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10/25/26
10/21/26
BELUGA WHALES FROM SEA WORLD BEING AIRLIFTED TO OTHER PARKS AND SANCTUARIES
REUTERS CONNECT : BELUGA WHALES AIRLIFTED
Excerpt: Six beluga whales have embarked on an incredible journey across North America after being rescued from a closed Canadian marine park.The airlifted cetaceans have arrived safely at aquariums in the United States, marking the first stage of a major international effort to rehome the animals.
The whales are among a pod of 30 belugas previously housed at Marineland of Canada, which has closed and is no longer able to provide for their long-term care.
Several aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) have joined the rescue operation because of their expertise in caring for the species and experience in marine mammal rescue.
Four female belugas have been relocated to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, while two others have been transferred to SeaWorld San Antonio in Texas.
The whales travelled by road and air in specially designed, water-filled containers. Marine mammal veterinarians and animal care specialists accompanied them throughout the journey.
Although all six whales arrived safely, experts cautioned that transporting animals over such long distances carries risks and said it would take time to assess their overall health and condition.
"This moment marks the next chapter for these rescued belugas," said Dr. Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium. "Now that they are here, the full attention of our care and veterinary teams is on getting to know these whales and providing whatever supplemental support, care, treatment, nutrition and attention we can provide to help them acclimate to their new environment."
The four whales transferred to Chicago were deliberately moved together because of their established social bonds. Belugas are highly social animals, and keeping familiar groups together is considered important in reducing stress during transport and helping them settle into their new surroundings....
Siren here! There have been other recent recues as well.
10/17/26
ORCAS RAM A SUNFISH SO HARD IT EXPLODES : ARE THEY PLAYING WITH THEIR FOOD?
NPR : ORCAS EXPLODE SUNFISH
Excerpt : Off the shores of Cabo San Lucas, Kathryn Ayres, a scientist at the ocean-health nonprofit Beneath The Waves, saw a surprising orca behavior: One orca holds a sunfish in its mouth, while another lines up and then rams it at high speed — leaving behind thousands of sunfish bits scattered like confetti.
(I'm feeling sorry for the sunfish - seeing it coming! - Siren)
... "We think this may help younger orcas feed more easily — or it could also just be for fun," Ayres says. "Orcas are known for playing with their food."
In fact, these marine mammals have been documented displaying all kinds of "playful" behaviors. Orcas off of Washington state have been seen wearing salmon as hats. And some adolescent orcas take up a hobby of sinking ships.
They're like cats, says Robert Pitman, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University who wasn't involved with the study. He says, like cats, orcas like to "torment prey and non-prey alike."
But Pitman thinks this is primarily a feeding behavior. He notes some older orcas that eat sharks have trouble eating later in life due to teeth worn down to their gums — as do young orcas without teeth. Sunfish, like sharks, can be tough to eat. They can weigh thousands of pounds and have incredibly dense, rubbery, and collagenous skin several inches thick. And if that wasn't trouble enough, "there just doesn't seem to be much to eat on a sunfish," he says.
Excerpt : Off the shores of Cabo San Lucas, Kathryn Ayres, a scientist at the ocean-health nonprofit Beneath The Waves, saw a surprising orca behavior: One orca holds a sunfish in its mouth, while another lines up and then rams it at high speed — leaving behind thousands of sunfish bits scattered like confetti.
(I'm feeling sorry for the sunfish - seeing it coming! - Siren)
... "We think this may help younger orcas feed more easily — or it could also just be for fun," Ayres says. "Orcas are known for playing with their food."
In fact, these marine mammals have been documented displaying all kinds of "playful" behaviors. Orcas off of Washington state have been seen wearing salmon as hats. And some adolescent orcas take up a hobby of sinking ships.
They're like cats, says Robert Pitman, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University who wasn't involved with the study. He says, like cats, orcas like to "torment prey and non-prey alike."
But Pitman thinks this is primarily a feeding behavior. He notes some older orcas that eat sharks have trouble eating later in life due to teeth worn down to their gums — as do young orcas without teeth. Sunfish, like sharks, can be tough to eat. They can weigh thousands of pounds and have incredibly dense, rubbery, and collagenous skin several inches thick. And if that wasn't trouble enough, "there just doesn't seem to be much to eat on a sunfish," he says.
10/14/26
CONTENDER THE ENORMOUS GREAT WHITE SHARK PINGING BETWEEN FLORIDA AND CANADA - NORTH CAROLINA AND MAINE
The great white shark, named Contender, is nearly 14ft long and weighs more than 1,650lbs. The hulking fish has been pinged in several locations off North Carolina and Maine as he headed north for the summer, with Contender’s last known location located off Nova Scotia in Canada on 11 July.
Contender is the largest male ever tagged in the Atlantic by Ocearch, a shark research organization, which first attached a satellite tag to his dorsal fin in January last year. The giant predator, thought to be 30 years old, shuttles between Florida and Canada in his seasonal migrations. Ocearch said it is confident that Contender, named after a research boat, is now summering in Canada.
Excerpt: THE GUARDIAN : CONTENDER PINGING
Contender is the largest male ever tagged in the Atlantic by Ocearch, a shark research organization, which first attached a satellite tag to his dorsal fin in January last year. The giant predator, thought to be 30 years old, shuttles between Florida and Canada in his seasonal migrations. Ocearch said it is confident that Contender, named after a research boat, is now summering in Canada.
Excerpt: THE GUARDIAN : CONTENDER PINGING
10/11/26
10/8/26
KILLER WHALES HAVE NEW WAY TO GET SHARK LIVERS : THEY HEAD BUTT THE SHARKS!
Excerpt: Behavioral ecologist Tristan Guttridge has uncovered how orcas, better known as killer whales, have been able to wipe out populations of white sharks around the world - ripping them apart in highly coordinated strikes from the US to Africa.
'These animals are taking out Jaws... surgically removing their liver and leaving the rest of the animal,' Dr Guttridge said during Discovery's annual Shark Week, in a new special airing Tuesday at 9pm ET.
Shockingly, it appears orcas have learned and taught other whales this deadly behavior by practicing on human sailing boats, wrecking and even capsizing hundreds of boats worldwide.
YIKES!
Excerpt: In South Africa, dead white sharks began washing ashore with their livers 'surgically extracted.'
Researchers explained that a shark's liver, which makes up 25 percent of their body weight, represents a pure energy feast to a pod of orcas.
Shark livers help the creature store massive amounts of fuel, and are also filled with oils that help the animal control its ability to float. For a great white shark, the liver can weigh hundreds of pounds.
While the great white is a massive predator, orcas are even bigger and can grow to be over 30 feet long and weigh over 14,000 pounds.
10/6/26
10/2/26
9/30/26
FOUR HUNDRED POUND SEA TURTLE IN CAYMAN ISLAND SWIMMING POOL RESCUED
Artificial Light is the problem:
Excerpt: But artificial light sources from development on the beach, or flashlights, can interrupt this process and redirect the turtles from where they need to go.
The DoE reminded beachfront properties to help protect nesting turtles by doing the following:Retaining and restoring native coastal vegetation
Reducing artificial light visible from the beach
Moving beach furniture and small watercrafts off the active beach overnight
Designing new elevated pools or installing effective barriers around ground-level pools
Never leaving ground-level pools empty or without suitable fencing during nesting season
The DoE reminded beachfront properties to help protect nesting turtles by doing the following:Retaining and restoring native coastal vegetation
Reducing artificial light visible from the beach
Moving beach furniture and small watercrafts off the active beach overnight
Designing new elevated pools or installing effective barriers around ground-level pools
Never leaving ground-level pools empty or without suitable fencing during nesting season
Beach-goers and tourists can also do their part to protect sea turtles. during nesting season, including keeping beaches flat and easy to navigate and reducing their own sources of artificial light.
