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ScienceBiologyWounded Orcas Off Spanish Coast Could Be Attacking Boats in Retaliation
Scientists are struggling to explain why orcas swimming off the Iberian Peninsula have started to attack sailing vessels. New research suggests these animals were likely wounded during previous encounters with boats and may be acting vengefully. It’s 2020, so of course orcas are attacking boats. Since July, scientists have recorded 33 distinct interactions involving sailing … Continued
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ScienceBiologyFor Some Strange Reason, Orcas Are Ramming Into Boats in Northern Spain
Although the majority of orcas ignore boats at sea, there are a few in northern Spain that are apparently interested in ramming into them, setting off a string of questions and a bit of apprehension. Last Friday, a company called Halcyon Yachts was in the middle of sailing a 36-foot boat to the United Kingdom … Continued
By Jody Serrano -
EartherThe Orca That Carried Around Her Dead Calf for Two Weeks Is Pregnant Again
In 2018, the world’s collective heart broke for Tahlequah, a Southern Resident killer whale in the Pacific Northwest that’s formal name is J35. The mama whale carried around her dead calf for more than two weeks. Now, Tahlequah is pregnant again. Researchers with the Southall Environmental Associates (SEA) and SR3, two environmental groups focused on … Continued
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ScienceBiologyBeaked Whales Use Coordinated Stealth Mode to Evade Killer Orcas
Beaked whales are elite when it comes to their deep diving, but their echolocating clicks expose them to a dangerous predator: orcas. New research shows that groups of beaked whales can reduce predation risk by coordinating deep dives and stealthy ascents. For beaked whales, it’s an aquatic case of the hunter becoming the hunted. These … Continued
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ScienceBiologyBaby Orcas Are More Likely to Survive if They Live With Their Grandma
New research shows that post-menopausal orca grandmothers maintain an important role in their pods by boosting the survival rates of their grand-calves. Orca calves without postmenopausal grandmothers experience higher rates of mortality than other calves, especially when food is hard to come by, according to new research published earlier this week in Proceedings of the … Continued
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ScienceBiologyChronic Stress Makes Captive Orcas Sick and More Likely to Die Young
Diseases and premature deaths among confined orcas are linked to the tremendous stresses endured by these aquatic mammals as a result of their captivity, according to new research. That orcas don’t do well in captivity is hardly a secret. These cetaceans often die from infections brought on by their weakened immune systems, which happens despite … Continued
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ScienceBiologyWhat Do Great White Sharks Fear? Murderous Orcas
If movies were scientifically accurate, here’s how Jaws would pan out: As the film’s signature theme begins to play, a black dorsal fin slinks around the water’s surface. Great white sharks flee in fear as the camera reveals the true menace: a killer whale. Great white sharks and orcas overlap in their positions on the … Continued
