ScienceDaily: Dolphin and Whale News

Using earthquake sensors to track endangered whales

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

Oceanographers used data from seafloor seismometers to analyze more than 300,000 fin-whale calls. By triangulating the position they created more than 150 tracks off the Pacific Northwest coast.

Singing humpback whales tracked on Northwest Atlantic feeding ground

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:36:36 EDT

Male humpback whales sing complex songs in tropical waters during the winter breeding season, but they also sing at higher latitudes at other times of the year. NOAA researchers have provided the first detailed description linking humpback whale movements to acoustic behavior on a feeding ground in the Northwest Atlantic.

Whales are able to learn from others: Humpbacks pass on hunting tips

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:23:23 EDT

Humpback whales are able to pass on hunting techniques to each other, just as humans do, new research has found.

Sea mammals find U.S. safe harbor

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:46:46 EDT

New research shows that many US marine mammal populations -- especially some seals and sea lions -- have rebounded since 1972, because of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Great white sharks scavenging on dead whales

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:15:15 EDT

Biologists have explored the behaviors of Great white sharks scavenging on dead whales in South Africa. The team documented as many as 40 different sharks scavenging on a carcass over the course of a single day, revealing unique social interactions among sharks.

An ancient biosonar sheds new light on the evolution of echolocation in toothed whales

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:26:26 EDT

Some 30 million years ago, Ganges river dolphins diverged from other toothed whales, making them one of the oldest species of aquatic mammals that use echolocation, or biosonar, to navigate and find food. This also makes them ideal subjects for scientists working to understand the evolution of echolocation among toothed whales.

Dwarf whale survived well into Ice Age

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:21:21 EDT

Research detailing the fossil of a dwarf baleen whale from Northern California reveals that it avoided extinction far longer than previously thought.

Risk to endangered whales from ships in southern California analyzed in new study

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:39:39 EDT

Researchers have identified areas off southern California with high numbers of whales and assessed their risk from potentially deadly collisions with commercial ship traffic.

Antarctica's first whale skeleton found with nine new deep-sea species

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:49:49 EDT

Marine biologists have, for the first time, found a whale skeleton on the ocean floor near Antarctica, giving new insights into life in the sea depths. The discovery was made almost a mile below the surface in an undersea crater and includes the find of at least nine new species of deep-sea organisms thriving on the bones.

Role of kinship in mass strandings of pilot whales questioned

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:46:46 EDT

Pilot whales that have died in mass strandings in New Zealand and Australia included many unrelated individuals at each event, a new study concludes, challenging a popular assumption that whales follow each other onto the beach and to almost certain death because of familial ties.

Mass strandings of pilot whales may not be driven by kinship, DNA profiles show

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:46:46 EDT

Recent research has shed some light on whether family relationships play a role in beachings of otherwise healthy whales. Investigators used genetic data to describe the kinship of individual long-finned pilot whales involved in mass strandings. The study found that stranded groups are not necessarily members of one extended family, contradicting the hypothesis that stranding groups all descend from a single ancestral mother. Further, many stranded calves were found with no mother in evidence.

Bottlenose dolphin leaders more likely to lead relatives than unrelated individuals

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:21:21 EDT

Traveling into uncharted territory in search of food can be a dangerous undertaking, but some bottlenose dolphins may benefit by moving through their habitat with relatives who may be more experienced or knowledgeable. It turns out that leaders in bottlenose dolphin groups in the Florida Keys are more likely to be related to the dolphins that follow them.

Whale's streaming baleen tangles to trap food

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:21:21 EDT

Many whales filter food from water using racks of baleen plates in their mouths, but no one had ever investigated how baleen behaves in real life. According to an expert, baleen was viewed as a static material, however, he discovered that baleen streams in water just like long hair and fringes from adjacent baleen plates tangle to form the perfect net for trapping food at natural whale swimming speeds.

Mystery of 'zombie worm' development unveiled

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:45:45 EDT

How do bone-eating worms reproduce? A new study sheds light on this question through a detailed observation of the postembryonic development and sexual maturation of Osedax worms, also known as “zombie worms.” These worms typically inhabit vertebrate bones on the seafloor.

How the whale got its teeth: Scientists explore development of unique dentition of 'toothed whales'

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:10:10 EST

Whales are mammals, but they don't look like the mammals living around us, as they have a triangular fluke for tail, no hind legs and no body hair. And inside their mouths, their teeth are unfamiliar too -- being much simpler and 'peg like'. Scientists have now married together the fossil record and the embryonic development process to investigate how the whale got its teeth.

Genetic study pursues elusive goal: How many humpbacks existed before whaling?