9/27/26
A ONE HUNDRED FOOT ROGUE WAVE SHATTERED OCEAN SCIENCE MYTH : THIS ONE WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA
The 100-Foot Rogue Wave That Shattered Ocean Science Myths
Excerpt: A dramatic image that has recently resurfaced on social media shows what is believed to be one of history's most famous rogue waves—a towering wall of water bearing down on the French supertanker Esso Languedoc off the coast of Durban, South Africa, in 1980.
The unforgettable photograph was taken by first mate Philippe Lijour, who happened to have his camera ready as the massive wave rose above the ship's bow. The wave was later estimated to have reached nearly 100 feet in height.
The numbers alone are staggering.
As the wave crashed across the vessel, it swept over a mast standing roughly 82 feet above the waterline, offering one of the earliest pieces of photographic evidence that these seemingly impossible waves truly existed.
Excerpt: A dramatic image that has recently resurfaced on social media shows what is believed to be one of history's most famous rogue waves—a towering wall of water bearing down on the French supertanker Esso Languedoc off the coast of Durban, South Africa, in 1980.
The unforgettable photograph was taken by first mate Philippe Lijour, who happened to have his camera ready as the massive wave rose above the ship's bow. The wave was later estimated to have reached nearly 100 feet in height.
The numbers alone are staggering.
As the wave crashed across the vessel, it swept over a mast standing roughly 82 feet above the waterline, offering one of the earliest pieces of photographic evidence that these seemingly impossible waves truly existed.
9/24/26
9/21/26
WHY WON'T THE DEALIEST PREDATOR IN THE OCEAN (ORCA) EAT YOU?
They don't hunt humans. Do we taste bad?
9/19/26
WHAT ELSE IS HIDING DOWN IN THE ATACAMA TRENCH ? : D CAMANCHACA BUILT FOR VIOLENCE : NEW PREDATOR WITH FRONT LIMBS AND SPRING LOADED CLAWS
POPULAR MECHANICS " NEW PREDATOR FOUND IN ATACAMA TRENCH
Excerpt: while nobody has yet watched D. camanchaca eat, its body is clearly built for violence. It has a slender, fast-looking frame, mouthparts made for shredding rather than filtering, and a pair of oversized, grasping front limbs that work like spring-loaded claws. In most amphipods, those limbs are unremarkable. But in D. camanchaca, they dominate the animal’s front end, which is the anatomical signature of something that grabs living prey instead of waiting for a dead whale to drift down.
At 25,925 feet, the water presses down at roughly 790 times the atmospheric pressure at sea level. But the two-inch-long D. camanchaca is able to live there, molting, swimming, and hunting under a load that would flatten most creatures. Precisely how it manages that isn’t yet fully understood.
“This finding underlines the importance of continued deep-ocean exploration particularly in Chile’s front yard,” IMO’s Carolina González, co-lead author of the study, said in a press statement “More discoveries are expected as we continue to study the Atacama Trench.”
9/14/26
9/11/26
SHARKZILLA?!? 3.6 METRE SHARK TOOK CHOMPS OUT OF HUMPBACK WHALE and SEAL AND HUGE TUNA : IS THIS THE RESULT OF NUCLEAR WASTE MUTATION
2 OCEAN VIBE : MASSIVE 3.6 METRE SHARK : NUCLEAR WASTE DRIVEN BIOLOGICAL CHANGES?
Excerpt: But the discovery of a 12-foot (3.7-metre) mako shark in New York’s coastline, which has been dubbed Sharkzilla, has some locals thinking that its huge size might be the result of a nuclear waste leak causing it to mutate. Yes, really.
This shark is making its marks, quite literally, having taken a 24-inch chomp out of a humpback whale, inflicting a 22-inch wound on a seal and chewing up a 400-pound (180 kilogram) tuna. So, at least its eating well.
The fearsome sea creature was recently featured on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week in an episode titled “Sharkzilla Takes New York,” with the show detailing the efforts of shark scientist, Craig O’Connell, and experts to track down the beast, with the attacks proving that enormous sharks are making a return to the area.
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Siren here! What do you think? IS THIS SCIENCE FACT OR A DELICIOUS FICTION?
9/7/26
THE VENTURES DOCUMENTARY : VENTURES : STARS ON GUITARS
VENTURES :STARS ON GUITARS| Full Music Documentary | Eric Roberts Billy Bob Thornton Lalo Schifrin
LINK HERE : INSIDE THE MUSIC YOUTUBE STATION : THE VENTURES FULL DOCUMENTARY
9/3/26
MANTA TRUST
MANTA TRUST Heartbreaking images of dead mantas due to fishing here!
As I see the link between eating seafood - fishing - and extinction of marine animals I affirm that there is no need for me to eat seafood.
Not everyone can do so.
I understand that.
But please!
9/1/26
WORLDS LARGEST MANTA RAY VISITING LONG ISLAND BEACHES /// SEE A MANTA RAY BREECHING
FOX NEWS : WORLDS LARGEST MANTA RAY : JONES STATE BEACH
There's a short video on this article showing the individual that showed up near Long Island Beaches.
However, I'd like to show you a video of a manta ray breeching too.
This one is from Manta Ray Trust ...
8/31/26
8/26/26
VANCOUVER AQUARIUM IS CANADA'S BIGGEST - 650,000 ANIMALS and THE MARINE ANIMAL RESCUE CENTER and OCEAN WISE
VANCOUVER AQUARIUM 65,000 ANIMALS !
Canada's Only Dedicated Marine Mammal Facility
Canada's Only Dedicated Marine Mammal Facility
Here's what they have to say!
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre is one of the world's largest hospitals dedicated for sick, injured or orphaned marine mammals.
Innovation, Science & Conservation
Internationally Recognized
Globally recognized for world-class animal care, marine science, and conservation, Vancouver Aquarium's immersive exhibits and innovative programs inspire understanding of our ocean—and action to protect it.
The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Centre is one of the world's largest hospitals dedicated for sick, injured or orphaned marine mammals.
Innovation, Science & Conservation
Internationally Recognized
Globally recognized for world-class animal care, marine science, and conservation, Vancouver Aquarium's immersive exhibits and innovative programs inspire understanding of our ocean—and action to protect it.
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There are a number of sea-specific exhibits such as the Amazon Gallery, the Tropics, Pacific Canada Pavilion, and British Columbia's Wild Coast.
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The aquarium is supported by OCEAN ORG : OCEAN WISE CONSERVATON ASSOCIATION
Adopt a whale?
8/23/26
8/20/26
AMERICAN ROWER KELSEY PFENDLER MAKES HISTORIC RECORD BREAKING SOLO ROW : 2400 MILES FROM CALIFORNIA TO HAWAII
It wasn't easy to choose which video or article I would post for you all, but this is it!
She slept on hour a day for a few days, then four hours a day... a storm hit her on day five in the middle of the night... She beat the men's and women's record:
CNN : AMERICAN SOLO ROW BREAKS RECORDS
Pfendler is a 32-year-old Grand Canyon river rafting guide. She launched her 21-foot boat, Lily, on May 21, 2026. Hundreds of people gathered at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor in Honolulu to greet her arrival.
She not only broke the previous women’s record of 86 days and also surpassed the previous men's record of 52 days.
CNN : AMERICAN SOLO ROW BREAKS RECORDS
Pfendler is a 32-year-old Grand Canyon river rafting guide. She launched her 21-foot boat, Lily, on May 21, 2026. Hundreds of people gathered at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor in Honolulu to greet her arrival.
She not only broke the previous women’s record of 86 days and also surpassed the previous men's record of 52 days.
