Blue whales are the largest creature ever to have lived on Earth. Here are some amazing facts and figures about these incredible creatures. How big is a blue whale Blue whales can grow to over 33 metres (around 100ft) in length, which is over twice as long as a t-rex dinosaur – and makes them…

An orca is a marine mammal. They are often confused for being a whale because of their name ‘killer whale’, but did you know that orcas are actually dolphins? In fact, they are the largest member of the dolphin family! Orcas are incredibly popular as they are the most widely distributed of all whales and…

There are five species of river dolphins that live in the major rivers of Asia and South America. River dolphins look like primitive marine dolphins and this is because their ancestors lived in the ocean. River dolphins have slender beaks lined with lots of teeth, small eyes, flexible necks and bodies, pronounced forehead melons, large…

Plastic pollution is everywhere. Plastic is so widely used and in (or around) so many products, that we’ve almost become blind to it. But it’s filling the oceans, and harming all kinds of marine life, including whales, dolphins and porpoises. Facts about plastic pollution Humans have created 8300 million metric tonnes of plastic in the…

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants – deliberately or accidentally – into our seas and oceans. It can cause harm and long term impact to whales, dolphins and porpoises and of course, their home, the wider marine environment. Chemical Pollution Many governments still allow industrial practices that pollute the sea with large quantities of dangerous…

Dolphins are small toothed whales, or ‘odontocetes’ which means ‘toothed sea-monster’ in Greek.  They are grouped into five families; the ocean dolphins are the biggest family with 38 species; there are also four river dolphin families. All dolphins are highly mobile, powerful predators who hunt fast-moving fish, squid, and other sea creatures.  They have super-streamlined…

Seeing whales and dolphins in the wild, where they belong, can be an exhilarating, moving and even life-changing experience. “Over  the past 25 years or so, I have been privileged to see whales and dolphins – and let’s not forget porpoises! – all over  the world. Highlights include meeting blue whales, sperm whales and spinner…

There are two types of whale; baleen and toothed. The key difference between them is the way they feed and what they have inside their mouth. Baleen whales have baleen plates, or sheets, which sieve prey from seawater. Toothed whales have teeth and they actively hunt fish, squid and other sea creatures. Dolphins and porpoises…

Over the last few decades, as wild orca research has expanded, researchers have described different forms or types of orcas. Known as ecotypes, these distinct types of orcas differ in size, appearance, prey preferences, foraging techniques, dialects, behaviours, and social groups. Their ranges often overlap, but they are also genetically distinct – they don’t appear…