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:24:24 EST

Scientists are closing in on the answer to an important conservation question: how many humpback whales once existed in the North Atlantic?

Scientists using holiday snaps to identify whale sharks

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:46:46 EST

Holidaymakers' photos could help scientists track the movements of giant endangered sharks living in the waters of the Indian Ocean. A new study show that these publicly sourced photographs are suitable for use in conservation work. Tourists scuba diving and snorkeling in the Maldives frequently take underwater pictures of the spectacular and docile whale shark, often called the world’s largest fish.

Earliest sea cow ancestors originated in Africa, lived in fresh water

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:53:53 EST

A new fossil discovered in Tunisia represents the oldest known ancestor of modern-day sea cows, supporting the African origins of these marine mammals.

Scientists use marine robots to detect endangered whales

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:42:42 EST

Two robots equipped with instruments designed to "listen" for the calls of baleen whales detected nine endangered North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of Maine last month. The robots reported the detections to shore-based researchers within hours of hearing the whales, demonstrating a new and powerful tool for managing interactions between whales and human activities.

Whales' foraging strategies revealed by new technology

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 11:06:06 EST

Despite the many logistical difficulties of studying large whales, multisensor tags attached to the animals with suction cups are revealing their varied foraging techniques in unprecedented detail. These can be related to the animals' anatomy and to the distribution and behavior of their prey.

Multi-tasking whales sing while feeding, not just breeding

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:41:41 EST

Humpback whales are famed for their songs, most often heard in breeding season when males are competing to mate with females. In recent years, however, reports of whale songs occurring outside traditional breeding grounds have become more common. A new study may help explain why.

Sustainable way to make a prized fragrance ingredient

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:36:36 EST

Large amounts of a substitute for one of the world's most treasured fragrance ingredients -- a substance that also has potential anti-cancer activity -- could be produced with a sustainable new technology, scientists are reporting. The advance enables cultures of bacteria to produce a substitute for natural ambergris, which sells for hundreds of dollars an ounce.

Dolphin hearing system component found in insects

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:49:49 EST

A hearing system component thought to be unique in toothed whales like dolphins has been discovered in insects, following research involving the University of Strathclyde.

Pilot whales use synchronized swimming when they sense danger

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 09:27:27 EST

Scientists have observed the behavior of various groups of cetaceans including long-finned pilot whales in the Strait of Gibraltar and Cape Breton in Canada. These whales were found to use synchronized swimming when they identify the presence of an external threat.

Eating right key to survival of whales and dolphins

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:02:02 EST

In the marine world, high-energy prey make for high-energy predators. And to survive, such marine predators need to sustain the right kind of high-energy diet. Not just any prey will do, suggests a new study.

Fossils and genes brought together to piece together evolutionary history

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 12:27:27 EST

Scientists have reviewed recent studies that have used modern genetic techniques to shed light on fossils, and vice versa.

World's rarest whale seen for the first time

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 13:03:03 EST

A whale that is almost unknown to science has been seen for the first time after two individuals -- a mother and her male calf -- were stranded and died on a New Zealand beach. A new report offers the first complete description of the spade-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon traversii), a species previously known only from a few bones.

Whale racket: Sounding out how loud the oceans were from whale vocalizing prior to industrial whaling

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:39:39 EDT

Concern is growing that human-generated noise in the ocean disrupts marine animals that rely on sound for communication and navigation. In the modern ocean, the background noise can be ten times louder than it was just 50 years ago. But new modeling based on recently published data suggests that 200 years ago -- prior to the industrial whaling era -- the ocean was even louder than today due to the various sounds whales make.

A whale with a distinctly human-like voice

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:20:20 EDT

For the first time, researchers have been able to show by acoustic analysis that whales -- or at least one very special white whale -- can imitate the voices of humans. That's a surprise, because whales typically produce sounds in a manner that is wholly different from humans.

Bowhead whales: Ancient DNA sheds light on Arctic whale mysteries

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:05:05 EDT

Scientists have published the first range-wide genetic analysis of the bowhead whale using hundreds of samples from both modern populations and archaeological sites used by indigenous Arctic hunters thousands of years ago.

Dolphins can remain alert for up to 15 days at a time with no sign of fatigue

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:12:12 EDT

Dolphins sleep with only one half of their brains at a time, and according to new research, this trait allows them to stay constantly alert for at least 15 days in a row.

Choreography of submerged whale lunges revealed

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:06:06 EDT

Submerged for tens of minutes at a time, no one knew exactly how foraging whales execute foraging lunges through shoals of krill until a band of pioneers began attaching tags to whales. Now, researchers report how humpback whales throw their jaws wide and continue gliding as they lunge, before filtering away the water and swallowing their prey in one mighty gulp.

