by President Michelle Bachelet that bans whale hunting off Chile's 3,400 mile (5,500 km) coast.
Bachelet is expected to sign the legislation into law in the coming days. The bill bans hunting for commercial and scientific purposes.
Chile has not hunted whales since the 1970s. But Bachelet says the South American nation wants to send a clear sign of its will to protect whales in its waters.
Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama already ban whale hunting. And a whale sanctuary exists in Antarctica.
The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a bill submitted by President Michelle Bachelet that bans whale hunting off Chile's 3,400 mile (5,500 km) coast.
Bachelet is expected to sign the legislation into law in the coming days. The bill bans hunting for commercial and scientific purposes.
Chile has not hunted whales since the 1970s. But Bachelet says the South American nation wants to send a clear sign of its will to protect whales in its waters.
Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama already ban whale hunting. And a whale sanctuary exists in Antarctica.
New Zealand and Australia Work Together on Whale Conservation
NEW ZEALAND - Australia and New Zealand’s leadership in whale conservation has been strengthened following talks between the two governments in New Zealand today.
Australian Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, and New Zealand Conservation Minister, Steve Chadwick, said a focus of their talks was the development of a research initiative in the Southern Ocean.
“Whaling over the last two centuries has seen a dramatic reduction in whale numbers in our region and whale populations now also face increased environmental threats, particularly the impacts of climate change,” the Ministers said.
“Just recently the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reassessed the South Pacific humpback whale as endangered, thanks in part to research undertaken by Australian and New Zealand experts,” Ms Chadwick said.
Australian Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, and New Zealand Conservation Minister, Steve Chadwick, said a focus of their talks was the development of a research initiative in the Southern Ocean.
“Whaling over the last two centuries has seen a dramatic reduction in whale numbers in our region and whale populations now also face increased environmental threats, particularly the impacts of climate change,” the Ministers said.
“Just recently the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reassessed the South Pacific humpback whale as endangered, thanks in part to research undertaken by Australian and New Zealand experts,” Ms Chadwick said.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
'Bucki' the Whale Escapes the Baltic Sea
GERMANY - Experts are happily reporting that "Bucki," the 40-foot humpback whale who has been wandering lost around the Baltic Sea since July, is safe. The whale has beaten the odds by making its way back in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean.
The drama has ended for the humpback whale that strayed into and has been wandering around the Baltic Sea since at least July, pleasing crowds but worrying environmentalists. According to news reports, the whale the media has named "Bucki" has made its way back to the North Sea and is presumably on its way to the ocean -- and a bit more food.
The drama has ended for the humpback whale that strayed into and has been wandering around the Baltic Sea since at least July, pleasing crowds but worrying environmentalists. According to news reports, the whale the media has named "Bucki" has made its way back to the North Sea and is presumably on its way to the ocean -- and a bit more food.
Shedd Aquarium Ships Seven Whales By FedEx
CHICAGO SUN TIMES - The Shedd Aquarium has sent six tons of fish a flying, relocating seven whales and four dolphins to Connecticut. The move of the creatures -- mammals, actually -- aboard two FedEx air-cargo transports was necessary as the Shedd renovates its Oceanarium.
"Everybody's doing great,'' Shedd's Ken Ramirez said Monday, announcing the move to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration.
The animals -- trucked from Shedd to O'Hare on Aug. 29 and Sept. 3 by a team of about 125 people -- were transported in waterproof containers that included hammocks to support the animals during transit. The cabin of the Airbus aircraft was kept at 50 to 55 degrees.
"Everybody's doing great,'' Shedd's Ken Ramirez said Monday, announcing the move to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration.
The animals -- trucked from Shedd to O'Hare on Aug. 29 and Sept. 3 by a team of about 125 people -- were transported in waterproof containers that included hammocks to support the animals during transit. The cabin of the Airbus aircraft was kept at 50 to 55 degrees.
Whales Inspiring Survival
NEW SOUTH WALES, AU - A whale called Bladerunner has delighted whale watchers by reappearing off the east coast - seven years after a boat propeller inflicted horrific injuries.
The humpback was injured by a boat propeller in 2001 and its convalescence in Sydney Harbour and the Manly area generated huge interest worldwide. At the time there were fears for Bladerunner's long-term health but these were dispelled at the weekend when it cruised off the coast on its northward migration.
Australian Whale Watching Charters director Jim Kelly said the distinctively scarred whale was an unusual sight and a hit with watchers.
The humpback was injured by a boat propeller in 2001 and its convalescence in Sydney Harbour and the Manly area generated huge interest worldwide. At the time there were fears for Bladerunner's long-term health but these were dispelled at the weekend when it cruised off the coast on its northward migration.
Australian Whale Watching Charters director Jim Kelly said the distinctively scarred whale was an unusual sight and a hit with watchers.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Secret Meeting Could Sanction Commercial Whaling
ST. PETE BEACH,FL - The International Whaling Commission (IWC), which sets international whaling regulations, has scheduled a closed-door meeting for September 15-19 at the Trade Winds Resort, St. Pete Beach, to consider lifting the ban on commercial whale hunting.
The commission, a global body of eighty-member nations, first adopted the ban in 1982 to prevent dwindling whale populations from becoming extinct. Now, just as some studies indicate certain whale species may be showing signs of recovery, whaling countries are eager to consider returning to commercial whaling.
IWC chairman William T. Hogarth, who also serves as the Dean of the College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, is directing the closed-door meeting of the IWC Small Working Group.
"These closed-door meetings pose a grave risk to the future of the IWC and the whales it was established to protect," said Patrick R. Ramage, Global Whale Program Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) "Whales face more threats today than at any time in history and Americans from sea to shining sea want to see them protected. The last thing we need is a secret deal to re-open whaling. Dr. Hogarth should either open up the process for scrutiny, or simply cancel the meetings."
The commission, a global body of eighty-member nations, first adopted the ban in 1982 to prevent dwindling whale populations from becoming extinct. Now, just as some studies indicate certain whale species may be showing signs of recovery, whaling countries are eager to consider returning to commercial whaling.
IWC chairman William T. Hogarth, who also serves as the Dean of the College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, is directing the closed-door meeting of the IWC Small Working Group.
"These closed-door meetings pose a grave risk to the future of the IWC and the whales it was established to protect," said Patrick R. Ramage, Global Whale Program Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) "Whales face more threats today than at any time in history and Americans from sea to shining sea want to see them protected. The last thing we need is a secret deal to re-open whaling. Dr. Hogarth should either open up the process for scrutiny, or simply cancel the meetings."
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Rescuers Return Beached Whales
A group of beached whales was returned to the see after a successful rescue operation by locals at a beach on Korea's west coast.
Firefighters, police and residents of Boryeong City, South Chungcheong Province spent close to nine grueling hours saving a family of three short-finned pilot whales that washed ashore on Jangan Beach after getting stranded during low tide.
Two adult males, both over five-meters long, survived the ordeal, but a female whale calf was not so lucky. One marine expert says this whale species has particularly strong parental instincts, which is why adults accompanied the little one.
The short-finned pilot whale belongs to the oceanic dolphin family, but its behavior is closer to that of a whale. The exact cause of beached whales is still not known. Some speculate it is because the whales involved are sick.
Firefighters, police and residents of Boryeong City, South Chungcheong Province spent close to nine grueling hours saving a family of three short-finned pilot whales that washed ashore on Jangan Beach after getting stranded during low tide.
Two adult males, both over five-meters long, survived the ordeal, but a female whale calf was not so lucky. One marine expert says this whale species has particularly strong parental instincts, which is why adults accompanied the little one.
The short-finned pilot whale belongs to the oceanic dolphin family, but its behavior is closer to that of a whale. The exact cause of beached whales is still not known. Some speculate it is because the whales involved are sick.
Pygmy Whale Dies in Florida
Mote Marine Sarasota, Florida — A pygmy whale rescued from mangroves on Boca Grande June 16th has died while undergoing treatment at Mote's Dolphin and Whale Hospital, Mote Marine Laboratories said.
Nicknamed "Dallas," the whale had been undergoing treatment for digestive issues and pneumonia. The cause of death will be determined by a necropsy.
"There is so little known about the disease processes and biology of many animals cared for at our hospital," said Dr. Charles Manire, Mote's chief veterinarian.
"Even with constant improvements with medical equipment and treatments, these animals are still wild animals that must hide symptoms very well out of necessity," he said
A second pygmy whale found beached at Boca Grande, "Pete," remains at the hospital. Officials hope to release him back into the wild.
Nicknamed "Dallas," the whale had been undergoing treatment for digestive issues and pneumonia. The cause of death will be determined by a necropsy.
"There is so little known about the disease processes and biology of many animals cared for at our hospital," said Dr. Charles Manire, Mote's chief veterinarian.
"Even with constant improvements with medical equipment and treatments, these animals are still wild animals that must hide symptoms very well out of necessity," he said
A second pygmy whale found beached at Boca Grande, "Pete," remains at the hospital. Officials hope to release him back into the wild.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Boaters Can Help Protect Whales
SAN DIEGO LOG - Boaters began hearing a different kind of notice to mariners broadcast in August, every other hour over the NOAA marine radio weather channel — and it’s about whales, not storms.
Last year, five blue whales reportedly died as the result of being hit by large vessels while feeding in and near shipping lanes in the Santa Barbara Channel and off the Southern California coast.
Through its new special marine radio broadcasts, NOAA is advising mariners to keep a sharp lookout for large whales – blues, humpback and fins – that have been sighted regularly in or near shipping lanes from Point Conception to Point Dume. These large whales are listed as endangered species and are protected under federal law.
NOAA strongly recommends that “vessels 300 gross registered tons or larger transiting the traffic separation scheme do so at speeds not in excess of 10 knots”
Last year, five blue whales reportedly died as the result of being hit by large vessels while feeding in and near shipping lanes in the Santa Barbara Channel and off the Southern California coast.
Through its new special marine radio broadcasts, NOAA is advising mariners to keep a sharp lookout for large whales – blues, humpback and fins – that have been sighted regularly in or near shipping lanes from Point Conception to Point Dume. These large whales are listed as endangered species and are protected under federal law.
