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Iceland whaling season kicks off amid protests
2009-05-28 08:30:00
Iceland's whaling season began on Tuesday in defiance of protests from animal rights group that have called for an end to the practice and after international calls for it to reduce whaling... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Giant cod and whales were once plentiful
2009-05-28 08:28:00
Just 200 years ago, tens of thousands of whales swam the waters around New Zealand while sharks patrolled the British coastlines, say researchers who tell of lost abundance in the world's... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales ,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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MSU scientists hope love potion lures lampreys
2009-05-28 08:23:00
East Lansing, MI ... The patented pheromone has been more than a decade in the making. It's a copy of a scent male sea lampreys, a highly destructive invasive species, send out into streams during... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Did The North Atlantic Fisheries Collapse Due To Fisheries-induced Evolutio
2009-05-28 08:17:00
The Atlantic cod has, for many centuries, sustained major fisheries on both sides of the Atlantic. However, the North American fisheries have now largely collapsed. A new article from scientists at... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Spectacular Deep-water Coral Province Discovered Off Ireland's West Coast
2009-05-28 08:15:00
NUI Galway researchers, during a recent deep-water expedition, have confirmed the existence of a major new coral reef province on the southern end of the Porcupine Bank off the west coast of Ireland.... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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TATA Steel Continues Construction: Olive Ridley Sea Turtles?s at Risk
2009-05-28 08:13:00
Greenpeace welcomed the news of return of mass-nesting of Olive Ridley Turtle s at Nasi Islands off the Gahirmatha coast. Reports available from the Department of Forests ? Wildlife, Government of... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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In Chile, the birds are dying, and no one knows why
2009-05-26 12:51:00
Chilean scientists are investigating three mysterious ecological disasters that have caused the deaths of hundreds of penguins, millions of sardines and about 2,000 baby flamingos in the past few... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Birds die in unsecured fishing net
2009-05-26 12:49:00
Shakespear Park rangers had to pick up 166 dead birds in a set-net last weekend.More than 100 dead birds in a washed-up set-net were found by Shakespear Regional Park visitors last weekend. Duty... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Ocean life in olden days: Researchers upend modern notions of 'natural' ani
2009-05-26 12:44:00
Before oil hunters in the early 1800s harpooned whales by the score, the ocean around New Zealand teemed with about 27,000 southern right whales - roughly 30 times as many as today - according to one... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Dolphin is role model for amputees
2009-05-26 12:24:00
Clearwater isn't too far from where I live, so when a friend from NYC came to visit us back in April, my housemate Cay and I took him to see the dolphins at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, including... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Helpful Fish: Cooperative Cichlids Boost Their Own Reproductive Success
2009-05-26 12:08:00
Subordinate individuals living within a group of vertebrates sometimes assist a more dominant pair by helping to raise the dominant pair's offspring and this has been shown to occur among subordinate... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish ,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Thieving Whale Caught On Video Gives Rare Clues About Hunting Strategy, Sou
2009-05-22 09:21:00
For decades scientists have been intrigued by the variety of sounds emitted by sperm whales, partly due to a popular theory that suggests that the sounds might contain information about the animals'... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whale s,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Habitat loss 'hitting shellfish'
2009-05-22 09:12:00
Effective conservation measures can help oyster reefs cover, the study says Marine habitat loss is causing a decline in shellfish populations, which is having an adverse knock-on effect on sensitive... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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Unusually Large Family Of Green Fluorescent Proteins Discovered In Marine C
2009-05-21 17:01:00
Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered a family of green fluorescent proteins (GFPs) in a primitive sea... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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African penguin numbers in sharp decline
2009-05-21 16:58:00
African penguins are disappearing at an alarming rate, as commercial fishing decimates food stocks and global warming affects breeding patterns, experts said Wednesday."Last year there were only... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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White Killer Whale Caught on Camera
2009-05-21 16:56:00
A rare White Killer Whale was caught on camera recently, in Alaska?s Aleutian Islands. Researchers had never before been able to spot a White Killer Whale, which usually come in black and white. But... Extensive site includes news of various topics like Marine animals,Marine biology, sharks,Whales,sea mammals,endangered species,birds,turtles,penguine,seal,plank tons,Fish,coral reef,coastal environment and more
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New Ocean Current Discovered
2008-05-07 10:04:00
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered a new climate pattern called the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation. This new pattern explains, for the first time, changes in the water that are important in helping commercial fishermen understand fluctuations in the fish stock. They're also finding that as the temperature of the Earth is warming, large fluctuations in these factors could help climatologists predict how the oceans will respond in a warmer world."We've been able to explain, for the first time, the changes in salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll that we see in the Northeast Pacific," said Emanuele Di Lorenzo, assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.Since 1945, fishermen in the California current of the Pacific Ocean have been tracking temperature, salinity and nutrients, among other things, in the ocean to help them predict changes in fish populations like sardines and anchovies that are important for the industry....