Siren here! I'm totally humbled!
8/17/26
SCIENTISTS HAVE OBSERVED THE OCEAN FLOOR SPREADING FOR THE FIRST TIME : UNDERSEA VOLCANOS ARE SPEWING LAVA
NATURE : OCEAN FLOOR WITNESSED SPLITTING
Excerpt: Geophysicists have, for the first time, caught the ocean floor in the act of spreading apart at one of its seams. Using an array of more than 20 measuring stations laid across a 100-kilometre-long region of the Indian Ocean, they witnessed an event that released around 160 million cubic metres of lava onto the sea floor and shifted two sections of the oceanic crust apart by at least 2 metres in a matter of days.
The scale of the event, which was described today in Nature, was “a major surprise”, according to study co-author Jean-Yves Royer, a marine geophysicist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Brest.
The oceanic crust covers nearly two-thirds of the planet, and undersea mid-oceanic ridges are responsible for its creation. As the existing crust is pulled away from the ridge by the movement of tectonic plates, new crust is produced by magma that wells up from Earth’s core and solidifies. The process has been broadly understood since the mid-twentieth century, but it had never been observed in real time.
Excerpt: Geophysicists have, for the first time, caught the ocean floor in the act of spreading apart at one of its seams. Using an array of more than 20 measuring stations laid across a 100-kilometre-long region of the Indian Ocean, they witnessed an event that released around 160 million cubic metres of lava onto the sea floor and shifted two sections of the oceanic crust apart by at least 2 metres in a matter of days.
The scale of the event, which was described today in Nature, was “a major surprise”, according to study co-author Jean-Yves Royer, a marine geophysicist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Brest.
The oceanic crust covers nearly two-thirds of the planet, and undersea mid-oceanic ridges are responsible for its creation. As the existing crust is pulled away from the ridge by the movement of tectonic plates, new crust is produced by magma that wells up from Earth’s core and solidifies. The process has been broadly understood since the mid-twentieth century, but it had never been observed in real time.
8/14/26
AUSTRALIA RECLCYLES 150,000 WHEELBARROWS OF SHELLS : THE FISH ARE COMING BACK FAST !!!
UNEP : RECLYCLED OYSTER SHELLS :AUSTRALIA REEFS : FISH COMING BACK FAST
Excerpt: Thousands of tons of rock and shells have been placed at more than 20 sites along the southern and eastern coasts of Australia under an ambitious, ongoing initiative to save these ecosystems from extinction.
As well as sustaining a trove of marine biodiversity, restored reefs are bringing back valuable benefits for local businesses, communities and Indigenous people with deep ties to the natural world.
“They may not be as famous as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, but these ecosystems are just as important for maintaining the health of our oceans,” said Natalia Alekseeva of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). “This initiative shows that when nature is given a helping hand, it can come roaring back, for its own sake and for ours.”
Reefs composed of millions of oysters and mussels were once abundant in the bays and estuaries around Australia, underpinning rich ecosystems that provided food and coastal protection for both people and nature.
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Siren here! As always click on the link to read the full story!
8/11/26
8/8/26
HEAR THE SOUND OF THE HARBOR SEAL - AIR or WATER - DISTINCT FROM SEA LIONS
OCR ORG : SOUNDS OF THE HARBOR SEAL WOW! go to this link to hear!
Excerpt: Harbor seals are recognized for emitting a diverse range of sounds, both beneath the water’s surface and in the air. Their underwater vocalization is characterized as a roar. They can detect underwater tonal signals between 0.25 and 100 kHz. In addition, they generate brief barks, tonal honks, grunts, growls, roars, moans, and pup contact calls when above water. Listen for yourself in the audiographs below!
More sea creature sounds available!
8/3/26
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LONG BEACH AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC AND MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUMS TEAM TO BREED SEA OTTERS - SEA OTTER MOMS ADOPT ORPHANS
The Monterey Bay Aquarium's surrogate program continues to pair maternal-age female otters with motherless pups to help save the threatened California population.
KSBK - MONTEREY OTTER MOM ADOPTS ORPHAN
Excerpt: efore last month, a young southern sea otter named Rey would never have imagined she’d be a mother.
That changed when she met Sunny, a pup — about two weeks old — found orphaned and alone on Asilomar State Beach in February. The pairing went off without a hitch.
The two otters now live as mother and daughter at the Aquarium of the Pacific. They arrived at the facility last month, paired together as part of the facility’s surrogacy program that it runs alongside the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The program, created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the 1990s, was launched in Long Beach in 2024. It pairs maternal-age female otters with young, motherless pups who would otherwise not survive on their own in the wild.
Megan Smylie, the sea otter program manager, says the operation has since rehabilitated and released nine otters into the wild, with the three others expected to leave by the summer.
... As a surrogate mom, she’s teaching her adopted baby everything she needs to know to fend for herself, regardless of her inability to return to the wild.
The two were seen manipulating an imitation crab shell and foraging for food. Young otters, because of the thickness and buoyancy of their fur, don’t have the strength to get their furry bodies to the bottom of the water tank.
Otters have the thickest coat of any mammal, with as many as a million hairs per square inch. The hairs trap air, which acts as insulation and helps keep the otters buoyant.
KSBK - MONTEREY OTTER MOM ADOPTS ORPHAN
Excerpt: efore last month, a young southern sea otter named Rey would never have imagined she’d be a mother.
That changed when she met Sunny, a pup — about two weeks old — found orphaned and alone on Asilomar State Beach in February. The pairing went off without a hitch.
The two otters now live as mother and daughter at the Aquarium of the Pacific. They arrived at the facility last month, paired together as part of the facility’s surrogacy program that it runs alongside the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
The program, created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the 1990s, was launched in Long Beach in 2024. It pairs maternal-age female otters with young, motherless pups who would otherwise not survive on their own in the wild.
Megan Smylie, the sea otter program manager, says the operation has since rehabilitated and released nine otters into the wild, with the three others expected to leave by the summer.
The two were seen manipulating an imitation crab shell and foraging for food. Young otters, because of the thickness and buoyancy of their fur, don’t have the strength to get their furry bodies to the bottom of the water tank.
Otters have the thickest coat of any mammal, with as many as a million hairs per square inch. The hairs trap air, which acts as insulation and helps keep the otters buoyant.
7/29/26
BIRCH AQUARIUM AT SCRIPPS - SAN DIEGO
UCSD BIRCH AQUARIUM AT SCRIPPS Here's what's happening....
Shark Summer
Each July, join us as we dive deep into the world of these amazing animals, with fin-tastic fun for shark fans of all ages! Shark Summer celebrates the vital role sharks play in the ecosystem, while shining a light on the important conservation work and research being done to protect them.
At Birch Aquarium, our commitment to ocean conservation and climate action starts at home. Through a variety of on-site initiatives, we bring our mission to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet to life.
Shark Summer
Each July, join us as we dive deep into the world of these amazing animals, with fin-tastic fun for shark fans of all ages! Shark Summer celebrates the vital role sharks play in the ecosystem, while shining a light on the important conservation work and research being done to protect them.
At Birch Aquarium, our commitment to ocean conservation and climate action starts at home. Through a variety of on-site initiatives, we bring our mission to connect understanding to protecting our ocean planet to life.
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It's been years since I posted and linked to this aquarium!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE AQUARIUM? WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?
7/27/26
THE QUEEN CONCH SHELL IS ENDANGERED : ETHICAL SEA SHELL COLLECTING
Second, DO NOT BUY SEA SHELLS FROM SHOPS. Often these shells have been obtained through dredging the sea bottom, upsetting the natural ecology.
Third, TRADE OR BUY ONLY THOSE SHELLS THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED.
