NEWSWORTHY
A lonely narwhal that strayed far from its Arctic habitat has apparently found a new family in a pod of belugas in Canada's Saint Lawrence River, a marine conservation group said Thursday. The juvenile narwhal — identifiable from its tusk and gray spots — was ...
200-year-old Mie puppet's neck on the line as whaling ban makes crucial part scarce
Onyudo is a giant kimono-clad, long-necked puppet that has been preserved by residents of the Nakanaya area of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, for more than 200 years. The puppet, regarded as a symbol of Yokkaichi, appears on a float in the annual Grand Yokkaichi Festival, showing ...
Orca back to feeding and frolicking after carrying dead calf
Researchers say a killer whale from an endangered species that drew international attention as she carried her dead calf on her head for more than two weeks is finally back to feeding and frolicking with her pod. The Center for Whale Research in Washington state ...
Carcass that washed ashore on Japan beach confirmed to be of blue whale
The carcass of a 10-meter-long whale that washed ashore on a beach in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, last Sunday has been confirmed to be a blue whale — the largest known animal to have lived on Earth. The National Museum of Nature and Science, which examined ...
Is it a blue whale or not? The slaughter in Iceland of what is claimed was a member of the endangered species has triggered outrage and left experts puzzled about its true identity. "There has not been a blue whale harpooned by anyone for the ...
Ancient Roman hunters may have precipitated the disappearance of gray and right whales from the Mediterranean, a study said Wednesday, suggesting commercial whaling is much older than we thought. Bones belonging to the two species have been uncovered around the Strait of Gibraltar south of ...
A whale has died in southern Thailand after swallowing more than 80 plastic bags, officials said, ending an attempted rescue that failed to nurse the mammal back to health. The animal died just ahead of World Environment Day on Tuesday. Thailand is one of the world's ...
Defying criticism, Taiji pushes forward with bold plans based on continued dolphin hunts
A few years back, the normally sleepy town of Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture was filled with activists furious with its traditional dolphin hunt, which was featured in "The Cove," a 2009 Academy Award-winning documentary. But as the fury ebbs, the town is now betting its ...
Osaka whale fossil believed to be first evidence of Eden's whale
An old fossil found long ago in Japan turns out to be the world’s first known proof that the elusive Eden’s whale existed.
Big and brilliant: Study links large size of sperm whale's brain to complex social behavior
Cetaceans — whales and dolphins — are among the brainiest of beings. In terms of sheer brain size, the sperm whale is tops on Earth, with a brain six times larger than that of a person. And now, scientists have identified key differences among cetaceans ...
The town of Taiji, known for its whale-hunting traditions, held an annual memorial service on Saturday for whales captured and killed. Some 100 people including fishermen gathered in front of a whale-shaped monument at a park in the town and offered incense in a gesture ...
More than 400 whales become stranded on New Zealand beach; most die
It was the sound of soft sighs and cries in the half-light that first struck Cheree Morrison. As dawn broke, she began to see the extent of the carnage — more than 400 whales had swum aground along a remote New Zealand beach. About 275 ...
