Sanctuaries exist for many animal species. Generally speaking, an animal sanctuary is a place where animals are being “retired” after living in zoos or circuses. It is a place where they can live protected for the rest of their lives. For some species, this concept is nothing new. For cetaceans, however, this is fairly new territory. In this post, we explore whale sanctuaries, why they are important, and discuss two sanctuaries in particular. From Keiko…

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Twenty-two species of beaked whales live ocean-wide. They inhabit waters from the tropics to the poles. For such a cosmopolitan family, little is known about beaked whales. So, what exactly are beaked whales, and why are they so hard to study? The most mysterious cetaceans Beaked whales belong to the Ziphiidae family. So-named for their narrow rostrums, which are similar to dolphin beaks. Also, like dolphins, beaked whales are odontocetes (toothed whales). However, they don’t…

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Happy July! This month, we decided to celebrate the Yangtze finless porpoise. You might have heard of the Baiji, also called the Yangtze river dolphin. Sadly, the species was officially declared to be extinct in 2006. Yet, another freshwater species resides in the Yangtze River, and if you thought the Irrawaddy dolphin was the cutest, you are in for a treat: we might have found the cutest dolphin in the world! So let’s find out…

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North America has its first Whale Heritage site: Dana Point, California! The seasonal migrations of Humpback Whales along the Pacific coast have always fascinated me. It is hard to fathom exactly how many whales travel along the coast of California on their journey from Alaska to Latin America and back. That is one reason why, in January of this year, Dana Point became the first designated Whale Heritage site in the United States. But what…

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Everybody knows that whales and dolphins have large brains and are quite smart. Indeed, they can catch prey, migrate thousands of kilometers and even interact with other species. In this post, we cover cetacean intelligence, from self-awareness to transmitting culture, and try to answer this question: could these animals be as smart, if not smarter, than us? Anthropomorphism represents the belief that animals can experience the same thoughts and emotions as human beings. In this…

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Let’s give a big Aloha to our new “whale” of the month, the Hawaiian Monk Seal!  In this post, we will dive into their subtropical home and explore these endangered creatures. Foraging through paradise. Photos credit: Doug Perrine What in the Monk? The monk seal gets its common name from the thick fold of skin around its neck, which resembles a monk’s hood. In addition, the seal lives a solitary lifestyle! This differs significantly from…

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Francesca Soster is a 36-year-old Italian whale scientist, currently working as a researcher on bottlenose dolphins in Malta. Here is her story… Francesca’s story started in the textile industry I studied Textile Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin. I have completed a Master’s Degree in Nobel Fibres, a specialized path in fabrics and clothing to provide a sound knowledge of the entire supply chain with a specific focus on natural fibers. My story started…

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Sperm whale relieving itself Image © Wade & Robyn Hughes As a child, you may have come across the book “Everyone Poops.” Well, what about farts? In this article, we will explore the lovely world of whale flatulence and try to answer, “Do Whales Fart?” “Better out than in…” Passing gas or farting can be seen in most mammals, even marine ones! It allows animals to release air that has been trapped inside their stomach.…

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This is the story of the successful release of captive dolphins in Korea who later became moms in the wild. Sampal, Chunsam, and Boksoon were captive indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins at an entertainment park in Korea. They were released off of Jeju Island between 2013 and 2015. The three babies were born in April 2016, August 2016, and August 2018. Find out more about their incredible journey in this post. Eleven dolphins were illegally caught and…

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Did you know that you could assess the health of the Baltic sea by simply counting the number of grey seal pups? We explain to you how it works in this post. A grey seal pup – Credit: Ian Ward The Baltic Sea, between salt and freshwater The Baltic Sea is a little arm of the North Atlantic Ocean tucked away in northeastern Europe. It is one of the largest brackish water bodies globally, meaning…

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