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Acidic oceans may be water of life for plankton
2008-05-07 10:01:00
Most life in the ocean will suffer as carbon dioxide levels increase and the water becomes more acidic. Some plankton will buck the trend, however, thriving and putting on weight as carbon dioxide levels rise - but it remains to be seen how this will affect the global carbon balance.Débora Iglesias-Rodríguez, from the National Oceanography Centre at the University of Southampton, UK, and her colleagues, simulated the increase in dissolved carbon dioxide in surface ocean waters by bubbling carbon dioxide through cultures of coccolithophores, a type of single-celled photosynthesising plankton.In previous experiments water acidity had been regulated by simply adding acid or base, but this method has been criticised for being too artificial. Iglesias-Rodríguez's method found that higher carbon dioxide concentrations increased calcification, speeding up growth of the tiny calcite plates on the plankton cell.Carbon storageCoccolithophores appear to benefit in two ways. The extra carbo...
More About: Life , Water , Oceans

US ordered to act on polar bear
2008-05-07 09:57:00
Listing the polar bear might lessen industry's impact on the Arctic A judge has told the US government to decide within weeks whether to list polar bears as an endangered species. The decision was hailed by conservation groups which have been hounding the government on the issue for years. The federal judge rejected the Bush administration's pleas for a further delay, and ordered it to make and implement its decision by 15 May. A listing could restrict oil and gas exploration in the US Arctic, and lead to curbs on greenhouse gas emissions. Defendants have been in violation of the law requiring them to publish the listing determination for nearly 120 days Court judgement "Today's decision is a huge victory for the polar bear," said Kassie Siegel, climate program director with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the conservation groups behind the legal challenge. "By 15 May, the polar bear should receive the protections it deserves under the Endangered Species Act, which is...
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World's biggest squid reveals 'beach ball' size eyes
2008-05-07 09:56:00
The largest squid ever caught began to reveal its secrets Wednesday, including eyes the size of beach balls that one scientist said were likely the biggest ever known in the animal kingdom.The 495-kilogram (1,090-pound) colossal squid -- accidentally caught by a fishing boat in Antarctic waters in February 2007 -- is slowly thawing under the fascinated gaze of a team of scientists at the Museum of New Zealand.While the defrosting was taking longer than expected Wednesday, one of the earliest revelations were eyes measuring 27 centimetres (11 inches) across -- about 11 times the size of a human eye -- with lenses of 10 to 12 centimetres in diameter."We saw two of the most sensational eyes possible," Auckland University of Technology marine biologist Steve O'Shea said.Those figures are based on the current collapsed state of the eyes.If the squid were alive, said Professor Eric Warrant of the University of Lund in Sweden, the eyes would probably measure about 40 centimetres across, "...
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New Zealand scientists thaw 1,000-pound squid corpse
2008-05-07 09:54:00
Marine scientists in New Zealand on Tuesday were thawing the corpse of the largest squid ever caught to try to unlock the secrets of one of the ocean's most mysterious beasts. No one has ever seen a living, grown colossal squid in its natural deep ocean habitat, and scientists hope their examination of the 1,089-pound, 26-foot long colossal squid, set to begin Wednesday, will help determine how the creatures live. The thawing and examination are being broadcast live on the Internet.The squid, which was caught accidentally by fishermen last year, was removed from its freezer Monday and put into a tank filled with saline solution. Ice was added to the tank Tuesday to slow the thawing process so the outer flesh wouldn't rot, said Carol Diebel, director of natural environment at New Zealand's national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa.After it is thawed, scientists will examine the squid's anatomical features, remove the stomach, beak and other mouth parts, take tissue samples for DNA analy...