Fourth, Keep in mind that scientific sea shell collecting includes the date and place the shell was found and an accounting of the collection. This is data that may be useful to science. (You might tie it to weather research as well.)
Fifth, DO BEACH CLEAN UP INSTEAD. It's frustrating to have to clean up by other people who leave refuse on the beaches, to see broken plastic. Do it anyway.
7/21/26
PLANS TO DISMANTLE OCEAN MONITORING SYSTEM ABANDONED AFTER GREAT BACKLASH
FIRST CAME THIS NEWS : PBS TRUMP ADMINSTRATION DISMANTLES OCEAN MONITORING PROGRAM
Excerpt: Scientists across the country are expressing alarm as the Trump administration dismantles another tool for understanding how the planet is changing. More than 900 deep-sea ocean sensors will be pulled out of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans near Washington, Oregon, Alaska, North Carolina and Greenland. Researchers say these are critical ocean observation tools. William Brangham explains...
GO TO THE SITE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT!
THEN THIS : SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN : TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVERSES COURSE ON PLAN TO DISMANTLE OCEAN MONITORING SYSTEM
“Effective immediately, NSF will not proceed with further removal or descoping of equipment from the remaining arrays and will continue operations including planned maintenance,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday. The plan’s reversal was first reported by the New York Times.
On Monday 11 U.S. Senators sent a bipartisan letter saying that dismantling the ocean system “threatens the safety of our coastal communities,” as well as jeopardizing oceans research. A bill blocking the removal plan in the Senate on Wednesday. ...
Excerpt: Scientists across the country are expressing alarm as the Trump administration dismantles another tool for understanding how the planet is changing. More than 900 deep-sea ocean sensors will be pulled out of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans near Washington, Oregon, Alaska, North Carolina and Greenland. Researchers say these are critical ocean observation tools. William Brangham explains...
GO TO THE SITE TO READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT!
THEN THIS : SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN : TRUMP ADMINISTRATION REVERSES COURSE ON PLAN TO DISMANTLE OCEAN MONITORING SYSTEM
Excerpt: The Trump administration is backing off plans to dismantle a crucial U.S. ocean monitoring system, the National Science Foundation (NSF) confirmed on Thursday. The reversal comes after the agency’s May 21 announcement of its intent to remove hundreds of deep-sea buoys and sensors employed by the $368 million Ocean Observatories Initiative had drawn congressional and international backlash.
“Effective immediately, NSF will not proceed with further removal or descoping of equipment from the remaining arrays and will continue operations including planned maintenance,” the agency said in a statement on Thursday. The plan’s reversal was first reported by the New York Times.
On Monday 11 U.S. Senators sent a bipartisan letter saying that dismantling the ocean system “threatens the safety of our coastal communities,” as well as jeopardizing oceans research. A bill blocking the removal plan in the Senate on Wednesday. ...
7/18/26
GIANT TOXIC LION'S MANE JELLYFISH ON NEW ENGLAND BEACHES : DON'T TOUCH THEM EVEN IF THEY'RE DEAD!
UNILAD : OFFICIALS WARN OF GIANT JELLYFISH
Excerpt: Experts say the jellyfish’s tentacles contain large amounts of neurotoxins that can cause things like skin rashes to respiratory problems, welts, and, in rare cases, even death.
According to the Mayo Clinic,, if you come into contact with a lion’s mane jellyfish, they recommend removing any visible tentacles using fine tweezers.
Then, soak the area in hot water between 110 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as keep the area immersed under hot water until the pain subsides.
Afterward, apply hydrocortisone cream or ointment.
Experts say the surge in lion's mane jellyfish is being driven by warming ocean temperatures, wind and tidal currents, abundant food sources, and sheltered coastal waters that allow the creatures to thrive before washing ashore.
While this is a strange occurrence, marine experts say this influx of the species could indicate something is changing.
7/16/26
BANDED ARCHERFISH : A SPECIES OF THE MANGROVE FORESTS : THE SPITTING SHARPSHOOTER
Since the Teen Climate Council at the Aquarium of the Pacific made me aware of this fish....
LOS ANGELES ZOO : BANDED ARCHERFISH PAGE
Excerpt: Archerfish are best known for their ability to precisely aim and shoot jets of water from their mouths to knock prey off of overhanging plants. Adults can fire as many as seven jets of water up to six feet in length in rapid succession! Developing this unique hunting technique takes time and practice. With no parental care, young fish must quickly master this skill to survive. As they practice, youngsters learn to calibrate the volume and force of water needed to knock down prey of varying sizes, even compensating for the refraction of light to accurately hit their targets.
Mangrove swamps of Australia, Polynesia, India, and Palau.
LOS ANGELES ZOO : BANDED ARCHERFISH PAGE
Excerpt: Archerfish are best known for their ability to precisely aim and shoot jets of water from their mouths to knock prey off of overhanging plants. Adults can fire as many as seven jets of water up to six feet in length in rapid succession! Developing this unique hunting technique takes time and practice. With no parental care, young fish must quickly master this skill to survive. As they practice, youngsters learn to calibrate the volume and force of water needed to knock down prey of varying sizes, even compensating for the refraction of light to accurately hit their targets.
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Yes, the Los Angeles Zoo has an aquarium where this fish lives.
Check other Aquariums too!
7/13/26
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL and OTHER YOUTH STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS
AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC ; TEEN CLIMATE COUNCIL and OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
"Teens are turning the tide at the Aquarium of the Pacific through volunteer leadership dedicated to conservation, science, and ocean stewardship. Youth-led programs by teens, for teens, are here to engage and change the world. "
This might just be an opportunity for you....
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Siren here! I was able to sit in on a presentation of this group recently and was impressed!
Scholarships!
7/10/26
SPEAKING OF SUNKEN : STEAMER LAC LA BELLE : LOST IN1872 : FOUND IN LAKE MICHIGAN
https://www.shipwreckworld.com/articles/pioneer-wreckhunter-finds-lake-michigan-passenger-steamer-lost-for-130-years
EXCERPT: Pioneer Illinois Shipwreck Hunter and Scuba Diver Paul Ehorn is pleased to announce the discovery of one of Lake Michigan’s most sought-after missing ships.
The passenger steamer Lac La Belle had been missing in the depths of Lake Michigan since a stormy night in October of 1872. Ehorn located her upright, intact hull almost 150 years to the day after her loss. ... Many other wreck hunters had searched for the Lac La Belle, but the location of her sinking was poorly known, leaving a large search grid. In 2022, fellow wreck hunter and maritime historian Ross Richardson found a new historical clue that narrowed the grid down significantly.
Armed with the information Ehorn and his partner Bruce Bittner set out with Ehorn’s Klein sidescan sonar prepared for a long search. About two hours in on only their second pass, a large object crawled across the screen. They immediately turned around and viewed it at higher resolution, showing the unmistakable hogging arches of the Lac La Belle. “It was a moment of real jubilation” exclaimed Ehorn. “We knew we had done it.”
The wreck’s distance from shore and poor weather prevented Ehorn from examining the wreck for almost two years. Eventually Ehorn, who is now 80 years old, recruited divers John Janzen and John Scoles to dive and film the deep wreck. They were able to film the massive 217-foot ship, which is remarkably intact considering her violent end. “Although her superstructure is blown off, you can see all of her wooden framing and some of her cargo is visible,” stated Ehorn.
Ehorn’s plans for the wreck include creating a 3D photogrammetry model that will record the condition and layout of the wreck in detail before he releases the location.
EXCERPT: Pioneer Illinois Shipwreck Hunter and Scuba Diver Paul Ehorn is pleased to announce the discovery of one of Lake Michigan’s most sought-after missing ships.