NOAA strongly recommends that “vessels 300 gross registered tons or larger transiting the traffic separation scheme do so at speeds not in excess of 10 knots”
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
White Blue Whale Seen Off Southern California
LOS ANGELES TIMES - Labor Day weekend may have signaled the unofficial end of summer, but the sighting on Sunday of two rarely encountered white dolphins off Orange County is a glowing reminder that this magnificent viewing season seems far from over.
In fact, aside from thousands of dolphins, there remain at least a dozen blue whales in our midst, loitering like gargantuan cattle — and feeding on tiny krill — in and around the San Pedro Channel.
And somewhere off the coast, perhaps off Southern California, is the white blue whale sighted in late July, off San Diego, that is either a true albino or “just an anomalously pigmented animal,” as researcher John Calambokidis stated last week on a marine mammal website utilized largely by scientists.
It was an adult male photographed "some 20 times" off California and Mexico dating to 1999, according to an ongoing photo-ID study spearheaded by Calambokidis, co-founder of Cascadia Research in Olympia, Wash.
In fact, aside from thousands of dolphins, there remain at least a dozen blue whales in our midst, loitering like gargantuan cattle — and feeding on tiny krill — in and around the San Pedro Channel.
And somewhere off the coast, perhaps off Southern California, is the white blue whale sighted in late July, off San Diego, that is either a true albino or “just an anomalously pigmented animal,” as researcher John Calambokidis stated last week on a marine mammal website utilized largely by scientists.
It was an adult male photographed "some 20 times" off California and Mexico dating to 1999, according to an ongoing photo-ID study spearheaded by Calambokidis, co-founder of Cascadia Research in Olympia, Wash.
Norway Whalers Defend Hunt
SVOLVAER, Norway (AFP) — In the Lofoten Islands, the main base for Norway's whaling industry, whalers adamantly defend the harshly criticised practice and reject claims that consumers are not buying whale meat.
In this cluster of islands nestled above the Arctic circle, the hunting season is over for this year. The whalers have all returned to their home ports, their vessels easily identified by the harpoons perched on the bow and an imposing watchtower that enables them to spot minke whales from afar.
The quota was hard to fulfill again this year, with whalers killing only half of the allowed catch of 1,052 whales. Since Norway resumed whaling in 1993, seven years after an international moratorium came into force, the hunters have only met their quota once.
They blame the low catch on the high fuel price, bad weather -- still waters are needed to harpoon a whale -- as well as quotas often distributed in regions far out to sea and a crunch in processing and distribution channels.
In this cluster of islands nestled above the Arctic circle, the hunting season is over for this year. The whalers have all returned to their home ports, their vessels easily identified by the harpoons perched on the bow and an imposing watchtower that enables them to spot minke whales from afar.
The quota was hard to fulfill again this year, with whalers killing only half of the allowed catch of 1,052 whales. Since Norway resumed whaling in 1993, seven years after an international moratorium came into force, the hunters have only met their quota once.
They blame the low catch on the high fuel price, bad weather -- still waters are needed to harpoon a whale -- as well as quotas often distributed in regions far out to sea and a crunch in processing and distribution channels.
UK Trains People for Whale Rescues
A group of volunteers took part in a training exercise on Saturday to help stranded whales and dolphins in the Moray Firth.
The course was held at the Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay and taught participants how to respond to a real-life emergency. An inflatable whale was “stranded” to help volunteers learn how to treat the creature and get it back into the water safely.
Staff and volunteers from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) took part in the training, which was led by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).
The event came just three weeks after a 40ft sperm whale became beached at Alturlie, a few miles from Inverness. The massive mammal was declared dead after being trapped in the shallow waters of the Moray Firth for more than a day.
Rescuers and helpers did not have the equipment to put the distressed animal out of its misery.
In recent decades, whales and dolphins have stranded due to a number of reasons, many caused by humans, such as lack of prey, being caught in nets, being hit by boats, or noise pollution. Whales and dolphins also become stranded naturally, some in good health, and these animals can usually be returned to the sea.
Sarah Dolman, WDCS head of policy for Scotland, said: “It is essential that we are prepared to deal with any situation and volunteers are trained to respond.”
Andrew Ireland, regional co-ordinator for BDMLR, said: “We have seen a number of strandings in the area recently. The training ensures we are all familiar with the equipment and are ready to respond to the next stranding.”
The course was held at the Wildlife Centre at Spey Bay and taught participants how to respond to a real-life emergency. An inflatable whale was “stranded” to help volunteers learn how to treat the creature and get it back into the water safely.
Staff and volunteers from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) took part in the training, which was led by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).
The event came just three weeks after a 40ft sperm whale became beached at Alturlie, a few miles from Inverness. The massive mammal was declared dead after being trapped in the shallow waters of the Moray Firth for more than a day.
Rescuers and helpers did not have the equipment to put the distressed animal out of its misery.
In recent decades, whales and dolphins have stranded due to a number of reasons, many caused by humans, such as lack of prey, being caught in nets, being hit by boats, or noise pollution. Whales and dolphins also become stranded naturally, some in good health, and these animals can usually be returned to the sea.
Sarah Dolman, WDCS head of policy for Scotland, said: “It is essential that we are prepared to deal with any situation and volunteers are trained to respond.”
Andrew Ireland, regional co-ordinator for BDMLR, said: “We have seen a number of strandings in the area recently. The training ensures we are all familiar with the equipment and are ready to respond to the next stranding.”
Dead Finback Washed Ashore
NEWARK, N.J. (UPI) -- Marine officials say a 55-foot fin whale has washed ashore in New Jersey after apparently being dead for more than a week. Marine Mammal Stranding Center Director Robert Schoelkopf said Saturday's discovery of the large mammal at Island Beach State Park in Ocean County was likely the result of the animal's death while at sea, The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger reported.
The animal was spotted more than a week ago drifting off the coast by the U.S. Coast Guard, but no official cause of its death had been determined. Schoilkopf said the whale had been trapped in fishing gear and had numerous bite marks on its body that have been initially attributed to sharks.
Schoelkopf told the newspaper the whale's appearance comes as a live harbor seal was spotted in the area, along with the discovery of a dead sea turtle in Ocean City, N.J.
The animal was spotted more than a week ago drifting off the coast by the U.S. Coast Guard, but no official cause of its death had been determined. Schoilkopf said the whale had been trapped in fishing gear and had numerous bite marks on its body that have been initially attributed to sharks.
Schoelkopf told the newspaper the whale's appearance comes as a live harbor seal was spotted in the area, along with the discovery of a dead sea turtle in Ocean City, N.J.
Whale Caught in Fishing Lines Near Sydney
SYDNEY - Less than a fortnight after the heartbreaking death of baby humpback whale Collette in Pittwater, National Parks and Wildlife crews are desperately searching for a second humpback, believed to be tangled in fishing nets off Sydney, The Daily Telegraph reports.
The adult humpback was sighted tangled in ropes and fish traps 4km off shore from Maroubra on Friday but has not been sighted since. This distressing image which shows the whale floating close to the surface with line around its body, was captured by fisherman Greg Stevenson.
Mr Stevenson kept an agonising two-hour vigil by the whale, after he raised the alarm with National Parks and Wildlife Services.
The adult humpback was sighted tangled in ropes and fish traps 4km off shore from Maroubra on Friday but has not been sighted since. This distressing image which shows the whale floating close to the surface with line around its body, was captured by fisherman Greg Stevenson.
Mr Stevenson kept an agonising two-hour vigil by the whale, after he raised the alarm with National Parks and Wildlife Services.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Dead Whale Found in Disaster Bay
MELBOURNE - DNA testing is underway to determine the sex and species of a seven metre whale found floating near Disaster Bay, south of Eden, on Friday. Onshore winds have since pushed the carcass onto Wonboyn Beach.
At first, it was speculated that the whale could have been the mother of euthanased calf Collette, but local National Parks and Wildlife authorities believed the whale to be male.
The dead whale was discovered by Eden abalone diver Harley Luobikis and his father Dennis when travelling down the coast in their boat Pussy Cat to abalone grounds at about 10am Friday morning. “We saw some damage on the side of it, dad thought it could have been a propellor,” 22-year-old Harley said.
At first, it was speculated that the whale could have been the mother of euthanased calf Collette, but local National Parks and Wildlife authorities believed the whale to be male.
The dead whale was discovered by Eden abalone diver Harley Luobikis and his father Dennis when travelling down the coast in their boat Pussy Cat to abalone grounds at about 10am Friday morning. “We saw some damage on the side of it, dad thought it could have been a propellor,” 22-year-old Harley said.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Juneau Whale Sculpture May Be Reconsidered
JUNEAU - A decision by the Juneau Assembly on Monday night on the funding of a bronze whale sculpture is likely to be reconsidered since Assembly member Randy Wanamaker gave notice of reconsideration after the vote.
The Assembly voted 5-3 Monday to provide $500,000 in city sales tax funds to a group of private citizens called the Whale Committee to start the project, which is expected to cost $2.5 million.
Wanamaker said Tuesday he will bring the ordinance up again at the Assembly's regular meeting on Sept. 8. If a majority votes to reconsider, board members would discuss the issue and take another vote. If they do not, Monday's decision stands.
The Assembly voted 5-3 Monday to provide $500,000 in city sales tax funds to a group of private citizens called the Whale Committee to start the project, which is expected to cost $2.5 million.
Wanamaker said Tuesday he will bring the ordinance up again at the Assembly's regular meeting on Sept. 8. If a majority votes to reconsider, board members would discuss the issue and take another vote. If they do not, Monday's decision stands.
Whale Tangled in Crab Pot
SAN FRANCISCO - Animal officials have been unable to locate a whale that was spotted Tuesday morning tangled in a crab pot in the water near Pacifica, Marine Mammal Center spokeswoman Mieke Eerkens said today.
The whale, estimated to be less than 50 feet long, was seen swimming in the ocean about 250 yards off the coast of Pacifica, Mieke said. The crab pot had somehow become wrapped around the whale's body but did not restrict it from swimming, Mieke said.