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Phytoplankton responding to climate change
2008-05-07 09:51:00
The microscopic marine organisms called coccolithophores, one of nature’s most prolific consumers of atmospheric carbon dioxide, may continue to absorb carbon at today's rates — even as greenhouse-gas concentrations continue to rise.Coccolithophores are phytoplankton that live in the upper layers of the world's oceans। The creatures use calcium carbonate, the material that makes up chalk and seashells, to build tiny plates on their exterior. Although building these plates produces carbon dioxide, coccolithophores also consume the gas while undergoing photosynthesis. On balance, the phytoplankton absorb more carbon dioxide than they produce.Previous research has suggested that changing ocean chemistry may prod the plankton to become more efficient carbon sinks, eliminating more and more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But a study appearing today in Science suggests they may be no help at all1."It is unlikely that coccolithophores are going to be mitigating or exacerbatin...
More About: Climate Change , Climate , Change

Dolphin Dies In Freak Accident At SeaWorld's Discovery Cove
2008-05-07 09:50:00
A tragic ending to a SeaWorld stunt intended to captivate its spectators left one dolphin dead after two dolphins collided in a mid-air trick. Park officials are taking another look at their training practices.SeaWorld officials say nothing like this has ever happened before and they're doing whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again.SeaWorld's Discovery Cove offers a more intimate setting for people to interact with animals. So SeaWorld says there were only a few people around when the tragedy happened. The accident happened during a show at Discovery Cove where visitors get an up-close and personal experience with the dolphins.But during an aerial stunt Saturday afternoon, Sea World officials say a dolphin named Sharky collided with another dolphin and died."It's just a freak accident," said Sean Gilligan, a park visitor.A SeaWorld spokeswoman said it's unusual for two dolphins to crash in mid-air. Visitors who didn't see the accident say after watching dolphin ...
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Polar bears 'at risk' in Canada
2008-05-07 09:50:00
Canada's polar bears are at risk from hunting and melting ice in the Arctic Polar bears in Canada are at risk from climate change but not threatened with extinction, a panel of experts has advised the Canadian government. The government should develop a plan to protect the country's estimated 15,000 polar bears, the panel said. The plight of the polar bear has long concerned environmentalists. The animals face loss of habitat on two fronts, the panel said - hunting, and melting ice in the Arctic, which is widely blamed on climate change. While recognising both problems, the panel found that Canada's polar bear population was not declining enough to place it in the most serious category as an endangered species. Instead, it has been classified as a species of special concern. 'At risk' "Based on the best available information at hand, there was insufficient reason to think that the polar bear was at imminent risk of extinction," said Jeff Hutchings, the panel's chairman. "That...
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Diving deep for climate clues
2008-05-07 09:48:00
Earlier in April, UK scientists attending a conference in Vienna warned that sea-levels could rise by up to 1.5 metres by the end of this century, putting low-lying countries such as Bangladesh under threat. One of the main causes is the rapidly melting glaciers which cover huge areas of the world's surface - mostly in the Antarctic, Greenland and the south of Argentina and Chile. Mr Cardenas has discovered several sub species Glaciers melt and grow naturally, but the rate of change is raising concerns. Two million hectares of ice are found in the Magellan Strait at the southern tip of South America. Charles Darwin came here in the 1830s. It is where he began to formulate his Theory of Evolution, before sailing on to the Galapagos Islands. But the remoteness and difficult weather conditions, as well as the high cost of transport, mean few have studied in this particular area since. As a result, there is little scientific data about the fauna and flora of the Tierra del Fuego region...
