Posts Tagged ‘Sperm whales’
Paradise lost? Extraordinary encounters with sperm whales
A magical sperm whale encounter © Andrew Sutton One morning back in 2015, in an ocean devoid of other vessels for at least a mile in every direction, I had an astounding encounter with a veritable armada of sperm whales. I was off the coast of northwest Sri Lanka with colleagues including WDC ambassador and…
Read MoreWDC sends message of support to NZ whale watch community following earthquake
WDC sends a message of support to Kaikoura’s whale watch community, wider community and tourists, following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake which struck the region early Monday morning, local time. The large earthquake has been followed by over 150 aftershocks in the last 24 hours, including one particularly hefty aftershock with a magnitude of 6.2. The coastal…
Read MoreResults of sperm whale strandings in Germany released
Results from investigations into the sperm whale strandings in Germany in February have revealed that the whales died from heart (cardiovascular) failure after beaching on the shoreline. Without support from the water, the sheer weight of the whales crushed their lungs and other organs, leading to death. Nearly 30 sperm whales stranded in the UK, France, Netherlands and…
Read MoreNew fingerprint techniques could foil whale tooth poaching
Scientists from King’s College London and University College London have collaborated with imaging and fingerprint experts from the Metropolitan Police to improve techniques that may help prevent the poaching of ivory and whale teeth. Previously, fingerprinting methods using conventional powders have been largely ineffective on porous materials like ivory. Using newly developed powders, fingerprint experts…
Read MoreAn Armada of Whales: WDC in Sri Lanka
Date: March 24th 2015 Country: Sri Lanka. Location: 8°35’12.10”N 79° 32’ 11.84” E Last week I was in Sri Lanka to help coordinate WDC’s Project BLUEprint training workshop for the local whale watch operators in Kalpitiya in the northwest. The event was a great success and during the course of the day the local operators…
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