Dolphins catch fish using giant shell tools
In Shark Bay, Australia, two groups of dolphins have figured out how to use tools to help them catch fish. They are known as the spongers and the shellers. I introduced you to the spongers in a previous blog so today, let’s meet the shellers. Shelling is a skillful fishing technique practiced by a culturally…
Read MoreDid you know that dolphins have unique personalities?
We all have personalities, and between the work Christmas party and your family get-together, perhaps you notice them even more at this time of year! It’s not so different for dolphins – each dolphin has a different character and role in their pod. Dolphins are intelligent and self-aware, and they clearly enjoy being together. They…
Read MoreMeet Holly, she’s an incredible orca leader
Let me tell you the story of an awe-inspiring orca with a fascinating family story … and then maybe you’d like to adopt her for someone you love this Christmas. Holly has a wonderfully seasonal name, but it’s actually just one of three names she is known by. She was one of the first whales…
Read MoreA story about whales and humans
As well as working for WDC, I write books for young people. Stories; about the sea, about whales, about conservation. I’ve seen how fiction and non-fiction can inspire and move and I’ve come to believe that these forms are not so different, that when it comes to the next chapter of whale conservation, it is…
Read MoreWhy do whales and dolphins strand on beaches?
People often ask me ‘why’ whales and dolphins do one thing or another. I’m a whale and dolphin scientist and so it’s my job to know stuff like that. Over recent days, the world has watched the heart-breaking scenes on two remote New Zealand beaches as almost 500 pilot whales have died after becoming stranded.…
Read MoreMeet the legendary pink river dolphins
Botos don’t look or live like other dolphins. Flamingo-pink all over with super-skinny snouts and chubby cheeks, they certainly stand out in a crowd. And they never set a flipper in the ocean – home is the fresh, flowing waters of three mighty South American river basins: the Amazon, Orinoco and Tocantins-Araguaia. The botos’ magnificent realm…
Read MoreA humpback whale teacher named Salt who helps keep you and me alive
Salt is a remarkable whale. In fact she’s probably the most famous humpback whale in the world. She was one of the first humpbacks to be identified back in 1975 when researchers began recognising and cataloguing individuals, and we know that she’s at least 46 years old. She has 15 children and is a great…
Read MoreDid you know dolphins use tools? Meet the Shark Bay spongers …
Like humans, dolphins live in societies with unique cultures. Like us, they bond with others who share similar traditions and habits. In Shark Bay, Australia, bottlenose dolphin society is multicultural and awesome. There are the beachers – dolphins who chase fish onto the seashore, temporarily beaching themselves in the process, and the shellers who lift…
Read MoreWhale culture and conservation: to infinity and beyond …
In 1977, the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft launched, carrying with them the song of humpback whales and greetings in 55 human languages. Why was humpback whale song chosen to accompany this time capsule of life on Earth being projected to the outer reaches of our solar system and beyond? Perhaps because it is haunting,…
Read MoreMeet the brainiacs of the underwater world – deep thinkers with intricate emotional lives
Whales and dolphins have big brains, and large brained beings have a few things in common. We live long lives, we’re sociable and our behaviour is complex. Females give birth to just a few children and take extraordinary care of each baby, teaching them life skills and helping them to become independent. Whales and dolphins behave in ways…
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