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Colossal squid comes out of ice
2008-05-07 09:48:00
Technicians in New Zealand have begun to thaw a rare colossal squid specimen. The operation to defrost the 10-metre (34 feet) long, half-tonne squid began on Monday afternoon in Wellington following a postponement of 24 hours. The animal is now sitting in a bath of salt water. Once it is thawed, scientists will begin to dissect it. Very little is known about colossal squid, which appear to live largely in the cold Antarctic waters and can grow up to 15 metres (50 feet) long. "They're incredibly rare - this is probably one of maybe six specimens ever brought up," said Carol Diebel, director of natural environment at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa centre. "It's certainly the one that we're being really careful about, completely intact and in really fantastic condition." The Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni specimen was caught in February 2007 in the Ross Sea. Big unknown The colossal squid is remarkable for its size, but also for how rarely it has been sighted. It was identified first...
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No sex for all-girl fish species
2008-05-07 09:45:00
A fish species, which is all female, has survived for 70,000 years without reproducing sexually, experts believe. Scientists from the University of Edinburgh think the Amazon Molly may be employing special genetic survival "tricks" to avoid becoming extinct. The species, found in Texas and Mexico, interacts with males of other species to trigger its reproduction process. The offspring are clones of their mother and do not inherit any of the male's DNA. Typically, when creatures reproduce asexually, harmful changes creep into their genes over many generations. The species will eventually have problems reproducing and can often fall victim to extinction. Scientists at Edinburgh University have been studying complex mathematical models on a highly powerful computing system to look at the case of the Amazon Molly. Researchers calculated the time to extinction for the fish based on modelling genetic changes over many thousands of generations. They are now able to say conclusively, for t...
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Wee creatures are key to Earth's environment
2008-05-07 09:44:00
Microbes living in the oceans play a critical role inregulating Earth's environment, but very little is known about theiractivities and how they work together to help control natural cycles ofwater, carbon and energy. A team of MIT researchers led by ProfessorsEdward DeLong and Penny Chisholm is trying to change that.Borrowing gene sequencing tools developed for sequencing the humangenome, the researchers have devised a new method to analyze geneexpression in complex microbial populations. The work could helpscientists better understand how oceans respond to climate change."This project can help us get a better handle on the specific details ofhow microbes affect the flux of energy and matter on Earth, and howmicrobes respond to environmental change," said DeLong, a professor ofbiological engineering and civil and environmental engineering."The new approach also has other potential applications, for example,one can now realistically consider using indigenous microbes as in situbios...
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Cleveland zoo researchers find rare giant turtle in Vietnam
2008-05-07 09:41:00
Researchers from the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have discovered a rare giant turtle in northern Vietnam — a find that carries great scientific and cultural significance. Swinhoe's soft-shell turtle was previously thought to be extinct in the wild. Three other turtles of the species are in captivity, said experts from the Zoo's Asian turtle program.The discovery represents hope for the species, said Doug Hendrie, the Vietnam-based coordinator of the zoo program.Turtle expert Peter Pritchard, president of the Chelonian Research Institute, confirmed the find based on a photo Hendrie showed him."It looked like pretty solid evidence. The animal has a pretty distinctive head," Pritchard said.There have been rumors for years of a mythical creature living deep in the waters of a northern Vietnam lake. Some in a village west of Hanoi claimed to be blessed by catching a glimpse of it's concave shell as it crested above the surface of their lake.A national legend tells of a giant golden tur...
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Killer whales bring the hunt onto land
2008-05-07 09:40:00
A six-ton Killer Whale, torpedoes toward the beach, its dorsal fin cutting the Patagonian sea. It launches itself onto the sand in an explosion of water and foam. Before the waters die down, the orca is shaking its immense head from side to side with a Sea Lion pup clamped between his jaws.Then the Killer Whale wriggles into position to catch a wave to carry it back out to sea.This is a rare occurrence, in which a whale seems to defy its instincts by coming onto land, risking death if it becomes stranded on the inhospitable beach.Only seven Killer Whales in the world are known to hunt this way, all of them members of a pod that patrols the coast of Patagonia's Valdes Peninsula at this time of year. It happens almost exclusively in March and April -- early autumn in the southern hemisphere -- when baby sea lions are learning to swim.One of the favorite hunting spots is at Playa Punta Norte, the northern tip of the peninsula, where a deep channel leads up to the sand, passing between...
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