Scientists tracked a young #whale's journey before he vanished. What they learned could help save his species.
#Bishop’s story, from birth to presumed death, shows the extreme danger facing right #whales, which could be extinct in 3 decades if they continue to disappear at the present rate. Bishop’s species is not doomed to #extinction …but time is running out.
In most ways #Bishop was a normal #RightWhale. For the first year of his life, his mother nursed & protected him, & he learned to feed by swimming, mouth agape, through patches of plankton floating near the surface.
But on Jan 20, 2015, Bishop became something more: a precious source of data that would help scientists better understand the dangers afflicting his species.
The delay has frustrated #whale advocates, who say more urgency is required. “As we watch this species go extinct one by one, the solution sits idle in the hands of the administration,” said Kathleen Collins, a snr marine campaign manager at the Intl Fund for #AnimalWelfare.
As a 1-yr-old, #Bishop managed to weave through #vessel-filled waters unscathed. Other #RightWhales aren’t as lucky.
So far this year, a dead female turned up off Virginia w/ a dislocated spine, a calf was discovered in Georgia w/head lacerations, & a young female was found — again in Georgia — w/ a fractured skull. All the injuries are consistent with #vessel strikes.
Small but mighty, plankton are some of the most powerful creatures on Earth.
For @TheConversationUS, a marine conservationist writes: "Plankton are critical to marine ecosystems and to humans, but often glide under the radar of our interest."
Hammerhead sharks—fish with pronounced oblong heads and bodies as long as small cars—are unmistakable. Seeing one of these critically endangered animals is a thrill, but seeing nearly a dozen plying the water side by side is worth writing home about.
May the artwork take you on a peaceful yet bracing walk along the beach, where you can walk barefoot through the surf. And may you set aside any worries or cares in exchange for a feeling of freedom and well being.
In the Caribbean, Hammerhead Sharks Return to School (lighthouse-eco.co.za)
Hammerhead sharks—fish with pronounced oblong heads and bodies as long as small cars—are unmistakable. Seeing one of these critically endangered animals is a thrill, but seeing nearly a dozen plying the water side by side is worth writing home about.
In Bangladesh, olive ridley turtles break 4-year record with 53% increase in eggs (lighthouse-eco.co.za)
Bangladesh has seen the highest number of olive ridley turtle eggs this year, a conservationist group says.