Marine Mammals Twinning Partner’s Workshop May 2022
From the 3rd – 5th May 2022, the Marine Mammal Twinning, partners, and guests convened for the first occasion of the Marine Mammals Twinning Partner’s Workshop in 2022. The workshop was held at Downing College, Cambridge, UK and saw over 15 partners and guests attend from across the Atlantic and Mediterranean, both in-person and online, […]
Effects of climate change on marine mammals: a US review
Scientists from the Marine Mammal Commission have published a review of the effects of climate change on marine mammals in US waters. The fundamental driver of climate change in the global oceans is increasing atmospheric carbon, which results in increased air and ocean temperatures, ocean acidification, loss of sea ice, and increased fresh-water discharge from […]
New ECO Magazine Marine Mammals Special Issue
ECO Magazine is a marine science publication committed to bringing scientists and professionals the latest ground-breaking research, industry news, and jobs. The May Special Issue is reveals the challenges marine mammals face in the modern age and measures taken to protect them, written in partnership with the International Whaling Commission. The Special Issue looks at a […]
Human-induced ocean noise threatens marine life
OceanCare released a video calling for a quieter ocean for marine life. Ocean noise poses a serious threat to marine animals and is predominantly caused by the petroleum industry searching for hydrocarbon resources, navies and shipping. Seismic airguns, which you hear at the end of the video, are used to search the seabed for oil […]
Considering the effects of maritime industries on marine mammals
A recent study by Hague et al. has investigated how marine mammals are considered in Cumulative Effects Assessments (CEAs), which are a mandatory step for businesses carrying Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). Reviewing 93 different CEAs in across 11 maritime industries, the research identified a knowledge gap in the accounting of marine mammals in CEAs, and […]
A conservation success story for sea lions
Thanks to a decade long effort by the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Humane Society International (HSI), who collaborated with the government, scientists, and fishers, sea lion bycatch in South Australian fisheries has reduced by 98%. Following a report in 2010 showing that a large number of sea lions were killed in gillnets in […]
Webinar: Federal Agency Approaches to Reducing Vessel Strike of Cetaceans
The Marine Mammal Comission is hosting a webinar on approaches to reduce vessel strikes of cetaceans on April 12th 2022. The Commission and Committee of Scientific Advisors will meet to consider actions for reducing vessel strike of large cetaceans. Specifically, meeting participants will review Federal vessel-routing and speed-reduction programs, their elements and effectiveness, identify locations where additional […]
Using drones to detect pregnancy in dolphins
In bottlenose dolphins, a group of scientists have used unoccupied aerial systems (UAS, known as drones), to non-invasively measure body morphometrics of individuals, and have been able to successfully detect pregnancy. The research intended to compare drone imaging with usually used laser photogrammetry to see if it could be used as a substitute, and to […]
Humpback whales are no longer listed as endangered
Following a major recovery and what is considered a conservation success story, Australia’s endangered or vulnerable species list will no longer include humpback whales. This decision issued by the Australian Ministry of Environment, stems from the analysis of an independent Threatened Species Scientific Committee which concluded that humpbacks’ recovery was strong enough to not be considered endangered […]
Whales’ anatomy prevents them from choking
The lunge-feeding technique of whales requires engulfing a volume of prey-laden water as large as their own body, while swimming at high speeds, to allow for the capture of small fish and krill in their baleen. However, lunge-feeding baleen whales must also breath in the process – how do whales manage not to choke? A […]