Mieke said the U.S. Coast Guard had issued a small-craft advisory Tuesday, which prevented a Marine Mammal Center rescue crew from taking a boat to the area to try to untangle the creature. The rescuers instead scanned the waters from a Coast Guard helicopter but did not find the whale, Mieke said.
The whale, estimated to be less than 50 feet long, was seen swimming in the ocean about 250 yards off the coast of Pacifica, Mieke said. The crab pot had somehow become wrapped around the whale's body but did not restrict it from swimming, Mieke said.
Mieke said the U.S. Coast Guard had issued a small-craft advisory Tuesday, which prevented a Marine Mammal Center rescue crew from taking a boat to the area to try to untangle the creature. The rescuers instead scanned the waters from a Coast Guard helicopter but did not find the whale, Mieke said.
Record Whale Numbers Gather
BIGHT, AU - A record number of whales and their calves have amassed at Head of Bight this year, giving scientists and tourists hope the massive species can one day be taken off the endangered species list.
Research by national whale expert Dr Stephen Burnell has found 66 female Southern Right Whales and their 66 calves in the Great Australian Bight. They were joined by 22 unaccompanied whales, which could not be identified as male or female.
Last year, 38 whales and 29 calves were spotted in the Great Australian Bight, which is hailed as the best place in Australia to see whales.
Research by national whale expert Dr Stephen Burnell has found 66 female Southern Right Whales and their 66 calves in the Great Australian Bight. They were joined by 22 unaccompanied whales, which could not be identified as male or female.
Last year, 38 whales and 29 calves were spotted in the Great Australian Bight, which is hailed as the best place in Australia to see whales.
Whale's Body Washed Up On Beach
EAST SUSSEX, ENG
Marine life experts have been called out after a dead whale was found washed up on the beach in East Sussex.
The 19.7ft (6m) animal is "very decomposed" and it is impossible to say how long it has been dead, said British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR). Experts said it was impossible to tell how long the animal had been dead.
Spokesman Trevor Weeks said it was believed it was a deep-diving baleen whale but BDMLR could not identify the species because of its poor condition. "It is not uncommon for cetaceans like common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins to frequent the English Channel this far up on the Sussex coastline," said Mr Weeks.
Marine life experts have been called out after a dead whale was found washed up on the beach in East Sussex.
The 19.7ft (6m) animal is "very decomposed" and it is impossible to say how long it has been dead, said British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR). Experts said it was impossible to tell how long the animal had been dead.
Spokesman Trevor Weeks said it was believed it was a deep-diving baleen whale but BDMLR could not identify the species because of its poor condition. "It is not uncommon for cetaceans like common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins to frequent the English Channel this far up on the Sussex coastline," said Mr Weeks.
Stranded Whale Freed
QUEENSLAND, AU - A whale stranded on Queensland's Fraser Island will be monitored after being helped back into deeper water.
Kayakers found the four- to five-metre-long minke whale stranded near Wathumba Creek on Fraser Island's north-west beach this morning. They notified researchers from the Oceania Project whale research program who are currently working in the Great Sandy Marine Park and the stranded whale was helped back into the water.
The whale is reported to be all right. Queensland's Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said Environmental Protection Agency rangers were monitoring Platypus Bay in the Great Sandy Marine Park in case the animal needed further assistance.
"Advice that the whale was able to swim away is good news and we thank those who reported the stranding and were on hand to assist its return to the water," Mr McNamara said.
Kayakers found the four- to five-metre-long minke whale stranded near Wathumba Creek on Fraser Island's north-west beach this morning. They notified researchers from the Oceania Project whale research program who are currently working in the Great Sandy Marine Park and the stranded whale was helped back into the water.
The whale is reported to be all right. Queensland's Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said Environmental Protection Agency rangers were monitoring Platypus Bay in the Great Sandy Marine Park in case the animal needed further assistance.
"Advice that the whale was able to swim away is good news and we thank those who reported the stranding and were on hand to assist its return to the water," Mr McNamara said.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Lost Humpback Whale Finds Way North
BERLIN (AP) A humpback whale that roamed the Baltic Sea has been spotted in Swedish waters south of Goteberg and is believed headed further north.
Greenpeace spokesman Jorg Feddern says photos of the wayward humpback show it is headed out of the Baltic Sea. German media have nicknamed the whale "Bucki," short for "Buckelwal," the German word for humpback.
A rescue team spent five days last week unsuccessfully searching for the whale. Feddern said Tuesday the whale must meet up with others and build up its winter fat-reserves in the North Sea.
Greenpeace spokesman Jorg Feddern says photos of the wayward humpback show it is headed out of the Baltic Sea. German media have nicknamed the whale "Bucki," short for "Buckelwal," the German word for humpback.
A rescue team spent five days last week unsuccessfully searching for the whale. Feddern said Tuesday the whale must meet up with others and build up its winter fat-reserves in the North Sea.
Whales Lose Blubber Due to Climate Change
TELEGRAPH.CO.UK
Whales are losing weight because of climate change, according to Japanese scientists.
The team for the Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo measured the bodies of more than 4,500 Minkes that had been killed since the late 1980s when Japan started its controversial whaling programme.
The Japanese team's findings were rejected by two journals because of the unpopularity of the whaling programme among scientists. They found that the whales are getting thinner at an alarming rate and evidence suggests global warming could be to blame because it restricts food supplies.
Lars Walloe, a Norwegian whale expert at the University of Oslo, who helped with the study, said: "This is a big change in blubber and if it continues it could make it more difficult for the whales to survive. It indicates there have been some big changes in their ecosystem."
Whales need blubber for insulation and energy and the reduction could be affecting their ability to reproduce. Professor Walloe said that he did not think that they could measure the amount of blubber on a whale by any other way than by killing them.
The study has been published in Polar Biology, a mainstream, western scientific journal, which campaigners worry could lead to a validation of Japan’s whale hunting programme.
Whales are losing weight because of climate change, according to Japanese scientists.
The team for the Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo measured the bodies of more than 4,500 Minkes that had been killed since the late 1980s when Japan started its controversial whaling programme.
The Japanese team's findings were rejected by two journals because of the unpopularity of the whaling programme among scientists. They found that the whales are getting thinner at an alarming rate and evidence suggests global warming could be to blame because it restricts food supplies.
Lars Walloe, a Norwegian whale expert at the University of Oslo, who helped with the study, said: "This is a big change in blubber and if it continues it could make it more difficult for the whales to survive. It indicates there have been some big changes in their ecosystem."
Whales need blubber for insulation and energy and the reduction could be affecting their ability to reproduce. Professor Walloe said that he did not think that they could measure the amount of blubber on a whale by any other way than by killing them.
The study has been published in Polar Biology, a mainstream, western scientific journal, which campaigners worry could lead to a validation of Japan’s whale hunting programme.
More Study Planned on Whale Carcass
CHARLESTON POST COURIER
Folly Beach resident Carol Linville looks at a 10-foot pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore on the beach Friday morning.
A necropsy of a pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore Friday at Folly Beach was inconclusive as to the cause of the animal's death, but further lab study is planned, a scientist said Monday.
The 10-foot-long, 800-pound whale was "heavily parasitized" and malnourished, said Wayne McFee, a marine biologist with the National Ocean Service. It died 24 to 48 hours before a surfer found it at East Arctic Avenue and 6th Street East. Its body temperature was "still fairly warm," he said.
Folly Beach resident Carol Linville looks at a 10-foot pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore on the beach Friday morning.
A necropsy of a pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore Friday at Folly Beach was inconclusive as to the cause of the animal's death, but further lab study is planned, a scientist said Monday.
The 10-foot-long, 800-pound whale was "heavily parasitized" and malnourished, said Wayne McFee, a marine biologist with the National Ocean Service. It died 24 to 48 hours before a surfer found it at East Arctic Avenue and 6th Street East. Its body temperature was "still fairly warm," he said.
Rare Albino Whale Named Wilgi Manung
PERTH, AU - A rare albino whale calf exciting tourists off the coast of Augusta has been named Wilgi Manung, the local indigenous words for white whale. The 5m southern right whale was born two months ago in Flinders Bay.
PerthNow readers were invited on Saturday to name the rare baleen calf – thought to be one of only ten in the world.
Over 150 suggestions were submitted, ranging from Colin -- after the lost humpback whale that was euthanased in Sydney waters - to Moby, Whitey, Casper and Matthew – after Matthew Flinders.
Whale watching company Naturaliste Charters, which first spotted the calf and work to record biological information of all whales who visit the region, chose the calf’s name.
PerthNow readers were invited on Saturday to name the rare baleen calf – thought to be one of only ten in the world.
Over 150 suggestions were submitted, ranging from Colin -- after the lost humpback whale that was euthanased in Sydney waters - to Moby, Whitey, Casper and Matthew – after Matthew Flinders.
Whale watching company Naturaliste Charters, which first spotted the calf and work to record biological information of all whales who visit the region, chose the calf’s name.
Slower Ship Speeds Proposed Near Whales
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government is recommending a speed limit for commercial ships along the Atlantic coast, where collisions with the endangered right whale threaten its existence.
About 300 of the whales are left in the wild, and they migrate annually between their southeastern Atlantic breeding grounds to feeding areas off the Massachusetts coast, intersecting busy shipping lanes.
The rule would set a 10 knot speed limit within 23 miles of major mid-Atlantic ports and the whale's breeding and feeding areas
for five years. The rule then would expire or have to be renewed.
Those requirements differ from an earlier draft challenged by the White House, which disputed the science linking ship speed to whale deaths.
About 300 of the whales are left in the wild, and they migrate annually between their southeastern Atlantic breeding grounds to feeding areas off the Massachusetts coast, intersecting busy shipping lanes.
The rule would set a 10 knot speed limit within 23 miles of major mid-Atlantic ports and the whale's breeding and feeding areas
for five years. The rule then would expire or have to be renewed.
Those requirements differ from an earlier draft challenged by the White House, which disputed the science linking ship speed to whale deaths.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Whale Protection Rule for Ships Moving Forward
The federal government is moving forward with a rule to protect endangered right whales from ship strikes along the East Coast.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is expected to announce this afternoon that it is filing a final environmental impact statement, one of the last steps in the process to implement long-awaited shipping restrictions.
