We are wrapping this year with a lesser-known, but very well studied ziphiid, or beaked whale, the northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus). The northern bottlenose whale is the largest member of the beaked family found in the North Atlantic Ocean. They have a bottle-shaped beak and a hooked dorsal fin, hence the “bottlenose” in their common name. They have bulbous melons, which are their most prominent attribute. In this post, we will explore these phenomenal…

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The idea of conservation has grown in popularity since “save the whales” kicked off in the 1960s and 70s. Over the past 50 years, interest in environmentalist and conservation spaces has exploded along with the youth interest in climate change activism. This post will talk about the history of whale conservation and break down three policies used to protect endangered cetaceans domestically and abroad. A brief history of conservation Let’s briefly discuss the movement that…

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Leanne Rosser is a 30-year-old British marine mammalogist currently studying the behavior of Pacific white-sided dolphins in Japan. Here is her story. From music to English literature I had a slightly longer journey than most. Throughout the majority of high school, I wanted to become a classical pianist. Music was my first love before dolphins came on the scene. I was determined to get into a music conservatoire, so I took a gap year and…

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In first grade, I remember the look of shock when I told my friends that my mom was a teacher. They couldn’t imagine teachers ever leaving school. They thought teachers just lived in the classroom, and their sole purpose in life was to teach.  Similarly, I think people (both scientists and non-scientists) often believe that their science defines scientists.  I see several issues with this framework: 1) people generally have other interests than their scientific research.…

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How do whales die? Do dead whales float or sink? How do people dispose of stranded whales? If you’ve ever wondered about whales’ life after death? Find out everything you need to know in this post! Lifespan and causes of death Bowhead whales are the longest living cetaceans; they can live up to 200 years! Whales generally live long lives, sometimes even surpassing humans’ lifespans. Bowhead whales are by far the oldest whale species, living…

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A rare albino fur seal was spotted off the Eastern coast of Russia. Being different in the wild comes with many challenges. In this post, we will explain albinism in marine mammals. The curious case of the ginger seal In early September, marine mammologist Vladimir Burkanov made a surprising discovery on Tyuleny Island, in Russia. The biologist stumbled upon an albino northern fur seal pup during a research trip and nicknamed it “Ugly Duckling“. The…

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Whalecome to our new whale of the month, the sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis! This mysterious baleen whale is the third largest of the rorqual family. It is also an endangered species that was hunted to near-extinction and is now slowly recovering. Here are a couple of cool facts about the sei whale. Sei whale mom and calf – Wikimedia Commons/NOAA-Christin Khan Sonic whale Despite its large body size and mass, the sei whale is a…

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Earth is now in its 6th mass extinction. As a result, we must race against time to conserve species. A useful conservation tool is modeling population size. In this post, we cover Weddell seals‘ survival in Antarctica and show that fighting decreases the long-term survival rate of adult males. Population parameters Changes in population size occur from 4 processes: births: how many animals reproduce.deaths: how many animals do not surviveimmigration: how many animals move into the…

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Jeroen Hoekendijk is a 33 years-old Dutch marine mammalogist currently working on his PhD on marine wildlife detection using aerial and satellite imagery. Here is his story. Jeroen Hoekendijk and a seal It all started with an orca encounter in Canada I’ve always been fascinated by the sea, the oceans, and everything inside it, but I never considered making a career out of it. That changed when I was 21 when my dad convinced me…

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Did you know narwhals and belugas can reproduce in the wild and create a Narluga hybrid? Scientists found evidence of the Narluga’s existence in Greenland. In this post, we give you an in 3D exclusive first look at the Narluga’s skull, courtesy of the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Narluga illustration made by Guido Gerding They can interbreed! How do we know that? On 30th March 1990, researchers found an unusual skull in Disko Bay…

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