Whales

Magnet, one of the endangered North Atlantic right whales returning to their wintering grounds in Georgia and Florida.

First Right Whale Calf in Two Years Spotted Off Florida Coast

A mother and calf were recently sighted along with several possibly pregnant endangered North Atlantic right whales

Harpoon aboard a Japanese whaling ship

Japan to Launch Commercial Whaling Operations This Summer

The country has announced that it is leaving the International Whaling Commission

Southern resident killer whales

Washington Governor Proposes Dramatic Plan to Save Dying Orca Population

The plan will require $1.1 billion and involve a number of controversial measures

Up to 145 whales were discovered on the shores of Stewart Island last Saturday evening.

200 Whales Have Died in Three Mass Strandings on New Zealand’s Shores

Experts do not fully understand why whales beach themselves, but the recent incidents do not appear to be linked

Baleen is the soft, hair-like structure on the upper mouth of whales, such as the humpback whale in this photo, which allows them to trap prey in their mouth.

Prehistoric Whale Jaw Bone Sheds Light on the Evolution of Baleen

Hidden in a museums’ collections for years, a fossil provides a link between past and present feeding mechanisms

Whales Change Their Tune Every Few Years

After becoming increasingly complex over a period of years, the songs are ditched in favor of simpler ditties, a new study has found

We Know How Stressed Whales Are Because Scientists Looked At Their Earwax

A new study looks at stress hormone levels in whale ear wax, showing how hunting and climate change have impacted he giant beasts

Listen in on Orca Chatter with a New App

The team behind the app hopes that citizen scientists will help experts locate struggling southern resident killer whales

The fossilized crania of three long-snouted cetaceans.

The Mystery of Ancient Dolphins’ Super-Long Snouts

A new study suggests the extinct cetaceans used their snouts to hit and stun prey, much as swordfish do

A fin whale picked out from satellite imagery

Researchers Can Now Monitor Whales Via Satellite

The latest high resolution satellites can pick out whales surfacing in huge swaths of ocean, which will aid in conservation

A North Atlantic right whale rests at the ocean’s surface. With an estimated 100 reproductive females remaining, the species could be unable to reproduce naturally in 20 years.

The Plight of the Right Whale

With dwindling numbers due to snags in lobster traps and collisions with ships, the right whale is looking for a way to make a comeback

A blue whale, the largest known creature in Earth's history, dives into the St. Lawrence river in Quebec, Canada.

Today's Whales Are Huge, But Why Aren't They Huger?

Most giant cetaceans only got giant in the past 4.5 million years, suggesting they could have room to grow

Researchers discovered hnefatafl game pieces made of whale bone in upper- and middle-class Vendel graves.

Viking Chess Pieces May Reveal Early Whale Hunts in Northern Europe

The board game <i>hnefatafl</i>, commonly called Viking chess, pits an attacking player against another trying to defend the king

Group of Belugas May Have Adopted Young Narwhal

The narwhal was seen frolicking with its beluga buddies some 600 miles south of its normal range

A Roman fish processing factory in the city of Baelo Claudia

Romans May Have Hunted Whales to Extinction in Their Home Waters

New analysis suggests that right and gray whales were not only once present in the Mediterranean Sea but likely common in the region

No calves have been born over the past three years, and the current orca population is only 75

Pacific Northwest Orca Population Hits 30-Year-Low

Declining salmon population, pollution and noise disturbance pose largest threats to the killer whales’ survival

This striped dolphin, photographed in the Gulf of Corinth, may be grieving a relative. A new study examines the evidence.

Study Suggests Dolphins and Some Whales Grieve Their Dead

An analysis of 78 instances of cetaceans paying attention to their dead suggests grief may be part of being a highly social animal

A narwhal being capture and tagged for the study

Researchers Record the Sounds of the Elusive Narwhal

<i>Skreee---click----whirrr.</i>

Whale Dies in Thailand With 80 Plastic Bags in Its Stomach

A five-day rescue effort could not save the animal, which started vomiting up pieces of plastic before it died

The first blue whale ever seen in the Red Sea.

Huge Blue Whale Sighted in the Red Sea for the First Time

The massive mammals typically spend their summers in polar waters, but are known to occasionally migrate further

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