The passenger steamer Lac La Belle had been missing in the depths of Lake Michigan since a stormy night in October of 1872. Ehorn located her upright, intact hull almost 150 years to the day after her loss. ... Many other wreck hunters had searched for the Lac La Belle, but the location of her sinking was poorly known, leaving a large search grid. In 2022, fellow wreck hunter and maritime historian Ross Richardson found a new historical clue that narrowed the grid down significantly.
Armed with the information Ehorn and his partner Bruce Bittner set out with Ehorn’s Klein sidescan sonar prepared for a long search. About two hours in on only their second pass, a large object crawled across the screen. They immediately turned around and viewed it at higher resolution, showing the unmistakable hogging arches of the Lac La Belle. “It was a moment of real jubilation” exclaimed Ehorn. “We knew we had done it.”
The wreck’s distance from shore and poor weather prevented Ehorn from examining the wreck for almost two years. Eventually Ehorn, who is now 80 years old, recruited divers John Janzen and John Scoles to dive and film the deep wreck. They were able to film the massive 217-foot ship, which is remarkably intact considering her violent end. “Although her superstructure is blown off, you can see all of her wooden framing and some of her cargo is visible,” stated Ehorn.
Ehorn’s plans for the wreck include creating a 3D photogrammetry model that will record the condition and layout of the wreck in detail before he releases the location.
7/7/26
CITIES SINKING OR SEA LEVELS RISING? : JAKARTA BEING EFFECTED THE MOST
If you click on the label Sunken Cities, you can read past posts about some of the cities that sunk long ago. Today's cities are both sinking because the weight of building is compressing soil and being flooded because the sea levels are rising!
DAILY MAIL SCIENCE : STUDY DETECTS WHICH CITIES WILL SINK
Excerpt: Between rising seas and sinking land, heavily urbanised areas of coast experience a relative sea level increase of about 6mm per year on average.
That is three times more than the global average for relative sea level rise, which stands at 2.1mm per year.
Likewise, land subsidence roughly doubles the absolute sea–level rise of 3.15mm per year, which measures the actual increase in volume and height of the ocean.
Lead researcher Dr Julius Oelsmann, of Technical University of Munich, says that this can 'significantly amplify the effects of climate–driven sea–level rise'.
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Check out that map. Is your city on it?
***
Excerpt: Countries where relative sea levels are rising the fastest include Thailand, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, China, and Indonesia, where the ocean is getting seven to 10 millimetres higher each year.The US, the Netherlands, and Italy also experience exceptionally rapid increases, with relative sea levels rising by around four to 5mm per year.
7/4/26
7/2/26
7/1/26
6/29/26
ENDANGERED SEA SPECIES OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN : NOAA REPORTS : SEA TURTLES, STURGEON, CORALS,
FISHERIES NOAA : SOUTHERN ATLANTIC ENDANGERED SPECIES
Green sea turtle, Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, Leatherback sea turtle, Loggerhead sea turtle, Hawsbill sea turtle, Smalltooth sawfish, Shortnose sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, Nassau grouper, Oceanic whitetip shark, Giant manta ray, Queen conche, Elkhorn coral, Staghorn coral, Boulder star coral...
Green sea turtle, Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, Leatherback sea turtle, Loggerhead sea turtle, Hawsbill sea turtle, Smalltooth sawfish, Shortnose sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, Nassau grouper, Oceanic whitetip shark, Giant manta ray, Queen conche, Elkhorn coral, Staghorn coral, Boulder star coral...
6/26/26
SAMS CLIMATE CHANGE STUDY : ATLANTIC OCEAN CURRENTS : NO CLEAR SIGNAL THAT THE AMOC IS WEAKENING AT THE SUB-POLAR LATITUTE
Marine scientists in Scotland have helped to develop the most comprehensive view yet of how large-scale north Atlantic currents that dictate our climate may be changing.
EXCERPT: Oceanographers across the world have long hypothesized that the AMOC could be weakening because of climate change, a view partly supported by a sub-tropical array of moorings known as RAPID, which has been in place since 2004. Because AMOC transports heat northwards from the tropics, a weakening, or complete collapse, of this ocean system could potentially plunge western Europe into freezing temperatures more commonly associated with higher latitudes such as Greenland and Siberia.
Project lead Dr. Neil Fraser of SAMS said SCOTIA had shown no clear signal that the AMOC was weakening at sub-polar latitude, but added this did not necessarily mean there was no overall weakening over a longer period of time. "The creation of the SCOTIA array and the methods we used to gather this data mean we are a step closer to answering one of the biggest questions in ocean science: is the AMOC weakening? It will allow us to effectively keep our finger on the pulse of the AMOC to give us the best chance of detecting a weakening or collapse."
EXCERPT: Oceanographers across the world have long hypothesized that the AMOC could be weakening because of climate change, a view partly supported by a sub-tropical array of moorings known as RAPID, which has been in place since 2004. Because AMOC transports heat northwards from the tropics, a weakening, or complete collapse, of this ocean system could potentially plunge western Europe into freezing temperatures more commonly associated with higher latitudes such as Greenland and Siberia.
Project lead Dr. Neil Fraser of SAMS said SCOTIA had shown no clear signal that the AMOC was weakening at sub-polar latitude, but added this did not necessarily mean there was no overall weakening over a longer period of time. "The creation of the SCOTIA array and the methods we used to gather this data mean we are a step closer to answering one of the biggest questions in ocean science: is the AMOC weakening? It will allow us to effectively keep our finger on the pulse of the AMOC to give us the best chance of detecting a weakening or collapse."
6/23/26
100 MILLION YEARS AGO GIANT OCTOPUS - UP TO 62 FEET LONG - WERE PREDATORS IN THE OCEANS
CNN : GIANT OCTOPUS FOSSIL : TOP PREDATORS 100 MILLION YEARS AGO
Excerpt: Giant octopuses measuring up to 62 feet (19 meters) in length were among the top ocean predators around 100 million years ago, according to new research that uncovered rare fossils hidden within solid rock.
Remarkably well-preserved specimens of the octopuses’ powerful jaws show signs of intense wear from crushing hard prey including shells and bones, a study published in the journal Science on Thursday reports.
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Take a look at the photo of the fossil as well as artist interpretations of these giant octopus! These were way bigger than today's giant squid!
6/18/26
6/15/26
HE TAUGHT AN OCTOPUS TO PLAY THE HAMMER PIANO !?! IS THIS A DELICIOUS FICTION OR NOT?
Hello my dear readers.... What do YOU think of this?
6/12/26
THE GOLD ORB : SCIENTISTS FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS BLOB IT IS!
6/9/26
6/6/26
6/3/26
YELLOW BRICK ROAD AT THE DEEP BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN?
Is this THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD? Liliʻuokalani Ridge Seamounts
SCIENCE ALERT : YELLOW BRICK ROAD OFF HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Excerpt: Trust/E/V/Nautilus/YouTube)
The formation has been identified as "a fractured flow of hyaloclastite rock (a volcanic rock formed in high-energy eruptions where many rock fragments settle to the seabed)."
On the radio, the team notes that the ground looks almost like a "baked crust" that could be peeled off.
In one tiny section, the volcanic rock has fractured in a way that looks strikingly similar to bricks.
"The unique 90-degree fractures are likely related to heating and cooling stress from multiple eruptions at this baked margin," reads a caption to the YouTube video.
Excerpt: Trust/E/V/Nautilus/YouTube)
The formation has been identified as "a fractured flow of hyaloclastite rock (a volcanic rock formed in high-energy eruptions where many rock fragments settle to the seabed)."
On the radio, the team notes that the ground looks almost like a "baked crust" that could be peeled off.