The agency proposed a rule years ago requiring ships traveling parts of the East Coast to slow down to avoid colliding with endangered right whale. The rule has been delayed by an internal debate within the Bush administration about whether the benefits will outweigh the cost to the shipping industry. The industry has argued that the rule will make large ships harder to maneuver.
Ship strikes are considered the top human threat to the survival of right whales, one of the world's most endangered whales. Other existing and proposed rules have focused on another human threat -- entanglement in lobster and fishing gear.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is expected to announce this afternoon that it is filing a final environmental impact statement, one of the last steps in the process to implement long-awaited shipping restrictions.
The agency proposed a rule years ago requiring ships traveling parts of the East Coast to slow down to avoid colliding with endangered right whale. The rule has been delayed by an internal debate within the Bush administration about whether the benefits will outweigh the cost to the shipping industry. The industry has argued that the rule will make large ships harder to maneuver.
Ship strikes are considered the top human threat to the survival of right whales, one of the world's most endangered whales. Other existing and proposed rules have focused on another human threat -- entanglement in lobster and fishing gear.
Juneau Assembly Considers Bronze Sculpture
JUNEAU, Alaska — The Juneau Assembly is set to review a proposal for a $500,000 bronze whale sculpture that would be located downtown. The sculpture is estimated to cost $1.2 million, a price tag that does not include the cost of the land and site preparation.
City Manager Rod Swope says estimates of a final cost have come in at $2.7 million.
The proposed funding would be made available to the Whale Committee, a group of citizens that has formed to raise funds for construction of the sculpture.
City Manager Rod Swope says estimates of a final cost have come in at $2.7 million.
The proposed funding would be made available to the Whale Committee, a group of citizens that has formed to raise funds for construction of the sculpture.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Another Dead Humpback: In Alaska
KODIAK -- A dead humpback whale that washed ashore at Fort Abercrombie State Park last week may be there to stay.
The 30-foot, 2-year-old whale was discovered Aug. 14 and has probably been dead three-and-a-half to four weeks, said district park ranger Kevin Murphy. Murphy said Fort Abercrombie staff have two main concerns about the whale.
"The Marine Mammal Protection Act, and more importantly, the Endangered Species Act protects those guys, even after death," he said. "So collection of soft or hard parts, bone or baleen or blubber is illegal." Murphy said tampering with an endangered species comes with a hefty $25,000 fine. He said that information is posted around the park, because there have been some bones disappearing from the carcass over the past week.
The 30-foot, 2-year-old whale was discovered Aug. 14 and has probably been dead three-and-a-half to four weeks, said district park ranger Kevin Murphy. Murphy said Fort Abercrombie staff have two main concerns about the whale.
"The Marine Mammal Protection Act, and more importantly, the Endangered Species Act protects those guys, even after death," he said. "So collection of soft or hard parts, bone or baleen or blubber is illegal." Murphy said tampering with an endangered species comes with a hefty $25,000 fine. He said that information is posted around the park, because there have been some bones disappearing from the carcass over the past week.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
No Answers in Whale's Death
Rough weather conditions have hampered attempts to conduct tests on an adult humpback whale believed to be the mother of baby whale Colette.
A gale warning for the far South Coast meant DNA samples could not be taken from the carcass, which was found floating off Eden on Friday. The latest development came as the 40 personnel involved in the round-the-clock operation to save Colette enjoyed some much-needed downtime.
National Parks and Wildlife Services spokesman John Dengate said the whale calf's death affected many employees. "Our staff have had a very difficult time and they're trying to work through their feelings,'' he said.
"We are going through the same grieving process as many people in Sydney although, because they've been up close and personal with this little whale, I think it's more real for them.''
A gale warning for the far South Coast meant DNA samples could not be taken from the carcass, which was found floating off Eden on Friday. The latest development came as the 40 personnel involved in the round-the-clock operation to save Colette enjoyed some much-needed downtime.
National Parks and Wildlife Services spokesman John Dengate said the whale calf's death affected many employees. "Our staff have had a very difficult time and they're trying to work through their feelings,'' he said.
"We are going through the same grieving process as many people in Sydney although, because they've been up close and personal with this little whale, I think it's more real for them.''
Whale's Death A Reality
Sydney Morning Herald
Eminent scientists say the death of baby humpback whales such as Colette is a reality of life in the wild.
The euthanasing on Friday of an orphaned humpback - affectionately called Colin and renamed when identified as a female - has made worldwide news. Angry sections of the community have targeted the National Parks and Wildlife Service over its handling of the whale's plight after it was discovered in shallow waters north of Sydney early last week.
But yesterday leading scientists Rob Harcourt and Nick Gales labelled the reaction as over the top and warned against pandering to hysteria. Dr Harcourt, director of marine science at the Graduate School of the Environment at Macquarie University, said the decision to put down the starving animal after veterinary advice from Taronga Zoo and Sea World was the correct one
Eminent scientists say the death of baby humpback whales such as Colette is a reality of life in the wild.
The euthanasing on Friday of an orphaned humpback - affectionately called Colin and renamed when identified as a female - has made worldwide news. Angry sections of the community have targeted the National Parks and Wildlife Service over its handling of the whale's plight after it was discovered in shallow waters north of Sydney early last week.
But yesterday leading scientists Rob Harcourt and Nick Gales labelled the reaction as over the top and warned against pandering to hysteria. Dr Harcourt, director of marine science at the Graduate School of the Environment at Macquarie University, said the decision to put down the starving animal after veterinary advice from Taronga Zoo and Sea World was the correct one
Calls for Whale Rescue Program
Sydney - The loss of a baby whale that was euthanised near Sydney yesterday has led to a call to save the mammals in both Australian and international waters.
Liberal environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the death of the whale is a tragic reminder that bold steps have to be taken to preserve the animals. He has called for the Federal Government to set up an Australian Whale Rescue and Recovery Program, and to deliver on a promise to take the Japanese to the International Court of Justice, in a bid to step its annual whale hunt.
Liberal environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the death of the whale is a tragic reminder that bold steps have to be taken to preserve the animals. He has called for the Federal Government to set up an Australian Whale Rescue and Recovery Program, and to deliver on a promise to take the Japanese to the International Court of Justice, in a bid to step its annual whale hunt.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Ottawa Opens Canada's First Whale Sanctuary in the North
CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA — After more than a quarter century of talks and delays, Canada's first sanctuary for bowhead whales has been created in the eastern Arctic waters frequented by the bus-sized mammals.
Environment Minister John Baird announced Friday the establishment of a whale habitat around the northeast coast of Baffin Island, along with the creation of two wildlife and bird sanctuaries.
More than 336,000 hectares of Isabella Bay will now be protected as the Niginganiq National Wildlife Area.
"Canada's Conservative government has made protecting the Arctic a real priority. We're not just talking about it; we're taking real and specific action," Baird said.
Named for their enormous bow-shaped skulls, bowhead whales were hunted voraciously in the 17th and 18th centuries for their blubber, which was then the main source of lamp oil. By the early 20th century, the whales were near extinction.
OTTAWA — After more than a quarter century of talks and delays, Canada's first sanctuary for bowhead whales has been created in the eastern Arctic waters frequented by the bus-sized mammals.
Environment Minister John Baird announced Friday the establishment of a whale habitat around the northeast coast of Baffin Island, along with the creation of two wildlife and bird sanctuaries.
More than 336,000 hectares of Isabella Bay will now be protected as the Niginganiq National Wildlife Area.
"Canada's Conservative government has made protecting the Arctic a real priority. We're not just talking about it; we're taking real and specific action," Baird said.
Named for their enormous bow-shaped skulls, bowhead whales were hunted voraciously in the 17th and 18th centuries for their blubber, which was then the main source of lamp oil. By the early 20th century, the whales were near extinction.
Colette's Sad Fate Leads to Whale Summit
An international whale summit is planned for Sydney as wildlife experts involved in the struggle to save the city's orphaned humpback admit they could have done things better.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service, forced to defend itself as community outrage mounted over its handling of Colette's plight, would host the proposed summit next year.
While it was first thought the baby whale, which had been named Colin but turned out to be Colette, had been abandoned, the carcass of a humpback found yesterday off the Far South Coast will be DNA tested to see if it was Colette's mother.
Grown men and locals living around the Basin in Pittwater were in tears as vets sedated the baby whale in shallow water yesterday morning, six days after it sought refuge in the sheltered waters in Sydney's north.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service, forced to defend itself as community outrage mounted over its handling of Colette's plight, would host the proposed summit next year.
While it was first thought the baby whale, which had been named Colin but turned out to be Colette, had been abandoned, the carcass of a humpback found yesterday off the Far South Coast will be DNA tested to see if it was Colette's mother.
Grown men and locals living around the Basin in Pittwater were in tears as vets sedated the baby whale in shallow water yesterday morning, six days after it sought refuge in the sheltered waters in Sydney's north.
Colin Was Actually Collen
HERALD SUN
Wildlife experts will do DNA tests on a dead whale they believe may have been the mother of a calf nicknamed Colin, hours after the young whale was euthanased.
The Daily Telegraph reports the development came as National Parks and Wildlife head Sally Barnes revealed Colin was actually Colleen - a female humpback whale calf.
It is believed a whale carcass being eaten by sharks near Eden on the New South Wales south coast may have been her mother, explaining why the young whale turned up alone and hungry in Pittwater on Sunday.
Wildlife experts will do DNA tests on a dead whale they believe may have been the mother of a calf nicknamed Colin, hours after the young whale was euthanased.
The Daily Telegraph reports the development came as National Parks and Wildlife head Sally Barnes revealed Colin was actually Colleen - a female humpback whale calf.
It is believed a whale carcass being eaten by sharks near Eden on the New South Wales south coast may have been her mother, explaining why the young whale turned up alone and hungry in Pittwater on Sunday.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Reader's Comments: Sad Farewell for Baby Whale
Reader's Comments
Colin, the abandoned baby whale, has been given a lethal injection after Sydney authorities said nothing could be done to save him. Soon after 8.30am wildlife officers gave the calf two jabs of anaesthetic.
