Orca whales are familiar residents of West Coast waters. The black and white marine mammals are often seen swimming in groups, diving and slapping their tails against the water’s surface. Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) believe that a group of 49 killer whales seen hunting sperm whales and other marine animals in […]
One of the most visible indicators of ocean surface temperature warming due to climate change is the bleaching of coral reefs. Environmental changes like warming waters can cause corals to expel the algae that live on them and provide them with nutrients, turning the corals white. A new study has found that, while most of […]
A new study has detected heavy metals and other toxins in whales and dolphins that became stranded in Florida and Georgia over a 15-year timeframe. Researchers analyzed tissue and fecal samples of 90 odontocetes (toothed whales), spanning nine different species, that had stranded in Florida and Georgia from 2007 to 2021. In total, the team […]
Quick Key Facts What Are ‘Coral Reefs’? Coral reefs consist of hundreds of thousands of coral polyps — marine animal invertebrates with hard calcium carbonate exoskeletons. Different species grow to form a variety of measurements and shapes — from the size of a pinhead to as large as a foot in diameter. Coral colonies are […]
In 1980, Greg Kauffman — founder of nonprofit Maui Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) — started World Whale Day. A celebration of the humpback whales who grace Maui’s waters each winter, the holiday is observed on the third Sunday of February and is an opportunity to raise awareness about threats to the species. This year, World […]
Parts of an oil spill first detected near the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago on February 7 are drifting into the Caribbean Sea, putting the country’s coral reefs, as well as other nations, at risk. The spill was determined to have been caused by an overturned barge being pulled by a tugboat called Solo […]
A new study led by researchers at Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ) has found that the planet has more coral reef area than previously believed. Scientists have identified 134,364 square miles of shallow coral reefs at depths of up to 65.6 to 98.4 feet deep, according to Dr. Mitchell Lyons of the School of the […]
A new study using marine sponges collected off the coast of Puerto Rico has found that the planet has already warmed more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Researchers analyzed ocean temperature records from sea sponges going back 300 years, a press release from The University of Western Australia (UWA) said. They concluded that global heating had […]
Marine heat waves (MHWs) are prolonged periods of ocean warming that can significantly affect coral reefs, fish, kelp forests and other marine life. A new study led by Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has found that MHWs are changing the communities of microorganisms that make up the foundation of the oceanic food […]