In one tiny section, the volcanic rock has fractured in a way that looks strikingly similar to bricks.
"The unique 90-degree fractures are likely related to heating and cooling stress from multiple eruptions at this baked margin," reads a caption to the YouTube video.
6/1/26
5/30/26
300 MILLION YEAR "WORLD'S OLDEST OCTOPUS" TURNS OUT TO BE A COUSIN!
300 MILLION YEAR OLD FOSSIL SHOWING WHAT SCIENTIST BELIEVED TO BE THE OLDEST OCTOPUS !
Excerpt: Shockwaves echoed across the scientific community, this week, when what was believed to be the world’s oldest fossil of an octopus, was actually another animal entirely.
The fossil was even featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, dubbing it with the title as the “earliest known octopus,” existing during its lifetime not far from Chicago in today’s landlocked Illinois, USA. They even described it as, “resembling a flattened cow pat or a globular splat, but it possesses eight tentacles, two eyes, and what may be an ink sac – all features characterizing octopuses of today.”
SURFER COM : 300 MILLION YEAR OLD OCTOPUS FOSSIL
Excerpt: Shockwaves echoed across the scientific community, this week, when what was believed to be the world’s oldest fossil of an octopus, was actually another animal entirely.
The fossil was even featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, dubbing it with the title as the “earliest known octopus,” existing during its lifetime not far from Chicago in today’s landlocked Illinois, USA. They even described it as, “resembling a flattened cow pat or a globular splat, but it possesses eight tentacles, two eyes, and what may be an ink sac – all features characterizing octopuses of today.”
SURFER COM : 300 MILLION YEAR OLD OCTOPUS FOSSIL
Take a look at that fossil!
5/27/26
WHALE SWIMS 20 MILES IN RIVER -DEAD - FEAR FOR SPECIES : GRAY WHALE POPULATION HALF IN A DECADE
Siren here! I believe the whales are starving and humans are the reason.
I first heard this story via the Seattle Times:
BBC: Gray Whale Dies Days After Swimming River
Excerpt: The juvenile whale, affectionately dubbed "Willapa Willy" by locals, was first spotted last Wednesday in the north fork of the river, about 145 miles southwest of Seattle, the marine mammal research group said.
The whale, "although thin, was behaving normally," the group said at the time, with no sign of injuries.
Its teams had hoped the whale would find its own way out of the river but it failed to do so.
5/17/26
ARE YOU CONSIDERING BECOMING A MARINE SCIENTIST?
Once in a while someone tells me that viewing SIREN'S LINK TO SEA inspires them to consider a career in MARINE SCIENCE...
5/13/26
IF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN CURRENT COLLAPSES WILL ICELAND BE DOOMED?
REUTERS : ICELAND DEEMS POSSIBLE ATLANTIC CURRENT COLLAPSE
Excerpt: Iceland has designated the potential collapse of a major Atlantic Ocean current system a national security concern and an existential threat, enabling its government to strategize for worst-case scenarios, the country's climate minister told Reuters.
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, current brings warm water from the tropics northward toward the Arctic, and the flow of warm water helps keep Europe’s winters mild.
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5/9/26
MARIANNA TRENCH : THIS MINI DOCUMENTARY MAY UPSET YOU : WAIT TILL YOU FIND OUT WHAT THEY FOUND ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE TRENCH
The Marianna Trench is the deepest place on earth. It is deeper than the tallest mountains. And it went unexplored for decades due to the extreme pressure. Watch this film all the way and let me know what you feel!
5/4/26
5/2/26
4/30/26
PDF FILE RESEARCH GATE DEEP DIVE INTO SHARK ECOLOGY
Yes YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE REPORT. Link to this Research Gate report right here!
RESEARCH GATE : Deep Dive into Shark Ecology by Primo Micarelli
Centro Studi Squali - Sharks Studies Centre - Scientific Institute,
Francesca Romana Reinero
Centro Studi Squali-Sharks Studies Center
Centro Studi Squali - Sharks Studies Centre - Scientific Institute,
Francesca Romana Reinero
Centro Studi Squali-Sharks Studies Center
4/26/26
CONTENDER : LARGEST WHITE SHARK EVER TAGGED OFF COAST OF FLORIDA : MALE ALMOST FOURTEEN FEET LONG! NAMED "CONTENDER"
Siren here!
We are going to the https://www.ocearch.org/tracker/detail/contender OCEARCH TRACKER SITE SO YOU TOO CAN WATCH CONTENDER SWIM!
What is his territory if he has one?!
over 1600 pounds too!
*** He keeps pinging !
4/23/26
GOLDEN SHARK CAUGHT OFF COAST OF COSTA RICA
REAL CLEAR SCIENCE : GOLDEN SHARK CAUGHT
Excerpt: One spectacular example of this is a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) caught and released by sports fishers off the coast of Costa Rica in August 2024. Not only was this shark not its usual brown cookie-dough color, but it was vividly orange-colored – with white eyes, to boot.************
WHY IS THIS SHARK THAT LOOKS TO BE THE COLOR OF A GOLD FISH ORANGE? sHE LIKES WARM WATER TOO!
Click on the link to see the photo! Almost unbelievable!
4/22/26
IT'S EARTH DAY! WAYS TO CELEBRATE TODAY and EVERY DAY! 10,000 EVENTS
EARTHDAY ORG Click on your place in the world....
Excerpt: Community cleanups, teach-ins, peaceful demonstrations, tree planting, voter registration, town hall meetings, community organizing — every action strengthens the movement. Add your event to the map and show the power of collective action.4/17/26
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4/14/26
170O POUND GREAT WHITE SHARK TRACKED - FLORIDA TO NORTH CAROLINA : HE'S NAMED "CONTENDER"
CBS NEWS : 1700 POUND SHARK TRACKED OFF COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA
Excerpt:Sharks don't ping every day. Their movements are tracked by devices attached to their dorsal fins. The trackers can't transmit through water, OCEARCH senior data scientist John Tyminski said in a video published by the organization. To accurately confirm a shark's location, the tracker must break the surface while an Argos satellite is above. The satellites are only in a given spot for about 13 minutes. During that time, the tracker must send multiple messages for a location to be confirmed.
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ARE YOU AFRAID OF SHARKS? Leave me a comment! Siren
4/12/26
4/10/26
AS ARTEMIS II RETURNS TO EARTH FROM SURVEYING THE MOON LET'S REMEMBER ...
70%
OF THE EARTH
IS OCEAN !
4/8/26
FIRST SHARK OFF ANTARCTICA CAUGHT ON CAMERA - WHY IT MATTERS
FORBES : ANTARCTICAS FIRST SHARK CAUGHT ON CAMERA
Excerpt: Sharks have survived mass extinctions, shifting continents and dramatic climate swings for more than 400 million years. They patrol coral reefs, cruise open oceans, call kelp forests home and rule the deep sea. And while Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) are known to rule the icy, dark waters of the Arctic Ocean, the Antarctic landscape has long been barren of this predator. The Southern Ocean is frigid, remote and punishingly cold, with temperatures dipping below zero. Which is why new footage captured near the South Shetland Islands is so remarkable: for the first time, a shark has been recorded on video in the Southern Ocean itself.4/5/26
TOM GRUBER FIRST FOOTAGE OF HAWAIIAN DAY OCTOPUS WHO RECOGNIZED HERSELF ?! DO YOU AGREE?
I think Octopuses might be the most intelligent of sea creatures, other than the whales. In this video, Tom Gruber, the inventor of Siri, filmed one that saw itself in a mirror. To be honest, I think the octopus saw another octopus. DO YOU THINK IT KNEW IT WAS LOOKING AT ITSELF?