The move came amid reports activists had attempted to issue an injunction to stop NSW government officials from putting the whale down, claiming more could have been done to save the whale.
Colin, the abandoned baby whale, has been given a lethal injection after Sydney authorities said nothing could be done to save him. Soon after 8.30am wildlife officers gave the calf two jabs of anaesthetic.
The move came amid reports activists had attempted to issue an injunction to stop NSW government officials from putting the whale down, claiming more could have been done to save the whale.
Colin the Whale "Struggled to the End"
Grown men were in tears as Colin the abandoned baby humpback whale struggled as he was dragged behind a boat before being left to thrash on a beach after he was injected with a fatal dose of anaesthetic this morning. Soon after 8.30am (AEST) officers from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at the Basin in Sydney's northern beaches gave the calf what was believed to be as many as seven jabs of anaesthetic.
"It's a tragic end to a program that dozens of people have put their hearts and souls into," said NPWS spokesman John Dengate, describing the act of ending Colin's life as "harrowing".
NPWS spokesman Chris McIntosh said: "It was a sad moment, but it went quietly to sleep. The calf has been quietly and humanely euthanased."
A vet on board a small boat administered an anaesthetic through a large needle, by simply leaning overboard and injecting the weakened humpback calf, he said.
But activists said more could have been done to save Colin and locals who witnessed Colin's death said it lacked dignity. Locals were in tears after the whale was euthanased.
In a shallow cove at Coasters Retreat, NPWS officers and Sea World Vet David Blyde administered about seven injections before towing the whale across the bay. The local community was outraged at how the NPWS dragged the baby whale, bucking and thrashing, across 300m of water. It was still thrashing when it was pulled up on the beach.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t let it die quietly,” said Michael Brown. “It was obviously distressed. I’m 41 years old and almost collapsed.”
Mr Brown and other locals were crying as the baby whale - which had sought refuge in the bay for five days - was lashed by ropes to the NPWS boat as it continued to struggle.
"It's a tragic end to a program that dozens of people have put their hearts and souls into," said NPWS spokesman John Dengate, describing the act of ending Colin's life as "harrowing".
NPWS spokesman Chris McIntosh said: "It was a sad moment, but it went quietly to sleep. The calf has been quietly and humanely euthanased."
A vet on board a small boat administered an anaesthetic through a large needle, by simply leaning overboard and injecting the weakened humpback calf, he said.
But activists said more could have been done to save Colin and locals who witnessed Colin's death said it lacked dignity. Locals were in tears after the whale was euthanased.
In a shallow cove at Coasters Retreat, NPWS officers and Sea World Vet David Blyde administered about seven injections before towing the whale across the bay. The local community was outraged at how the NPWS dragged the baby whale, bucking and thrashing, across 300m of water. It was still thrashing when it was pulled up on the beach.
“I don’t understand why they didn’t let it die quietly,” said Michael Brown. “It was obviously distressed. I’m 41 years old and almost collapsed.”
Mr Brown and other locals were crying as the baby whale - which had sought refuge in the bay for five days - was lashed by ropes to the NPWS boat as it continued to struggle.
Gray Whales Offered as Sentinels of Climate Change
Species dependent on sea ice, such as the gray whale, provide the clearest examples of sensitivity to climate change, according to an article in the June 2008 Journal of Mammalogy, published by the American Society of Mammalogists.
The behavioral ecology of gray whales in the eastern North Pacific and Arctic oceans could help illustrate the importance of ecological processes acting over large spatial scales.
"Much more can be achieved by selecting specific marine mammal species as vectors to investigations of full ecosystems," writes Sue E. Moore in her article "Marine Mammals as Ecosystem Sentinels."
Moore outlines six correlations betweens changes in the distribution and behavior of gray whales and changes in their environment, including the timing of migration and their response to El Niño or La Niña weather patterns. This suggests gray whales are effective sentinels of change in ecosystems, Moore says.
The use of gray whales as sentinels goes beyond tracking distribution changes, Moore says. Tests on the whales' blubber can detect pollutant levels and changes in their diet. "The overall health of marine mammals ultimately reflects the health of the ecosystems upon which they depend," she writes.
Existing research strategies must be expanded to allow for the use of marine mammals as sentinels of ecosystem change, Moore says. They are ideal for such research because these "charismatic megafauna" capture the public's attention too, she says, providing opportunities for education and outreach on oceanic and environmental issues.
The behavioral ecology of gray whales in the eastern North Pacific and Arctic oceans could help illustrate the importance of ecological processes acting over large spatial scales.
"Much more can be achieved by selecting specific marine mammal species as vectors to investigations of full ecosystems," writes Sue E. Moore in her article "Marine Mammals as Ecosystem Sentinels."
Moore outlines six correlations betweens changes in the distribution and behavior of gray whales and changes in their environment, including the timing of migration and their response to El Niño or La Niña weather patterns. This suggests gray whales are effective sentinels of change in ecosystems, Moore says.
The use of gray whales as sentinels goes beyond tracking distribution changes, Moore says. Tests on the whales' blubber can detect pollutant levels and changes in their diet. "The overall health of marine mammals ultimately reflects the health of the ecosystems upon which they depend," she writes.
Existing research strategies must be expanded to allow for the use of marine mammals as sentinels of ecosystem change, Moore says. They are ideal for such research because these "charismatic megafauna" capture the public's attention too, she says, providing opportunities for education and outreach on oceanic and environmental issues.
Oil, Gas Seismic Work Not Affecting Gulf Sperm Whales, Study Shows
ScienceDaily — Noise can be irritating and possibly harmful for everything from mice to humans – and maybe even 60-foot whales in the Gulf of Mexico.
In recent years, there has been concern that man-made noise may be a cause of stress for dolphins, whales and other marine mammals, but the results of a five-year study show that noise pollution – especially noise generated by seismic airguns during geophysical exploration for oil and gas – seems to have minimal effect on endangered sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico, say researchers from Texas A&M University who led the project and released their 323-page report today at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
The multi-year $9 million study, the largest of its type ever undertaken and formally titled Sperm Whale Seismic Study in the Gulf of Mexico, was conducted by the Minerals Management Service and featured cooperation with the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The project brought together researchers from eight universities, but it was managed overall by Texas A&M's Department of Oceanography, with research scientist Ann Jochens and professor Doug Biggs serving as principal investigators.
"The bottom line is that airgun noise from seismic surveys that are thousands of yards distant does not drive away sperm whales living in the Gulf," Biggs explains.
In recent years, there has been concern that man-made noise may be a cause of stress for dolphins, whales and other marine mammals, but the results of a five-year study show that noise pollution – especially noise generated by seismic airguns during geophysical exploration for oil and gas – seems to have minimal effect on endangered sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico, say researchers from Texas A&M University who led the project and released their 323-page report today at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.
The multi-year $9 million study, the largest of its type ever undertaken and formally titled Sperm Whale Seismic Study in the Gulf of Mexico, was conducted by the Minerals Management Service and featured cooperation with the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The project brought together researchers from eight universities, but it was managed overall by Texas A&M's Department of Oceanography, with research scientist Ann Jochens and professor Doug Biggs serving as principal investigators.
"The bottom line is that airgun noise from seismic surveys that are thousands of yards distant does not drive away sperm whales living in the Gulf," Biggs explains.
Must Be Love, Whatever the Species
SYNDEY MORNING HERALD - The sight of that baby humpback whale nuzzling and sucking at the keel of a yacht, watched by a group of helpless adults, stirred up old deep and familiar anxieties that used to assail me when my children were babies. What if I had a car accident and couldn't feed them? What if someone stole them out of the stroller? What if, in other words, we were separated by some unforseen circumstance and I couldn't get to them and they were alone and hungry crying for me?
As I watched the news I became mother whale, and the baby whale desperate for his milk and his mother became my baby. Even writing about it now is making my stomach lurch.
How weird. It was only a baby whale after all, not a human baby. Maybe the whale calf was not distraught, puzzled and grief-stricken for his mother but just hungry. How do I know that this tragedy was not about a set of unavoidable circumstances but because his mother deliberately abandoned him for her own good reasons?
As I watched the news I became mother whale, and the baby whale desperate for his milk and his mother became my baby. Even writing about it now is making my stomach lurch.
How weird. It was only a baby whale after all, not a human baby. Maybe the whale calf was not distraught, puzzled and grief-stricken for his mother but just hungry. How do I know that this tragedy was not about a set of unavoidable circumstances but because his mother deliberately abandoned him for her own good reasons?
Tears for Orphaned Whale
An orphaned baby whale that broke hearts in Australia when it tried to suckle the hull of a yacht is to be put down, officials said Thursday.
Animal lovers who had rigged up a makeshift feeding device to try and keep the month-old humpback alive have accepted that the calf can't be saved. Experts said that the improvised feeding device would not work, and that anyway the longer-term prognosis was also bleak.
"The whole issue's been quite harrowing, not only for our staff but for the community in general, where people have really been concerned about this whale," Dengate said. "They've said to us, 'Can't you do this? Can't you do that?' We've tried really hard to follow every bit of advice that's come through."
Animal lovers who had rigged up a makeshift feeding device to try and keep the month-old humpback alive have accepted that the calf can't be saved. Experts said that the improvised feeding device would not work, and that anyway the longer-term prognosis was also bleak.
"The whole issue's been quite harrowing, not only for our staff but for the community in general, where people have really been concerned about this whale," Dengate said. "They've said to us, 'Can't you do this? Can't you do that?' We've tried really hard to follow every bit of advice that's come through."
Rescuers Shattered Over Whale's Fate
The fate of a baby humpback whale stranded in a Sydney waterway has been decided, with Colin set to be euthanased to end his suffering. The decision was made at a meeting of NSW Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) workers, scientists and representatives of other agencies after the calf's deteriorating health took a drastic turn for the worse.
Affectionately named Colin, the calf unexpectedly appeared on Sunday at The Basin, inside Sydney's Pittwater, and returned on Tuesday after being towed out to sea.
