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Dominica announces new protections for sperm whales

Dominica has placed almost 800 square kilometers of sea off the west coast of the...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
Vaquita. Photo Thomas Jefferson

Scientific Committee gives first ever official species extinction warning

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blue whale

Whale fossil from Peru may have been heavier than blue whale

Scientists examining the bones of a 39 million-year-old ancient whale have concluded that it may...

Nearly 500 whales die in New Zealand

A stranded pilot whale

The number of pilot whales that have died following a mass stranding in New Zealand has reached nearly 500.

Officials are putting the current number of deaths at 477, which occurred on two remote beaches on the Chatham Islands, around 500 miles east of New Zealand's main islands. The remote location hindered attempts to refloat some of the whales, as did the potential presence of sharks in the surrounding waters.

These deaths were in addition to the 200 pilot whales that became stranded and died a couple of weeks ago on a remote Australian beach.

New Zealand has one of the highest number of stranding incidents with pilot whales often involved. Pilot whales can strand in large numbers as they live in very tight social groups and, when a lead individual has made a navigational mistake or one of the group is sick or wounded, the rest of their pod frequently follow that individual towards the shoreline and into trouble. It is thought that the long sloping beaches in some regions cause navigational errors.

WDC helps with strandings around the world and works on projects seeking to understand why whales and dolphins strand. Can you donate today to help this important work?

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