Captive dolphins are known to be very good mimics of what they hear. Until now it’s thought that they only mimic things when they are performing and associate the sound with the performance. French researchers have discovered that dolphins will also mimic whale songs from … Continue reading
Temperatures play an important part in turtle reproduction. When temperatures are high the eggs will produce more females than males. With rising global temperatures this could pose some problems for turtles. Too many females and not enough males could lead to inbreeding as the … Continue reading
Carbon dioxide concentrations are not just increasing in the air, dissolved CO2 levels in our oceans and seas are also increasing. The oceans are quick to take CO2 out of the atmosphere and that’s beneficial for life on the surface. But as … Continue reading
It’s all too common to hear about marine mammals being driven towards extinction thanks to the actions of humans. But humans are not the only member of the natural world that can impact on the survival of another species. A … Continue reading
There’s lots of interest at the moment about how humans are impacting on the natural sounds of the oceans and seas. With increasing shipping and use of sonar and other sound based technology the background noise of the marine environment … Continue reading
A study by a team of marine scientists have put the cost of the annual anti-whaling activities by conservation groups at around USD25 million. The problem is that despite this substantial cost the activities have had little real effect. The reality is that despite the occasional successful year the numbers … Continue reading
A new study has been proclaimed a classic in its own time and could be the basis of a new Golden Rule for bird ecology. The new study discovered that ensuring that fish stocks remain above a third of the … Continue reading
Campaigning, changing tastes and environmental responsibility have all played a role in helping to reduces demand for shark fin product in Singapore. But a single Facebook status update may have been the one of the most effective ways of reducing … Continue reading
A new report released by the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) has highlighted that over the last 6 years more than 3400 marine animals came ashore on the beaches of Britain. Whales, dolphins and basking sharks were just some of the sea creatures to … Continue reading
It is one of the most successful rebounds of whale population numbers since the ending of whaling in 1966. The latest estimates of Humpback whales in the North Pacific has been put at over 21,000. The new estimates were put together by … Continue reading
Recent results from tagging killer whales in the Antarctic has thrown up some interesting possibilities. It appears that killer whales make quick short trips up from Antarctic waters into the warmer waters of the tropics before immediately turning around and heading back … Continue reading
Around the world nations are beginning to look at protecting sharks and the lead is being set, in many cases, by the smaller nations. They are setting up marine reserves and more importantly they are banning the trade in sharks … Continue reading
Whether conservationists are studying wildlife on land or in the oceans they come across the same big problems and that is lack of resources and tight budgets. Increasingly ways are being found to involve the public in undertaking wildlife or … Continue reading
A big supermarket chain in Singapore has said it will stop selling shark fins in it’s shops and will concentrate on only sourcing their fish supplies from sustainable fisheries. This has to be good news but it’s really just a … Continue reading
The Nitijela, the Parliament of the Marshall Islands have unanimously passed legislation that will provide a vast sanctuary to sharks in the Pacific. Because the archipelago nation is spread across a large area it’s territorial waters covers a vast area. Now … Continue reading
Texan game rangers have discovered an illegal fishing net off the coast that had trapped and killed up to 3,000 adult and juvenile sharks. The nets were discovered close to the Mexican border lying just off South Padre Island. “About 3 … Continue reading
Today has seen the release of proposals to protect 127 core marine wildlife sites around the coast of England. Ranging in size from 22 acres at a site off the Dorset coast to a massive 2,240 square mile site in the western Channel … Continue reading
New research has shown that if we protected just 4% of the worlds oceans and seas we could protect as much as 84% of the marine mammals that grace our oceans. Just 9 locations have an essential role in the lives of … Continue reading
Increasingly people are become much more aware of fish and the impacts of commercial fishing on the environment and other species. Many people look for the Marine Stewardship council (MSC) seal of approval to ensure that the fish they buy … Continue reading
Clean seas, golden beaches and colourful coral reefs are all big attractions for tourists to the Florida Keys. The popularity of the area though could be killing the very thing that the tourists come to see. New research has just been published … Continue reading