"The vets who had a look at him were really surprised at how fast he'd gone downhill,'' NPWS spokesman John Dengate said. "He's having difficulties breathing and his flippers were at an unnatural angle. Their advice to us was `he's not going to last much longer, he's suffering and you should take action'.''
Affectionately named Colin, the calf unexpectedly appeared on Sunday at The Basin, inside Sydney's Pittwater, and returned on Tuesday after being towed out to sea.
"The vets who had a look at him were really surprised at how fast he'd gone downhill,'' NPWS spokesman John Dengate said. "He's having difficulties breathing and his flippers were at an unnatural angle. Their advice to us was `he's not going to last much longer, he's suffering and you should take action'.''
Australian Officials to Euthanize Baby Whale
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — An Australian environmental official says an abandoned baby whale that has been attempting to suckle boats in the waters off north Sydney will be euthanized.
Veterinarians and marine researchers who spent the afternoon examining the whale found that it was in such poor condition that it would likely not live through the night, said Sally Barnes, deputy director-general of the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
"The calf was in much worse condition than they originally thought and the injuries were a lot worse than they thought as well, probably from a shark attack," she said. The plight of the whale has dominated Australia's news coverage since the creature was first sighted Sunday in waters off north Sydney and began trying to suckle from boats.
Veterinarians and marine researchers who spent the afternoon examining the whale found that it was in such poor condition that it would likely not live through the night, said Sally Barnes, deputy director-general of the Department of Environment and Climate Change.
"The calf was in much worse condition than they originally thought and the injuries were a lot worse than they thought as well, probably from a shark attack," she said. The plight of the whale has dominated Australia's news coverage since the creature was first sighted Sunday in waters off north Sydney and began trying to suckle from boats.
Record Whales Off Southern Australia
SYDNEY - Tourists and marine researchers have been delighted to see record numbers of whales in the Great Australian Bight this season. The tourist officer at Ceduna in the far west of South Australia, Margie Stott, says there have now been 166 different whales spotted in the current season.
She says it is 23 more than the previous record back in 2005. "You find them in at Fowler's Bay, you find them - my husband was out fishing in the bay here at Ceduna and found a cow and calf the other day so they're all along the coast here," she said.
She says it is 23 more than the previous record back in 2005. "You find them in at Fowler's Bay, you find them - my husband was out fishing in the bay here at Ceduna and found a cow and calf the other day so they're all along the coast here," she said.
Activists Push to Free Lolita the Whale
MIAMI - It's Miami's aquatic equivalent of "Free Mumia." Activists hold protests and send urgent e-manifestos. But they succeed in swaying all but the two guys who could do anything about it. And Lolita, Miami Seaquarium's long-captive orca, goes on munching chum and belly-flopping in her bathtublike tank.
Shark Fear Stops Baby Whale Tow
SYDNEY - Authorities are now reviewing whether to use an inflatable sling in an attempt to unite a baby humpback whale with other whales in a bid to save its life.
A meeting will be held later today, involving National Parks staff and experts such as whale expert Dr David Blyde, from Sea World on the Gold Coast, to determine what to do next for the whale, National Parks spokesman John Dengate said.
This included assessing whether to euthanise the whale, or whether to tow it out to sea to unite it with another pod, he said.
"But that could be dangerous for the whale because, if it doesn't find a lactating female, it's just out there on its own and there's all sorts of sharks out there.
A meeting will be held later today, involving National Parks staff and experts such as whale expert Dr David Blyde, from Sea World on the Gold Coast, to determine what to do next for the whale, National Parks spokesman John Dengate said.
This included assessing whether to euthanise the whale, or whether to tow it out to sea to unite it with another pod, he said.
"But that could be dangerous for the whale because, if it doesn't find a lactating female, it's just out there on its own and there's all sorts of sharks out there.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
No Baby Whale Feeding Solution After Expert Talks
Concerns about a baby whale abandoned off Sydney's northern beaches are growing after talks with US experts failed to come up with a way to save the animal.
The NSW Environment Department says a decision will have to be made soon about whether to destroy the baby humpback, which is swimming in Pittwater.
The Department's John Dengate says it has been speaking with US experts about ways to feed the animal so that it can live.
"They're advice to us was unless you've got a 30 megalitre pool that you can drain every two hours, unless you've 30 people who can jump on the whale and restrain it, unless you've got some really sophisticated facilities, you can't do it where you are," he said.
The NSW Environment Department says a decision will have to be made soon about whether to destroy the baby humpback, which is swimming in Pittwater.
The Department's John Dengate says it has been speaking with US experts about ways to feed the animal so that it can live.
"They're advice to us was unless you've got a 30 megalitre pool that you can drain every two hours, unless you've 30 people who can jump on the whale and restrain it, unless you've got some really sophisticated facilities, you can't do it where you are," he said.
Sydney Ours Heart Out for "Colin"
Time is running out for Colin, the abandoned humpback whale calf stranded in Sydney’s Pittwater. Wildlife authorities are debating whether to euthanase the 4.5-metre mammal rather than allow it to suffer a slow, painful death.
The baby whale, believed to be about two to three weeks old, was first spotted on Sunday, nuzzling up to a yacht in the northern Sydney waterway in an apparent search for its mother.
Colin's plight has tugged at the heartstrings of Sydneysiders.
The baby whale, believed to be about two to three weeks old, was first spotted on Sunday, nuzzling up to a yacht in the northern Sydney waterway in an apparent search for its mother.
Colin's plight has tugged at the heartstrings of Sydneysiders.
Baby Whale Adoption Attempt Fails
Attempts to lure a stranded baby humpback whale back to sea off Sydney have failed, the New South Wales Government says.
The calf, believed to be about two to three weeks old, was apparently abandoned by its mother in waters just north of Sydney. It was first spotted on Sunday in the Pittwater area, nuzzling up to a yacht in an apparent search for its mother.
Authorities have said the baby whale needs its mother, or another whale to adopt it, within days if it is to have any hope of survival. An attempt was made this morning to lure the calf out to sea in the hope it would be adopted by a passing pod of whales.
The calf, believed to be about two to three weeks old, was apparently abandoned by its mother in waters just north of Sydney. It was first spotted on Sunday in the Pittwater area, nuzzling up to a yacht in an apparent search for its mother.
Authorities have said the baby whale needs its mother, or another whale to adopt it, within days if it is to have any hope of survival. An attempt was made this morning to lure the calf out to sea in the hope it would be adopted by a passing pod of whales.
World Expects Called to Save Abandoned Baby Whale
Blood tests on an abandoned baby whale will be carried out while it increasingly shows signs of distress after being separated from its mother.
Experts from around the world are increasingly calling for authorities to euthanize the small humpback whale, which is believed to just a few weeks old. While others are suggesting for attempt to feed it with baby formula.
The whale was first discovered nuzzling a boat in Pittwater, in Sydney’s north, on Sunday. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) spokesman John Dengate said “Colin” – as the whale has become known as by officials – is now “diving more than it has been”.
“It’s fair to say it is distressed,” Mr Dengate said. “We haven’t given up, but the prognosis is grim.”
Experts from around the world are increasingly calling for authorities to euthanize the small humpback whale, which is believed to just a few weeks old. While others are suggesting for attempt to feed it with baby formula.
The whale was first discovered nuzzling a boat in Pittwater, in Sydney’s north, on Sunday. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) spokesman John Dengate said “Colin” – as the whale has become known as by officials – is now “diving more than it has been”.
“It’s fair to say it is distressed,” Mr Dengate said. “We haven’t given up, but the prognosis is grim.”
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Beached Whale Euthanized
VERO BEACH, FL--Harbor Branch officials Tuesday euthanized the female pygmy sperm whale found early this afternoon at South Beach in Vero Beach.
The 9 1/2 --10 foot long whale was diagnosed with a heart condition called cardiomyopathy and had fluid in the lungs, said Gregory Bossart, chief marine animal veterinarian at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce.
A necropsy on the whale will be conducted early Wednesday morning, Bossart said.
The 1,000 pound whale became beached about 1:30 p.m. near South Beach, according to the Vero Beach Police Department. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews used water from their fire engine to rinse the whale and keep it wet until Harbor Branch officials arrived.
The 9 1/2 --10 foot long whale was diagnosed with a heart condition called cardiomyopathy and had fluid in the lungs, said Gregory Bossart, chief marine animal veterinarian at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce.
A necropsy on the whale will be conducted early Wednesday morning, Bossart said.
The 1,000 pound whale became beached about 1:30 p.m. near South Beach, according to the Vero Beach Police Department. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews used water from their fire engine to rinse the whale and keep it wet until Harbor Branch officials arrived.
Beached Whale Moved
VERO BEACH — A pygmy sperm whale is en route to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce after it was found Tuesday afternoon beached in Vero Beach.
The 10- to 12-foot whale became beached about 1:30 p.m. near South Beach, according to the Vero Beach Police Department. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews used water from their fire engine to rinse the whale and keep it wet until Harbor Branch officials arrived.
A small group of Harbor Branch officials and bystanders loaded the whale into a special tarp made for moving large mammals and took it from the beach to a nearby Harbor Branch transportation vehicle.
The 10- to 12-foot whale became beached about 1:30 p.m. near South Beach, according to the Vero Beach Police Department. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews used water from their fire engine to rinse the whale and keep it wet until Harbor Branch officials arrived.
A small group of Harbor Branch officials and bystanders loaded the whale into a special tarp made for moving large mammals and took it from the beach to a nearby Harbor Branch transportation vehicle.
Abandoned Baby Whale Weakens
A baby humpback calf that turned to a yacht for maternal care in Sydney's waterways after being abandoned by its mother will be lucky to survive the week -- unless it finds a more likely guardian. Wildlife officers have grave fears for the young humpback's survival after watching it grow weaker yesterday.
John Dengate, the director of public affairs for the NSW Department of Environment, said: "It has to get humpback whale milk and there is no way that that can be provided in captivity. Unless it finds its mother or a foster mum, its chances are very, very small."
