The Greenland shark is the oldest vertebrate on the planet, capable of living hundreds of years in cold waters thousands of feet deep. It is also uniquely smelly. Its body is designed to have the same salt concentration as the ocean — such that it neither loses nor gains water through osmosis — so it has to … Read more
Beware if you’re in the poop zone! Tourists at SeaWorld San Antonio didn’t expect the orca splash zone to feature a wave of killer whale fecal matter. Audience member Alex Bermudez, who captured the poop soup moment on video, revealed everyone’s reaction to an orca jumping in its glass tank and then spraying them with … Read more
SEATTLE — It’s a good thing seals aren’t on a humpback whale’s menu. A photograph by a whale-watching naturalist captured a seemingly bewildered seal in the mouth of a humpback whale after the giant marine mammal accidentally gulped it last Thursday in the waters off Anacortes, Washington. The food mix-up began while a Blue Kingdom … Read more
Marine scientists may learn more about the “rarest whale” in the world after a spade-toothed whale washed up on an Otago beach in New Zealand. According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the 16-foot beaked whale was discovered near Taiari Mouth on July 4. Marine mammal experts believe the body is that of a … Read more
It’s enough to chill one’s blood. California whale watchers were left terrified after encountering an undulating blood-red sea creature that looked straight out of a horror flick. A post detailing this intertidal terror is currently making waves on Instagram. “What is this creature right out of the Twilight Zone??” inquired the cetacean searchers while describing … Read more
They could make waves with each other. Scientists say a turf war could be brewing between orcas and white sharks off the shores of Cape Cod. On Jun. 2, an orca named “Old Thom” was seen swimming in the Chatham area off the cape — a place known for numerous shark sightings. There is now … Read more
They sea an opportunity for shenanigans. For the last four years, a small band of orcas have been raising hell off the Atlantic coasts of Europe by ramming into nearly 700 vessels and making some sink, according to the Washington Post. Now, a new report highlights the most probable reason why these killer whales dangerously … Read more
Pack your bags, my babies. Now that Punxsutawney Phil has decreed that the end of winter is near, attention turns to how to spend spring break this year. Fun fact: the rites of revelry that are spring break can be traced back to ancient Greece and the early spring festival of Anthesteria. Dedicated to Dionysus, … Read more
Whale, you’ll never believe what makes certain perfumes and colognes smell so good. A rare, waxy material called ambergris — known as “floating gold,” it’s something of a treasure in the fragrance industry — can elevate the scents and notes of a perfume or cologne. “It’s an extremely valuable substance that’s known for its unique … Read more
A white whale approached a boat at sea, and it wasn’t Moby Dick. A boat full of tourists witnessed what may have been the first-ever sighting of an all-white Omura’s Whale off the coast of Thailand in a rare New Year’s Day gift, according to the Miami Herald. Passengers onboard the “Happy Ours” charter boat … Read more
Free Willy has targeted humans on the high seas yet again. This time, a pod of killer whales nearly lived up to their name after brutally sinking a Polish yacht off the coast of Morocco, according to a Facebook post by the tour company Morskie Mile. The incident occurred on Oct. 31 after a group … Read more
A group of whale watchers were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime performance when humpacks appeared to dance for them off the California coast. The two whales approached a vessel from Dana Wharf Whale Watching, which is based out of Orange County, on Thursday, seemingly curious about the boat, KTLA reported They “mugged” the boat — meaning they … Read more
One whale’s vomit is another man’s treasure. A fisherman in Scotland was walking his dog along the beach in Ayrshire when his dog found a “disgusting” blob on the beach — which might be a highly valuable chunk of whale vomit. “I work on a fishing boat, so I knew what ambergris was. I’ve never … Read more
It blew these Wales-watchers minds. Sightseers were flabbergasted after spotting an extremely rare “lost” whale while exploring the Welsh coastline, as detailed in a Facebook post making waves online. The party had reportedly been on a SeaMor Dolphin Watching trip off New Quay, Ceredigion, when, all of sudden, they spotted a creature much rarer than … Read more
Well, that stinks. A father from Scotland claims to have discovered a rare chunk of whale vomit worth more than $50,000 — but experts have told him it’s nothing but “sewage grease.” Ronnie Humphreys, 42, says the nearly 4.5-pound lump of whale puke, known as ambergris, was found by his 5-year-old son while the two … Read more
LONDON, July 17 – More than 50 pilot whales have died in Scotland after being stranded on a beach on the Isle of Lewis — the largest mass stranding in the country in decades. Authorities were alerted to the incident on Sunday morning at around 0600 GMT and subsequent attempts to refloat more than a dozen living whales were unsuccessful. Rescuers later decided to euthanize the remaining stranded whales on welfare grounds. In total 55 whales died … Read more
It’s what’s inside that counts. A lump of vomit that may be worth over $250,000 was found inside a beached sperm whale after it appeared on Nogales Beach in La Palma, Canary Islands, last month. The whale died after the nearly 20-pound chunk of the substance, known as ambergris, caused chronic obstructive inflammation in the … Read more
Whale, hello there. Passengers aboard a boat about an hour off the Long Beach shore started their Memorial Day weekend with a splash, as a humpback whale nearly knocked over their vessel. “Memorial Day Weekend starting off with a bang,” the Long Island Wise Guy captioned the 8-second video on his social media pages Friday, … Read more
Humans have discovered ways to get rid of old, dead skin cells – and it turns out humpback whales have made this self-care advancement, too. Whales will roll around in sandy, shallow bay areas to remove dead skin cells and barnacles, a new study from Griffith University found. Certain tagged whales were caught performing this routine on high-definition … Read more
Free Lolita! Fifty years after being captured in the Pacific Ocean and taken to the Miami Seaquarium, Lolita the orca is set to be released. For years, animal rights activists have argued that Lolita should be returned to her home pod in Puget Sound — and now she’ll finally make that journey to the Pacific … Read more