4/2/26
CARNIVOROUS DEATH BALL SPONGES! ZOBIE WORMS!?
Carnivorous! OCEAN CENSUS ORG
Excerpt:
Its spherical form is covered in tiny hooks that trap prey, a clear contrast to the gentle, passive, filter-feeding undertaken by most sponges. ‘Zombie worms’ (Osedax sp.) were also observed. Although not thought to be new to science, these worms have no mouth or gut and rely on symbiotic bacteria to break down fats inside the bones of whales and other large vertebrates.4/1/26
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3/30/26
RARE SIGHTING OF GIANT PHANTOM JELLY FISH OFF THE COAST OF ARGENTINA
OOOH this BBC website has video of the swimming phantom!
BBC NEWS : RARE SIGNTING PHANTOM JELLY OFF ARGENTINA
A rare phantom jellyfish has been spotted by scientists exploring the deep sea near Argentina.
Stygiomedusa gigantea, more commonly known as the giant phantom jellyfish, was filmed 250 metres below the surface in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Scientists from the Schmidt Ocean Institute documented the creature, which can grow up to 1m (3.3ft) in diameter, with their arms reaching up to 10m (33ft) long.
Their four arms, which look like long pink ribbons, are not stinging tentacles. Instead the jellyfish use them to catch their prey of fish and plankton, according to the institute.
The team also discovered 28 potential new species including corals, sea urchins, and sea anemones.
3/27/26
BLUE MARINE FOUNDATION : ACTION TO PROTECT OUR OCEAN : LET'S PROTECT 30 PERCENT OF THE OCEAN BY 2030
BLUE MARINE FOUNDATION 4.9 KM of OCEAN PROTECTED
Blue Marine is dedicated to protecting and restoring life in the ocean. Our mission is to see at least 30 per cent of the ocean protected by 2030 and the whole ocean sustainably managed. We support low-impact fishing and equitable use of the ocean and address overfishing – one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges.
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This is the time to check in with yourself. Are you overeating seafood?
3/24/26
ORCAS HAVE BEEN SINKING BOATS
It's true... there have been a number of reports.
DIVE MAGAZINE : ORCAS SINK BOAT - PORTUGAL
OUTSIDE ONLIE : WE SAILED THROUGH ORCA ALLEY - BOATS RAMMED -SINKING
Excerpt: Along the Iberian Peninsula, where the North Atlantic collides with the rugged coastlines of Spain and Portugal before pinching into the Mediterranean Sea, an endangered subpopulation of orcas has developed the unfortunate habit of ramming into sailboats. The powerful animals target the rudders, often breaking them and destroying or disabling a boat’s steering. Such force can sometimes also damage a boat’s hull and cause a leak.
Orcas, also called killer whales (Orcinus orca), are known for their prowess as marine predators, and they’re intelligent and highly social. Across their global range, they’re unusually flexible in what they eat, how they hunt, and where they call home. Among their many talents, they’re masters of surprise.
DIVE MAGAZINE : ORCAS SINK BOAT - PORTUGAL
OUTSIDE ONLIE : WE SAILED THROUGH ORCA ALLEY - BOATS RAMMED -SINKING
Excerpt: Along the Iberian Peninsula, where the North Atlantic collides with the rugged coastlines of Spain and Portugal before pinching into the Mediterranean Sea, an endangered subpopulation of orcas has developed the unfortunate habit of ramming into sailboats. The powerful animals target the rudders, often breaking them and destroying or disabling a boat’s steering. Such force can sometimes also damage a boat’s hull and cause a leak.
Orcas, also called killer whales (Orcinus orca), are known for their prowess as marine predators, and they’re intelligent and highly social. Across their global range, they’re unusually flexible in what they eat, how they hunt, and where they call home. Among their many talents, they’re masters of surprise.
3/21/26
ZOOPHYTES
Zoophytes via Bibliodyssey
A zoophyte is a plantlike animal, especially a coral, sea anemone, sponge, or sea lily.
A zoophyte is a plantlike animal, especially a coral, sea anemone, sponge, or sea lily.
3/18/26
PANAMA : OCEAN WATERS DID NOT RISE SEASONALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS : TERRIBLE CONCERN THAT OCEAN SYSTEM IS COLLAPSING
NEWSROOM PANAMA : FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS
Excerpt: For over 40 years, seasonal upwelling in the Gulf of Panama has followed a consistent pattern. Between the end of the calendar year and early spring, trade winds from the north push surface waters offshore, drawing cooler, deeper water upward. The process delivers nutrients that stimulate phytoplankton growth, forming the foundation of the marine food web. .................
In early 2025, that system failed. No cold water rose to the surface. No spike in surface chlorophyll was recorded. Ocean surface temperatures remained elevated through the season. According to data collected by scientists aboard the S/Y Eugen Seibold, a research vessel jointly operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Max Planck Institute, the vertical movement of water that characterizes the upwelling was entirely absent. The study documenting the event, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, confirms it as the first complete suppression of the upwelling in the observational record. Researchers noted that this shift eliminated a key stabilizing mechanism in the region’s marine ecosystem and exposed vulnerabilities in the broader ocean-climate system.
Winds Weaken, With Cascading Effects
At the center of the disruption was a collapse in atmospheric drivers. The northern trade winds, normally responsible for triggering the upwelling process, were significantly weaker in early 2025. As a result, surface waters remained in place, and the temperature differential needed to initiate vertical mixing did not materialize. The absence of cooler waters had immediate ecological effects. Without an influx of nutrients, phytoplankton production declined sharply. Satellite observations confirmed reduced chlorophyll-a concentrations throughout the Gulf of Panama during the period when biological productivity typically peaks.
Go to this important article which is excellent to learn about how this is supposed to work, and the effect on the sea creatures - including starvation!
Excerpt: For over 40 years, seasonal upwelling in the Gulf of Panama has followed a consistent pattern. Between the end of the calendar year and early spring, trade winds from the north push surface waters offshore, drawing cooler, deeper water upward. The process delivers nutrients that stimulate phytoplankton growth, forming the foundation of the marine food web. .................
In early 2025, that system failed. No cold water rose to the surface. No spike in surface chlorophyll was recorded. Ocean surface temperatures remained elevated through the season. According to data collected by scientists aboard the S/Y Eugen Seibold, a research vessel jointly operated by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Max Planck Institute, the vertical movement of water that characterizes the upwelling was entirely absent. The study documenting the event, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, confirms it as the first complete suppression of the upwelling in the observational record. Researchers noted that this shift eliminated a key stabilizing mechanism in the region’s marine ecosystem and exposed vulnerabilities in the broader ocean-climate system.
Winds Weaken, With Cascading Effects
At the center of the disruption was a collapse in atmospheric drivers. The northern trade winds, normally responsible for triggering the upwelling process, were significantly weaker in early 2025. As a result, surface waters remained in place, and the temperature differential needed to initiate vertical mixing did not materialize. The absence of cooler waters had immediate ecological effects. Without an influx of nutrients, phytoplankton production declined sharply. Satellite observations confirmed reduced chlorophyll-a concentrations throughout the Gulf of Panama during the period when biological productivity typically peaks.
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Go to this important article which is excellent to learn about how this is supposed to work, and the effect on the sea creatures - including starvation!
3/15/26
OCEAN DEFENDERS ALLIANCE
OCNONPROFITCENTRAL : OCEAN DEFENDERS ALLIANCE
This looks like a great one!
Excerpt: In 23 years, ODA has performed just under 600 ocean cleanups in 7 different counties of California and Hawai'i. The debris that has been removed from harm's way includes:
Plastics: over 84 tons (168,000 pounds)
Traps: 540
Trap lines that entangle whales: 51,000 feet
Fishing line: 293,000 feet
Nets: 49,000 pounds
Misc Debris: 139,000 pounds
Lead fishing weights: 11,500 pounds
And so much more! Marine wildlife and their habitats are safer without this hazardous debris.
