Size Matters: If Minke Whales Were Smaller, They Could Not Survive
Minke whales are as small as a lunge-feeding baleen whale can be. Research on the feeding behavior of Antarctic minke whales found that a smaller…
Whales News
Read about how whales fit into the world’s ecosystem at SciTechDaily.com. These aquatic mammals are among the largest creatures in the ocean and have many unique behaviors, including breaching and spouting. Whales are members of the cetacea order, which means they share similarities with dolphins and porpoises.
Secrets of Marine Biology: How Four Genes Turned Whales Into Giants of the Sea
New research reveals the genes that likely allowed whales to grow to giant sizes compared to their ancestors, reports a study published today (January 19)…
Whales Could Be a Valuable Carbon Sink – Nature-Based Solutions To Fight Climate Change
Scientists Say Whales Could Be a Valuable Carbon Sink Nature-based solutions to fight climate change take a holistic approach that promotes biodiversity and ecosystem preservation….
Megalodon – The Largest Shark That Ever Lived – Could Eat Prey the Size of Entire Killer Whales
Megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, is famous for its gigantic, human-hand-sized teeth. However, there is little fossil evidence of its whole body. International…
Killer Whale Populations Are Invading the Arctic – Unlocking Secrets From Their Blubber
Unlocking the Secrets of Killer Whale Diets and Their Role in Climate Change Killer whale populations are invading the Arctic, creating major disruptions to an…
Laguna Ojo de Liebre: A Salty Sanctuary in Baja California Sur
Laguna Ojo de Liebre, a lagoon on the Baja California Peninsula, is a whale sanctuary and the site of one of the largest saltworks in…
A Whale’s Tale: The Secret Story Hidden in the Mouths of Toothless Whales
Scientists from UNSW Sydney have uncovered the secrets locked in the jawlines of humpback and southern right whales. Baleen plates – the signature bristle-like apparatus…
Sound Provides New Insight Into the Lives of Blue Whales – The Largest Animal To Ever Inhabit Our Planet
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal to ever inhabit our planet. Despite its gargantuan size, many aspects of its biology, behavior, and…
Here’s How Whales Gulp Down Food Underwater Without Drowning
Ever wondered whether whales can burp, and why they don’t drown when they gulp down gallons of water and krill? New UBC research may just…
Earth’s First Giant: Newly Discovered Species of Ichthyosaur Was Behemoth of Dinosaurian Oceans
The two-meter skull of a newly discovered species of giant ichthyosaur, the earliest known, is shedding new light on the marine reptiles’ rapid growth into…
Killer Whales Lingering in Newly Melted Arctic Ocean, Despite Risks of Ice Entrapment
Melting ice opens new predation ground for killer whales as they spend more time in previously neglected territory. Killer whales are intelligent, adaptive predators, often…
Solving the Krill Paradox: Researchers Find Whales Eat (and Poop) Far More Than Previously Thought
Research on whale feeding highlights how the precipitous decline of large marine mammals has negatively impacted the health and productivity of ocean ecosystems. From 1910…
World’s Largest Whales Eat 3x More Than Previously Thought, Amplifying Their Role As Global Ecosystem Engineers
Recovery of baleen whales to pre-whaling levels could restore lost ocean function and may help curb climate change. New research co-authored by Nicholas Pyenson, curator of…
Warming Atlantic Ocean Drives Right Whales Towards Extinction
Warming oceans have driven the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population from its traditional and protected habitat, exposing the animals to more lethal ship…
Social Secrets of Killer Whales Revealed by Drone Footage
Killer whales have complex social structures including close “friendships,” according to a new study that used drones to film the animals. The findings show that…
New Technology “Listens” for Right Whales – One of the World’s Most Endangered Whale Species
One of the world’s most endangered whale species could have added protection from threats posed by human marine activity, through technology developed by the University…
Scientists Use Whale Carcasses to Help Answer Mysteries of Elusive Species
A new study published by the open access publisher Frontiers shows the usefulness of opportunistically collected specimens, such as stranded carcasses, to study elusive species….
The Charlotte Whale: Unexpected Discovery of a Whale Skeleton Hundreds of Miles From the Sea
The unexpected discovery of a whale skeleton hundreds of miles from the sea and more than 200 feet above sea level in 1849 is a…