The whale, believed to have been born on the NSW coast two to three weeks ago, was seen in Pittwater, north of Sydney, on Sunday and was found again on Monday in Refuge Bay trying to suckle a whale-sized yacht called Uplift.
"It attached itself to a yacht, it thought the yacht was its mother," Mr Dengate said. "It is very sad." The calf left the yacht after it was towed out to sea about 1km from Barrenjoey Head on Monday. Despite other whales passing the area, the calf turned up at Pittwater again yesterday morning, at Great Mackerel Beach and The Basin.
NSW Parks and Wildlife Service officers monitored the calf throughout the day and consulted with the RSPCA, Sea World and Taronga Zoo over the best way to help the animal. "This may well be nature taking its course but nonetheless we are doing all we can to help," Mr Dengate said. He said it was not uncommon for one or two dead whale calves to be found on NSW beaches each year.
A gray whale calf was successfully reared in captivity in California in 1997, but Mr Dengate said hand-rearing humpbacks was a different story. Gray whales were smaller, had a shorter suckling period and could access their natural food supply close to their release site in California, whereas a released humpback would have to make its way to Antarctica.
John Dengate, the director of public affairs for the NSW Department of Environment, said: "It has to get humpback whale milk and there is no way that that can be provided in captivity. Unless it finds its mother or a foster mum, its chances are very, very small."
The whale, believed to have been born on the NSW coast two to three weeks ago, was seen in Pittwater, north of Sydney, on Sunday and was found again on Monday in Refuge Bay trying to suckle a whale-sized yacht called Uplift.
"It attached itself to a yacht, it thought the yacht was its mother," Mr Dengate said. "It is very sad." The calf left the yacht after it was towed out to sea about 1km from Barrenjoey Head on Monday. Despite other whales passing the area, the calf turned up at Pittwater again yesterday morning, at Great Mackerel Beach and The Basin.
NSW Parks and Wildlife Service officers monitored the calf throughout the day and consulted with the RSPCA, Sea World and Taronga Zoo over the best way to help the animal. "This may well be nature taking its course but nonetheless we are doing all we can to help," Mr Dengate said. He said it was not uncommon for one or two dead whale calves to be found on NSW beaches each year.
A gray whale calf was successfully reared in captivity in California in 1997, but Mr Dengate said hand-rearing humpbacks was a different story. Gray whales were smaller, had a shorter suckling period and could access their natural food supply close to their release site in California, whereas a released humpback would have to make its way to Antarctica.
Baby Whale Not First to Bond with a Boat
LA TIMES - News out of Sydney, Australia, that a lost humpback whale calf has adopted a yacht as its mother got us thinking about another notable bond between an animal and a boat.
Petra, a black swan at a German zoo, also garnered international attention in 2006 when she apparently developed a fondness for a paddle boat shaped like an over-sized white swan, refusing to leave its side. Petra later found a real-life swan lover, but after he left her, zoo officials this year reunited her with her old flame -- the one with plastic plumage.
The baby whale's devotion to the yacht seems similarly steadfast: After first being spotted Sunday, on Monday the 1- to 2-month-old was seen trying to suckle the boat and would not leave.
To try to coax the whale back out to sea and closer to its mother or to a pod of whales, rescuers towed the duo out to sea, where the calf detached from the boat, but remained close by.
Petra, a black swan at a German zoo, also garnered international attention in 2006 when she apparently developed a fondness for a paddle boat shaped like an over-sized white swan, refusing to leave its side. Petra later found a real-life swan lover, but after he left her, zoo officials this year reunited her with her old flame -- the one with plastic plumage.
The baby whale's devotion to the yacht seems similarly steadfast: After first being spotted Sunday, on Monday the 1- to 2-month-old was seen trying to suckle the boat and would not leave.
To try to coax the whale back out to sea and closer to its mother or to a pod of whales, rescuers towed the duo out to sea, where the calf detached from the boat, but remained close by.
Fears Grow for Lost Baby Whale
SYDNEY (AFP) — Fears were growing Tuesday for the survival chances of a lost baby humpback whale who tried to suckle from an Australian yacht in the belief it was its mother.
Wildlife experts used the yacht to lure the calf out of Pittwater bay near Sydney's Palm Beach on Monday, hoping it would link up with other whales passing by on their annual breeding migration. But early on Tuesday the calf was reportedly spotted back in Pittwater, apparently having failed to find either its own mother or a surrogate, Department of National Parks and Wildlife spokesman Chris McIntosh told AFP.
"We successfully lured the calf about a kilometre out to sea -- probably the first time that's been done using a yacht as a surrogate mother," he said.
"Later we saw whales a bit further offshore and there was a slender chance it may have linked up with them, but this morning we have got reports that it has returned to the western shores of Pittwater."
Mcintosh said the calf risked running out of energy through lack of food, being attacked by sharks, simply dying of hunger or beaching itself.
Wildlife experts used the yacht to lure the calf out of Pittwater bay near Sydney's Palm Beach on Monday, hoping it would link up with other whales passing by on their annual breeding migration. But early on Tuesday the calf was reportedly spotted back in Pittwater, apparently having failed to find either its own mother or a surrogate, Department of National Parks and Wildlife spokesman Chris McIntosh told AFP.
"We successfully lured the calf about a kilometre out to sea -- probably the first time that's been done using a yacht as a surrogate mother," he said.
"Later we saw whales a bit further offshore and there was a slender chance it may have linked up with them, but this morning we have got reports that it has returned to the western shores of Pittwater."
Mcintosh said the calf risked running out of energy through lack of food, being attacked by sharks, simply dying of hunger or beaching itself.
Carolina Residents Can't Save Stranded Whale
A pygmy sperm whale washed ashore at Holden Beach has died. Residents did their best to keep the 700-pound animal wet, but nobody could save the animal. Residents kept wet towels on the whale until UNCW's Marine Mammal Stranding Team transported the animal.
The pygmy sperm whale died as University of North Carolina Wilmington's Marine Mammal Stranding Team was transporting it to a veterinarian, said Ann Pabst, co-director of the stranding program. An examination of the nearly 700-pound, 11-foot long animal showed he had several health problems, she said.
"It's an animal that should never be close to shore," she said, noting it's too early to tell exactly what caused the whale to show up on the strand. The whale was spotted off Ocean Isle Beach the night before, but the team cannot safely work in the dark, Pabst said. She said several members of the public assisted in keeping water on the whale when it was on Holden Beach.
She said the team appreciated the help. But she reminded the public to always be careful if there is a stranded mammal because they are large and can unintentionally be dangerous. She advised people to call local law enforcement if they see a live or dead marine mammal on shore. The team investigates all stranded mammals.
The pygmy sperm whale died as University of North Carolina Wilmington's Marine Mammal Stranding Team was transporting it to a veterinarian, said Ann Pabst, co-director of the stranding program. An examination of the nearly 700-pound, 11-foot long animal showed he had several health problems, she said.
"It's an animal that should never be close to shore," she said, noting it's too early to tell exactly what caused the whale to show up on the strand. The whale was spotted off Ocean Isle Beach the night before, but the team cannot safely work in the dark, Pabst said. She said several members of the public assisted in keeping water on the whale when it was on Holden Beach.
She said the team appreciated the help. But she reminded the public to always be careful if there is a stranded mammal because they are large and can unintentionally be dangerous. She advised people to call local law enforcement if they see a live or dead marine mammal on shore. The team investigates all stranded mammals.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Wandering Whale Leaves German Waters
BERLIN (AP) - A wayward Humpback whale first sighted in Germany has made its way north to Danish waters, hopefully on its way out of danger, an expert said Monday.
The whale, dubbed "Bucki" by the German media, has improved its chances of survival by heading toward Denmark, but still has to make it through one of the narrow entrances connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, says Klaus Harder, a biologist at the German Ocean Museum for Sea Mammals in Stralsund.
"The whale is closer to the Kattegat, a passageway to the North Sea, and therefore closer to its usual summer habitat, the nutrient-rich Arctic waters," Harder said.
The whale has drawn plenty of media attention since it was spotted about three weeks ago off the German island of Ruegen. Biologists have been worried it could not survive long in the Baltic, which doesn't offer the conditions it needs for survival.
The whale, dubbed "Bucki" by the German media, has improved its chances of survival by heading toward Denmark, but still has to make it through one of the narrow entrances connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, says Klaus Harder, a biologist at the German Ocean Museum for Sea Mammals in Stralsund.
"The whale is closer to the Kattegat, a passageway to the North Sea, and therefore closer to its usual summer habitat, the nutrient-rich Arctic waters," Harder said.
The whale has drawn plenty of media attention since it was spotted about three weeks ago off the German island of Ruegen. Biologists have been worried it could not survive long in the Baltic, which doesn't offer the conditions it needs for survival.
Lost Whale Calf Bonds with Australian Yacht
Australian authorities said a lost humpback whale calf has bonded with a yacht it seems to think is its mother.
The one to two-month-old calf was first sighted on Sunday in waters off north Sydney, and on Monday tried to suckle from a yacht, which it would not leave.
Rescuers towed the yacht out to sea, and the calf finally detached from the boat but still swam nearby, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Channel 10 television news reported.
The calf appears exhausted but rescuers hope it will continue out to sea and search for its mother or another pod of whales.
"The outlook is not good, but we are giving the calf its only option. It can't be fed, and in fact we wouldn't know what to feed it" because it is not weaned, National Parks and Wildlife regional manager Chris McIntosh told ABC radio.
The one to two-month-old calf was first sighted on Sunday in waters off north Sydney, and on Monday tried to suckle from a yacht, which it would not leave.
Rescuers towed the yacht out to sea, and the calf finally detached from the boat but still swam nearby, Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Channel 10 television news reported.
The calf appears exhausted but rescuers hope it will continue out to sea and search for its mother or another pod of whales.
"The outlook is not good, but we are giving the calf its only option. It can't be fed, and in fact we wouldn't know what to feed it" because it is not weaned, National Parks and Wildlife regional manager Chris McIntosh told ABC radio.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Exhumed Whale to go to Te Papa
Dominion Post
A rare whale has been exhumed from its burial place near a Coromandel beach for removal to Te Papa in Wellington.
