OCEANA CAMPAIGNS : SAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES
EXCERPT: Did you know that one of the most impactful ways to protect endangered ocean species is to prevent them from being unintentionally caught up in fishing gear?
About 10% of the world’s global fish catch is discarded. And each year, fishing gear kills or injures millions of non-targeted animals as bycatch, including sharks, whales, dolphins, fish, and sea turtles, some of which are vulnerable or endangered ocean species.
In recent years, Oceana has helped to ban the deadly shark fin trade in the United States and Canada. Oceana is continuing to work to reduce bycatch and protect important species like the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale from destructive fishing practices and other human caused threats.
Oceana and our allies have won more than 75 victories to protect threatened and endangered ocean species, including sharks, sea turtles, and whales.Did you know that one of the most impactful ways to protect endangered ocean species is to prevent them from being unintentionally caught up in fishing gear?
About 10% of the world’s global fish catch is discarded. And each year, fishing gear kills or injures millions of non-targeted animals as bycatch, including sharks, whales, dolphins, fish, and sea turtles, some of which are vulnerable or endangered ocean species.
In recent years, Oceana has helped to ban the deadly shark fin trade in the United States and Canada. Oceana is continuing to work to reduce bycatch and protect important species like the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale from destructive fishing practices and other human caused threats.
Oceana and our allies have won more than 75 victories to protect threatened and endangered ocean species, including sharks, sea turtles, and whales.
7/30/25
OCEANA : PROTECT ENDANGERED SPECIES WITH LEGAL ACTION : 10% OF GLOBAL FISH CATCH IS DISCARDED
3/11/25
SURFERS AGAINST SEWAGE : ONE IN THREE FISH FOR HUMAN FOOD HAS PLASTIC IN IT AND OTHER STATS!
2/11/25
DOLPHINS FOUND TO HAVE FENTANYL IN THEIR BODIES and OTHER DRUGS
Excerpts: The researchers found fentanyl — a painkiller 100 times more powerful than morphine – in 24 of the samples, including all post-mortem specimens taken from the six dolphins that had died. The sedative meprobamate and the skeletal muscle relaxant carisoprodol were also found in the marine mammals' blubber.
More than a quarter of Earth's rivers have also been found to contain pharmaceuticals at levels higher than what's considered safe for aquatic organisms, with their waters contributing to concentrations of pollutants in marine environments.
Siren here! I feel sick!
12/8/24
PACIFIC WHALE FOUNDATON WHALE and DOLPHIN TRACKER APP is FREE
Excerpt: This map displays the previous 7 days of sightings in near-real time and does not rely on tagged whales. The app is free to use and open to all users who would like to add their own whale and dolphin sightings when they are at-sea. You can use the species and date filters to view sightings from the past 12 months.
PACIFIC WHALE : DOPHIN AND WHALE TRACKER APP
8/13/24
NEUROTOXIN POISONING OF SEA LIONS ALONG CALIFORNIA COAST : MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTERS WORKING HARD TO SAVE LIVES
LA TIMES : NEUROTIN IS POISONING LARGE NUMBERS OF SEA LIONS - CALIFORNIA COAST
Excerpt: "The levels we're finding inside these animals is off the charts," said Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesman for the Sausalito - based Marine Mammal Center. "It's all hands on deck."
Domoic acid is a neurotoxin released by Pseudo-nitzschia, a common phytoplankton species found in coast waters. Sea lions - and other marine mammals - become poisoned when they eat large amounts of fish or invertebrates that have been chowing on the contaminated diatoms.
Symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, unusual behavior, seizures, loss of pregnancy, and death.
Excerpt: Raphe Kudela, a professor of ocean science at UC Santa Cruz, said there might also be a connection to heat and runoff from inland rivers.
He said in the last few years, really wet winters have contributed to an increase in river runoff - and a resulting dump of nutrients into California's coastal waters.
"So you get a pulse of upwelling, which brought some cool water with even more nutrients to the surface, and then everything warmed up. That's just absolutely perfect conditions for a bloom like this," he said.
It's also a perfect recipe for creatures like sardines and anchovies, who feast of the diatoms, algae and phytoplankton in these cool, nutrient-rich waters. And those fish bring in predators, such as sea lions, dolphins, fur seals, bords and other fish that then proceed to feast on these "toxic bullets."
4/11/24
PACIFIC WHALE FOUNDATION DOES THE WHALE COUNT FOR THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
A recent article on the whale count (lots of other marine animals noted too!)
KAUAI NEWS : JANUARY 2024 HAWAII WHALE COUNT
Excerpt: n Saturday, 402 volunteers gathered data statewide from 44 sites across the Hawaiian Islands. A total of 315 whales were observed from 9 to 9:15 a.m., the most of any time period throughout the day’s count.
On the islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Molokaʻi and Hawai‘i, Ocean Count volunteers collected data from 32 sites; a total of 174 whales were observed during the 9 to 9:15 a.m.
On Maui and Lānaʻi, Great Whale Count volunteers collected data from 12 sites during 15-minute intervals between 8:30 and 11:50 a.m. A total of 141 whales were observed during the 9 to 9:15 a.m. time period.
On Kaua‘i, the total number of whales observed during the day’s count was 292, on O‘ahu, the total was 604, on Molokaʻi, the total was 30 and on Hawai‘i 324.
The total number for the Great Whale Count on Maui was 821, and on Lānaʻi was 53, for a grand total of 2,124 throughout the state. This number may represent duplicate sightings of the same whale by different observers or at different time periods or different locations throughout the day.
2/24/24
WHERE IS THE LARGEST AQUARIUM IN EUROPE? BELIEVE IT OR NOT.... GENOA 400 ANIMAL SPECIES 200 PLANT SPECIES
Known as a historical seaport, why should I be surprised?