This looks like a great one!
Excerpt: In 23 years, ODA has performed just under 600 ocean cleanups in 7 different counties of California and Hawai'i. The debris that has been removed from harm's way includes:
Plastics: over 84 tons (168,000 pounds)
Traps: 540
Trap lines that entangle whales: 51,000 feet
Fishing line: 293,000 feet
Nets: 49,000 pounds
Misc Debris: 139,000 pounds
Lead fishing weights: 11,500 pounds
And so much more! Marine wildlife and their habitats are safer without this hazardous debris.
************
Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) began protecting California's ocean ecosystems and wildlife in 2000. We are the longest running nonprofit focused solely on removal of dangerous man-made fishing gear from the coastal waters of California. Since then, and because of the help of our many wonderful volunteers, we have removed vast amounts of trap-line and net that too often entangle whales, dolphins, and sea lions. We have also recovered hundreds of abandoned lobster traps and many tons of other debris that was threatening marine life. The result for sea life is simple: ODA's work has saved hundreds of thousands of animals from unnecessary and horrific death (most often drowning or starvation). The world's oceans are in serious decline, primarily due to human abuse and neglect--but there is cause for hope! Working together with respect and focus, we will increase our already positive impact. Please help us ensure healthy oceans for future generations. The time to act is NOW! Come join us!
3/12/26
PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CENTER - LAGUNA BEACH : REHABS VISITOR AREA : SEA LIONS HAVE HIGH RATE OF CANCER : NEXT WAVE EXPANSION
You may not be able to visit as a tourist, but you CAN donate, volunteer, or be a help to the cause.
PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CENTER : NEXT WAVE CAMPAIGN
Excerpt: We’re excited to invite you to join us as we usher in a new era for our organization - The Next Wave expansion.
The Next Wave Campaign will include:
A water reclamation system that will save our community 15,000 gallons of water every day
Increasing the standards of animal care
Improving our research capacity
Providing more students with access to our educational programming
Laying the groundwork for powerful advocacy that will help us as we Build a Better Ocean - one with fewer plastics and less chemical pollution.
We care for the most common pinnipeds to southern California which are:
California Sea Lions
Northern Elephant Seals
Northern Fur Seals
Pacific Harbor Seals
PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CENTER : NEXT WAVE CAMPAIGN
Excerpt: We’re excited to invite you to join us as we usher in a new era for our organization - The Next Wave expansion.
The Next Wave Campaign will include:
A water reclamation system that will save our community 15,000 gallons of water every day
Increasing the standards of animal care
Improving our research capacity
Providing more students with access to our educational programming
Laying the groundwork for powerful advocacy that will help us as we Build a Better Ocean - one with fewer plastics and less chemical pollution.
****************
California Sea Lions
Northern Elephant Seals
Northern Fur Seals
Pacific Harbor Seals
3/9/26
3/6/26
PREHISTORIC SHELL TRUMPETS STILL MAKE SOUND!
DAILY MAIL : SCIENCE : PREHISTORIC SHELL TRUMPETS
Excerpts: Amazingly, eight of the instruments still worked perfectly, with the loudest toot reaching 111.5 decibels - as loud as a powerful car horn or trombone.Researchers believe that these trumpets would have been used as an ancient form of communication technology, with simple codes shared between communities.
These blasts could easily travel the three to six miles (five to 10 km) between the Stone Age villages where the horns were discovered.
They could have been used to communicate between different settlements, warning of attacks or coordinating harvest times.
Others, found deep within abandoned mines, might have been used to send messages through the underground darkness.
*** See the photos of the shells and read more about the archeology!
3/3/26
HUNDREDS OF PINK DOLPHINS FOUND DEAD IN BRAZIL'S LAKE TEFE : THEY BOILED IN HEAT WAVE WATER HOTTER THAN A JACUZZI
CBS : DOLPHINS DEAD IN WATER HOTTER THAN JACUZZI BRAZIL LAKE TEFE
Excerpts:
Officials from the World Wildlife Fund Brazil said 153 dolphins were found dead the week of Sept. 23, 2023, including 130 pink dolphins, and 23 tucuxi dolphins. Both are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and the latter of which are considered "the guardians of rivers and a symbol of good luck," according to RiverDolphins.org.
"The climate emergency is here"
What made it even more remarkable, said Fleischmann, was that the same temperature was found not just at the surface but throughout the two-meter-deep water column.
Using computer modeling, the team identified four key drivers: strong solar heating, shallow waters, low wind speeds, and high turbidity — a measure of water haziness.
These factors reinforce one another. Shallowness increases turbidity, which traps more heat, while low wind carries less heat away, leaving the water more exposed to clear skies and intense sunlight.
Another stressor for aquatic life was the large swing between highs and lows, with the peak of 41C in Tefe followed by a nighttime low of 27C.
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Siren here! It's not just sad, it's terrifying!
3/1/26
2/26/26
BLUE WHALES GONE SILENT?! CLIMATE CHANGE? ALL ENERGY USED TO FIND ENOUGH FOOD - KRILL
THE WEEK : BLUE WHALES NOT SINGING -CLIMATE CHANGE
Excerpt: The study tracked over six years of acoustic monitoring in the central California Current Ecosystem. During those years, blue whale sounds decreased by approximately 40%.
"We don't hear them singing," John Ryan, a biological oceanographer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and the lead author of the study, said to National Geographic. They are "spending all their energy searching." There's "just not enough time left over" for singing, and that "tells us those years are incredibly stressful." It's like "trying to sing while you are starving,"
"When we have these really hot years and marine heat waves, it's more than just temperature," Kelly Benoit-Bird, a marine biologist at Monterey Bay Aquarium and co-author of the study, said to National Geographic. "The whole system changes, and we don't get the krill." So the animals that "rely only on krill are kind of out of luck." High ocean temperatures lead to algal blooms that can kill krill. And blue whales are "forced to forage over a much larger geographic area when krill populations become depleted," said Newsweek.
Marine heat waves are only going to get worse due to fossil fuel usage. Oceans act as the world's largest carbon sink, meaning they "already absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change," said The Independent. There are "whole ecosystem consequences of these marine heat waves," said Benoit-Bird. If whales "can't find food and they can traverse the entire West Coast of North America, that's a really large-scale consequence."
Excerpt: The study tracked over six years of acoustic monitoring in the central California Current Ecosystem. During those years, blue whale sounds decreased by approximately 40%.
"We don't hear them singing," John Ryan, a biological oceanographer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and the lead author of the study, said to National Geographic. They are "spending all their energy searching." There's "just not enough time left over" for singing, and that "tells us those years are incredibly stressful." It's like "trying to sing while you are starving,"
"When we have these really hot years and marine heat waves, it's more than just temperature," Kelly Benoit-Bird, a marine biologist at Monterey Bay Aquarium and co-author of the study, said to National Geographic. "The whole system changes, and we don't get the krill." So the animals that "rely only on krill are kind of out of luck." High ocean temperatures lead to algal blooms that can kill krill. And blue whales are "forced to forage over a much larger geographic area when krill populations become depleted," said Newsweek.
Marine heat waves are only going to get worse due to fossil fuel usage. Oceans act as the world's largest carbon sink, meaning they "already absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change," said The Independent. There are "whole ecosystem consequences of these marine heat waves," said Benoit-Bird. If whales "can't find food and they can traverse the entire West Coast of North America, that's a really large-scale consequence."
BLUE WHALES ARE THE LARGEST ANIMALS ON OUR PLANET!
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