The 2.4-metre male melon-headed whale beached itself repeatedly in Mercury Bay, Coromandel, in January last year before it died on rocks at Brophy's Beach, Whitianga.
It was the first recorded sighting of a melon-headed whale in New Zealand waters, though Te Papa has a pre-1900s skull of this species. It is not known where the skull came from.
A rare whale has been exhumed from its burial place near a Coromandel beach for removal to Te Papa in Wellington.
The 2.4-metre male melon-headed whale beached itself repeatedly in Mercury Bay, Coromandel, in January last year before it died on rocks at Brophy's Beach, Whitianga.
It was the first recorded sighting of a melon-headed whale in New Zealand waters, though Te Papa has a pre-1900s skull of this species. It is not known where the skull came from.
Survey Keeps Ear on Sonar
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Findings from an extensive research project this summer on the effect of sonar on marine mammals will be released in December. The information gathered from the $400,000 study -- done jointly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service and the U.S. Navy -- is still being analyzed, said NOAA spokeswoman Connie Barclay.
Barclay also said NOAA scientists are tracking the electronic-monitoring tags placed on deep-diving beaked, pilot, melon-headed and false killer whales. The devices are expected to provide information on the movements of these marine mammals around the Hawaiian Islands.
NOAA said more than 30 marine mammals were tagged with listening and movement sensors during the recently completed Rim of the Pacific naval exercises, which involved 35 ships and six submarines from 10 nations.
Findings from an extensive research project this summer on the effect of sonar on marine mammals will be released in December. The information gathered from the $400,000 study -- done jointly with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service and the U.S. Navy -- is still being analyzed, said NOAA spokeswoman Connie Barclay.
Barclay also said NOAA scientists are tracking the electronic-monitoring tags placed on deep-diving beaked, pilot, melon-headed and false killer whales. The devices are expected to provide information on the movements of these marine mammals around the Hawaiian Islands.
NOAA said more than 30 marine mammals were tagged with listening and movement sensors during the recently completed Rim of the Pacific naval exercises, which involved 35 ships and six submarines from 10 nations.
Mediterranean Whale Survey Indicates Decline
Wildlife Extra
It's an impressive sight watching a twenty metre long fin whale break the ocean surface. Fin whales are rare and elusive animals but one of the best places to observe them is here in the Pelagos Sanctuary. It is a marine protected area in the western Mediterranean that stretches between Corsica, the south of mainland France and northern Italy.
Collaborating with environmental organisation Greenpeace, a group of Italian researchers is carrying out a survey of the whale and dolphin populations in the region. Simone Panigada, a whale scientist from the Tethys Institute in Milan, is keen to find out how the cetaceans are doing.
It's an impressive sight watching a twenty metre long fin whale break the ocean surface. Fin whales are rare and elusive animals but one of the best places to observe them is here in the Pelagos Sanctuary. It is a marine protected area in the western Mediterranean that stretches between Corsica, the south of mainland France and northern Italy.
Collaborating with environmental organisation Greenpeace, a group of Italian researchers is carrying out a survey of the whale and dolphin populations in the region. Simone Panigada, a whale scientist from the Tethys Institute in Milan, is keen to find out how the cetaceans are doing.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
In Germany, Wandering Whale Creates Wonderment
By NICOLE BURGOYNE
BERLIN (AP) — Germans have been treated to the rare sight of a lone and wayward humpback whale swimming in the Baltic Sea, but marine biologists said it may be doomed because the waterway lacks the conditions such mammals need to survive. The humpback has been spotted several times near Rostock city in recent days, according to the biologists, who say such whales don't typically range too far into the Baltic.
BERLIN (AP) — Germans have been treated to the rare sight of a lone and wayward humpback whale swimming in the Baltic Sea, but marine biologists said it may be doomed because the waterway lacks the conditions such mammals need to survive. The humpback has been spotted several times near Rostock city in recent days, according to the biologists, who say such whales don't typically range too far into the Baltic.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Humpbacks Mate with Great Barrier Serande
From Peter Michael
Scientists are hoping to uncover the equivalent of a humpback whale karaoke bar on the Great Barrier Reef while observing the creatures' mating ritual.
Male humpbacks are known to gather in groups at sites called "leks" off the Queensland coast to sing and impress females into mating with them. But exactly where remains a mystery.
The Great Barrier Reef is proving a huge drawcard for the gentle giants of the sea this year as an estimated 11,000 humpbacks head north on their annual migration. In an elaborate mating ritual, the males croon and the females listen, and assess, before pairing off, much like the late-night human tango witnessed in pubs and clubs.
Whale researchers also hope to identify other "hot spots" on the Reef, such as popular birthing grounds and the sheltered nurseries of newborn calves.
Scientists are hoping to uncover the equivalent of a humpback whale karaoke bar on the Great Barrier Reef while observing the creatures' mating ritual.
Male humpbacks are known to gather in groups at sites called "leks" off the Queensland coast to sing and impress females into mating with them. But exactly where remains a mystery.
The Great Barrier Reef is proving a huge drawcard for the gentle giants of the sea this year as an estimated 11,000 humpbacks head north on their annual migration. In an elaborate mating ritual, the males croon and the females listen, and assess, before pairing off, much like the late-night human tango witnessed in pubs and clubs.
Whale researchers also hope to identify other "hot spots" on the Reef, such as popular birthing grounds and the sheltered nurseries of newborn calves.
Chile's Parliament Approves Whale Hunting Ban
Santiago, Chile, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chile's lower house of parliament approved a draft bill Wednesday prohibiting whale hunting on the country's coast.
The initiative seeks to make it illegal to kill, hunt, capture, transport, disembark, commercialize, store or perform any process of transformation on an alive or dead cetacean. The motion, which received 57 votes in favor, also sets fines and a prison sentence ranging from three years and a day to five years for violators of the law, which will now be considered by the Senate.
The president of the Natural Resources Commission, Enrique Accorsi, hailed the passing of the initiative, which had been sent by President Michelle Bachelet on July 23.
The initiative seeks to make it illegal to kill, hunt, capture, transport, disembark, commercialize, store or perform any process of transformation on an alive or dead cetacean. The motion, which received 57 votes in favor, also sets fines and a prison sentence ranging from three years and a day to five years for violators of the law, which will now be considered by the Senate.
The president of the Natural Resources Commission, Enrique Accorsi, hailed the passing of the initiative, which had been sent by President Michelle Bachelet on July 23.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Quebec Red Tide Kill Beluga Whales
CBC News reports that a red algae infestation in the St. Lawrence Seaway caused by heavy rain this summer may have caused the death of several marine animals, including birds, fish and a handful of beluga whales, say scientists in the area.
Residents in the Lower St. Lawrence region and greater Rimouski area have reported finding hundreds of dead sturgeon and birds on the shore.
And seven beluga whales have been found dead in the past week, about half of the average annual death toll recorded for the species, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Residents in the Lower St. Lawrence region and greater Rimouski area have reported finding hundreds of dead sturgeon and birds on the shore.
And seven beluga whales have been found dead in the past week, about half of the average annual death toll recorded for the species, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Two Beluga Whales Up the River
McGRATH, Alaska — Two beluga whales making their way up the Kuskokwim River have been spotted again. The whales were seen Tuesday evening, August 12, in front of the old Red Devil mine just above the village of Red Devil. Several residents of Sleetmute have reported seeing them.
On Sunday evening, the whales were spotted 35 miles downriver. They are thought to be a cow with her calf. The whales were first reported by the mouth of the Oskawalik River, 10 miles below Crooked Creek, by a helicopter crew connected to the Donlin Creek Mine near Crooked.
The last verified sighting of whales so far up the Kuskokwim was in the late 1980s.
On Sunday evening, the whales were spotted 35 miles downriver. They are thought to be a cow with her calf. The whales were first reported by the mouth of the Oskawalik River, 10 miles below Crooked Creek, by a helicopter crew connected to the Donlin Creek Mine near Crooked.
The last verified sighting of whales so far up the Kuskokwim was in the late 1980s.
Tailless Humpback Makes 12,500 Mile Journey
Stumped ... whale experts are surprised that "Stumpy," a humpback whale with no tail, has made a 12,500 mile journey from the Antarctica to Australia. The whale, nicknamed Stumpy, was today sighted playing off Queensland's Sunshine Coast by whale watchers aboard the Australia Zoo boat "Steve's Whale One."
The boat's skipper Allan Short said he last saw the disfigured whale as a yearling in Hervey Bay in 2001. Scratch marks on its side indicate it was injured in a killer whale attack, Mr Short said.
The boat's skipper Allan Short said he last saw the disfigured whale as a yearling in Hervey Bay in 2001. Scratch marks on its side indicate it was injured in a killer whale attack, Mr Short said.
"When we first saw Stumpy in Hervey Bay in 2001 we thought for sure he wouldn't survive without his tail," he said. "It's a 12,500 mile return journey when they migrate and that is an amazing feat for a whale without a tail. He appeared healthy as he played alongside other whales."
Each year, humpback whales pass along Queensland's southern coast as they migrate between Antarctica and warmer tropical waters.
Each year, humpback whales pass along Queensland's southern coast as they migrate between Antarctica and warmer tropical waters.
San Juan Orca Update
SanJuanJournal.com
A calf has been born in "L pod" in the San Juan Islands, possibly bringing the population of the pod to 44 and the overall population of the beleaguered Southern residents to 89. However, the Center for Whale Research warns that at least two other L pod whales may be missing.
The sighting of the calf, on August 12, is welcome news. It is followed by a week of news that the oldest of the Southern residents, K7, was missing and presumed dead. At the same time, the carcass of a killer whale calf believed to have been aborted was found on a Henry Island beach.
A calf has been born in "L pod" in the San Juan Islands, possibly bringing the population of the pod to 44 and the overall population of the beleaguered Southern residents to 89. However, the Center for Whale Research warns that at least two other L pod whales may be missing.
The sighting of the calf, on August 12, is welcome news. It is followed by a week of news that the oldest of the Southern residents, K7, was missing and presumed dead. At the same time, the carcass of a killer whale calf believed to have been aborted was found on a Henry Island beach.
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