The Genoa Aquarium offers its guests an engaging and exciting visit experience, which promotes the conservation of aquatic biodiversity.
Furthermore, the Educational Services of the Aquarium, through a rich proposal of activities for the school world, experiences collateral to the visit for families, the development of scientific communication along the route and specific awareness campaigns, guide visitors in knowledge and understanding of the main environmental problems.
7/31/23
PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CARE CENTER : PINNIPED HOSPITAL IN LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA
PACIFIC MMC ORG : CALL IF YOU SEE A SICK SEA LION Located in Laguna Beach, Southern California.
If you see an animal who is ill, perhaps showing signs of the recent algea bloom toxicity, do not push them back into the water or get near them.
According to PMMC the most common Pinnipeds to Southern California are Northern elephant seals, Pacific harbor seals, and California sea lions. Occasionally, the treat Northern fur seals. PMMC is also the only temporary holding facilities for small whales and dolphins between Santa Barbara and San Diego.
1/25/23
DID YOU KNOW THAT OCEAN DOLPHINS DO NOT LIKE FRESH WATER?
Dolphins will enter rivers that feed into the salty ocean but usually turn back where the fresh water and salt water meet, so they are not in LAKES, not even the GREAT LAKES...
OCEAN DOLPHIN SKIN NEEDS THE SALT WATER TO STAY HEALTHY...
but, it might have something to do also with the kinds of fish they like to eat.
Reports that dolphins were returning to Lake Erie were false,
1/21/23
HUMPBACK DOLPHINS BRING PEOPLE GIFTS TO EXCHANGE FOR FISH!
INVERSE: DOLPHIN GIFT GIVING BEHAVIOR EXPLAINED by Nina Pullano....
Dolphins are bringing gifts like coral and chains and rocks with barnacles hoping people will feed them... How do they know that people will like these special items? A Phd candidate says they don't miss people, just the food! In the past scientist have learned that male dolphins like to gift female dolphins with such things such as sea sponges.
1/14/23
HOW DOLPHINS HUNT AND FEED - NAVY SCIENTISTS ATTACHED A CAMERA : IT WASN'T PRETTY
DAILY BEAST : FOOTAGE OF FISH BEING HUNTED AND EATEN BY DOLPHINS by Mattie Bender
THEY ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF EATING FISH...
"Squeals continued as the dolphin seized, manipulated and swallowed the prey. If fish escaped, the dolphin continued the chase and sonar clicks were heard less often than the continuous terminal buzz and squeal. During captures, the dolphin's lips flared to reveal nearly all of the teeth. The throat expanded outward. Fish continued escape swimming even as they entered the dolphin's mouth, yet the dolphin appeared to such the fish right down."
10/20/22
DOLPHINS EAT SNAKES! SHOW THEIR TEETH EMIT SQUEALS!
Maybe dolphins just don't want to eat humans? In this article dolphin feeding shows they are determined and the fish escape swim till it's too late. But until now scientists didn't know a bottle nosed dolphin would eat a poisonous sea snake.
YAHOO - BUSINESS INSIDER : DOLPHINS GOPROS STRAPPED TO SIDES : FEED EXPOSE!
This article has videos that were recorded by the gopros strapped to the dolphins.
It says Dr. Sam Ridgway, famous as a dolphin doctor, was excited by this discovery before he died recently.
6/12/22
DOLPHINS PLAY WITH MACHINE MADE BUBBLE RINGS
10/4/21
DOLPHINS SWIMMING FRANTICALLY - ORANGE COUNTY CALIFORNIA OIL SPILL
LA TIMES MAJOR OIL SPILL CLOSES ORANGE COUNTY BEACHES PHOTOS
by two Photojournalists, Allen J. Schaben and Myung Chun, this article come out after the paper edition reported "A Surf Session In One Word : Surreal" which said dolphins were swimming frantically.
Here is the report by surfer Joe Mozingo : LA TIMES SURFING THE ORANGE COUNTY OIL SPILL
With all the wonders of technology, it amazes me that we still have to contend with the possibilities of ecological damaging oil spills.
7/3/21
MALE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS HOLD GRUDGES
DAILY MAIL : MALE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS HOLD GRUDGES Lots of pop ups so I hope you have a pop up blocker.
EXCERPT: The study also found that dolphins co-operate with others that have not helped them directly, but have helped dolphins they know - suggesting the animals remember who is and isn't likely to assist them.
Dolphins are able to identify each other's calls because they develop signature whistles which stay the same throughout their life.
4/30/21
6/1/20
4/28/20
BIOLUMINESCENT ALGAE MAKES SWIMMING DOLPHINS GLOW
DAILY MAIL SCIENCE : SWIMMING DOLPHINS BIOLUMINESCENT GLOW
Excerpt: According to Mr. (Patrick) Coyne, the footage was challenging to film and required the perfect conditions - with bioluminescence being both difficult to spot and inherently short-lived in nature.
The glowing effect, often referred to as 'the fire of the sea', is produced by microscopic, single-celled organisms known as dinoflagellates, specifically those of the species Noctiluca scintillans.
***
Check out the amazing photos and video at the link. The photographer Patrick Coyne explains how difficult it was to film.
4/3/20
1/30/19
DOLPHINS FEEDING IN THE SEA KELP - WATCHING FOR WHALES
I think maybe I saw a small black whale or two feeding in the kept beds. I'm pretty sure I wasn't seeing a skin diver in a black wet suit because of the arch of back. But to identify these would be impossible, just to say the black was black.
This morning - a small pod of dolphins - grey - and the cry of a single sea lion.