Whales fall through the research net: Global populations of marine mammals observed far too little

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:55:55 EDT

A world map reveals that only a fourth of the world ocean surface has been surveyed for whales and dolphins in the past decades. It is only possible to identify detrimental influences and collect basic information for research and environmental protection if data on marine organisms is collected regularly. First and foremost, it will be necessary to observe international waters more closely and develop new analytical methods, conclude the scientists.

Long menopause allows killer whales to care for adult sons

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:14:14 EDT

Scientists have found the answer to why female killer whales have the longest menopause of any non-human species -- to care for their adult sons. The research shows that, for a male over 30, the death of his mother means an almost 14-fold-increase in the likelihood of his death within the following year.

New DNA method tracks fish and whales in seawater

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 10:54:54 EDT

Future monitoring of marine biodiversity and resources may use DNA traces in seawater samples to keep track of fish and whales in the oceans. A half liter of seawater can contain evidence of local fish and whale faunas and combat traditional fishing methods.

Underwater noise decreases whale communications in Stellwagen Bank sanctuary

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:20:20 EDT

High levels of background noise, mainly due to ships, have reduced the ability of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales to communicate with each other by about two-thirds.

Identifying dolphins with technology

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:11:11 EDT

A student-developed computer program simplifies the process of manual photo identification of bottlenose dolphins and other species.

Critically endangered whales sing like birds; New recordings hint at rebound

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:32:32 EDT

The critically endangered bowhead whales sing like birds in the Fram Strait, off the east coast of Greenland, indicating that the whales might be more populous than previously thought or that they sing a wide repertoire of songs, unlike other whales, biologists have found.

Humpback whales staying in Antarctic bays later into autumn

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:50:50 EDT

Large numbers of humpback whales are remaining in bays along the Western Antarctic Peninsula to feast on krill late into the austral autumn, long after scientists thought their annual migrations to distant breeding grounds would begin, according to a new study.

The fin whale, under more threat in the Mediterranean than thought

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:17:17 EDT

Until now it was thought that fin whales in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea made up part of the distribution of this species of whale in the Mediterranean. However, scientists have just discovered that their population has been overestimated by including specimens from the Atlantic that visit at certain times the western Mediterranean, where the noise generated by human activity affects their survival.

High dolphin deaths in Gulf of Mexico due to oil spill and other environmental factors, study finds

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:52:52 EDT

The largest oil spill on open water to date and other environmental factors led to the historically high number of dolphin deaths in the Gulf of Mexico, concludes a two-year scientific study.

Do dolphins think nonlinearly?

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:06:06 EDT

Research, which examines how dolphins might process their sonar signals, could provide a new system for human-made sonar to detect targets, such as sea mines, in bubbly water. When hunting prey, dolphins have been observed to blow 'bubble nets' around schools of fish, which force the fish to cluster together, making them easier for the dolphins to pick off. However, such bubble nets would confound the best human-made sonar because the strong scattering by the bubbles generates 'clutter' in the sonar image, which cannot be distinguished from the true target.

First paternity study of southern right whales finds local fathers most successful

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:37:37 EDT

The first paternity study of southern right whales has found a surprisingly high level of local breeding success for males, scientists say, which is good news for the overall genetic diversity of the species, but could create risk for local populations through in-breeding.

Too few salmon is far worse than too many boats for killer whales

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:34:34 EDT

Not having enough Chinook salmon to eat stresses out southern resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest more than having boats nearby, according to hormone levels of whales summering in the waters between British Columbia and Washington.

A whale of a discovery: New sensory organ found in rorqual whales

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:32 EDT

Scientists have discovered a sensory organ in rorqual whales that coordinates its signature lunge-feeding behavior -- and may help explain their enormous size. Rorquals are a subgroup of baleen whales -- including blue, fin, minke and humpback whales. They are characterized by a special, accordion-like blubber layer that goes from the snout to the navel. The blubber expands up to several times its resting length to allow the whales to engulf large quantities of prey-laden water, which is then expelled through the baleen to filter krill and fish. The study details the discovery of an organ at the tip of the whale's chin, lodged in the ligamentous tissue that connects their two jaws.

Scientists discover a new sensory organ in the chin of baleen whales

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:32 EDT

Lunge feeding in rorqual whales (a group that includes blue, humpback and fin whales) is unique among mammals, but details of how it works have remained elusive. Now, scientists have solved the mystery. They discovered a sensory organ in the chin of rorqual whales that communicates to the brain. The organ orchestrates the dramatic adjustments needed in jaw position and throat-pouch expansion to make lunge feeding successful.

Ancient sea reptile with gammy jaw suggests dinosaurs got arthritis too

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:30 EDT

Imagine having arthritis in your jaw bones ... if they're over 2 meters long! A new study has found signs of a degenerative condition similar to human arthritis in the jaw of a pliosaur, an ancient sea reptile that lived 150 million years ago. Such a disease has never been described before in fossilized Jurassic reptiles.

Whale population size, dynamics determined based on ancient DNA

Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:00 EDT

Researchers compare ancient, modern whale DNA to investigate discrepancies between genetic data and historical estimates.

Bats, whales, and bio-sonar: New findings about whales’ foraging behavior reveal surprising evolutionary convergence

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:19:19 EDT

Though they evolved separately over millions of years in different worlds of darkness, bats and toothed whales use surprisingly similar acoustic behavior to locate, track, and capture prey using echolocation, the biological equivalent of sonar. Now researchers have shown that the acoustic behavior of these two types of animals while hunting is eerily similar.

Dolphin speaker to enhance study of dolphin vocalizations and acoustics

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:19:19 EDT

To gain new insights into how dolphins communicate, researchers in Japan created a prototype of an extremely broadband “dolphin speaker” capable of projecting dolphins’ communication sounds, whistles, burst-pulse sounds, as well as detection sounds such as echolocation clicks.

Built-in ear plugs: Whales may turn down their hearing sensitivity when warned of an impending loud noise

Tue, 08 May 2012 15:19:19 EDT

Toothed whales navigate through sometimes dark and murky waters by emitting clicks and then interpreting the pattern of sound that bounces back. The animals’ hearing can pick up faint echoes, but that sensitivity can be a liability around loud noises. Now researchers have discovered that whales may protect their ears by lowering their hearing sensitivity when warned of an imminent loud sound.

Understanding of hearing in baleen whales amplified

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:36:36 EDT

For decades, scientists have known that dolphins and other toothed whales have specialized fats associated with their jaws, which efficiently convey sound waves from the ocean to their ears. But until now, the hearing systems of their toothless grazing cousins, baleen whales, remained a mystery, largely because specimens to study are hard to get. Now, a new study has shown that some baleen whales also have fats leading to their ears.

How to make high-end perfumes without whale barf

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:53:53 EDT

Researchers have identified a gene in balsam fir trees that could facilitate cheaper and more sustainable production of plant-based fixatives and scents used in the fragrance industry and reduce the need for ambergris, a substance harvested from whale barf.

Dolphins cultivate loose alliances

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:15:15 EDT

Dolphins behave uniquely. On the one hand, male dolphins form alliances with others; on the other hand, they live in an open social structure. Anthropologists from the University of Zurich detected this unusual behavior in the animal kingdom in dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia.

Size matters: Large marine protected areas work for dolphins

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:35:35 EDT

Ecologists in New Zealand have shown for the first time that Marine Protected Areas – long advocated as a way of protecting threatened marine mammals – actually work. Their study, based on 21 years' monitoring reveals that a marine sanctuary off the coast of Christchurch has significantly improved survival of Hector's dolphins – one of the rarest dolphins in the world.

Some Gulf dolphins severely ill after Gulf oil spill

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:36:36 EDT

Bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, are showing signs of severe ill health, according to marine mammal biologists. Barataria Bay, located in the northern Gulf of Mexico, received heavy and prolonged exposure to oil during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

False killer whales use acoustic squint to target prey

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:02:02 EDT

Toothed whales and dolphins are remarkable accurate hunters, considering that they locate prey using echolocation alone, so how do they pull this off? Biologists tested the echolocation skills of a false killer whale called Kina and discovered that she focuses her echolocation beam on targets, effectively "squinting" to locate far off objects or objects that are hard to differentiate.

Increase in Arctic shipping is risk to marine mammals

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:25:25 EDT

A rapid increase in shipping in the formerly ice-choked waterways of the Arctic poses a significant increase in risk to the region’s marine mammals and the local communities that rely on them for food security and cultural identity, according to experts.

Basketball-sized eyes help squids play defense

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:30:30 EDT

Researchers have used complex computations to explain squids' massive peepers. Giant squids' 10-inch eyes allow them to see very large and hungry sperm whales from a distance in the pitch darkness of their deep-sea home.

Giant squids' giant eyes: The better to see hungry whales with

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:30:30 EDT

Researchers have used complex computations to explain those massive peepers. Giant squids' 10-inch eyes allow them to see very large and hungry sperm whales from a distance in the pitch darkness of their deep-sea home.