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GlobalAnimal.org’s OCEAN section dives into ocean conservation, including activism to save whales, dolphins, turtles, and bluefin tuna. Find news about Sea Shepherd and efforts to stop the Taiji dolphin slaughter.

Swine Flu Strikes Seals

May 16, 2013

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) The swine flu virus has been found in elephant seals off the central coast of California, according to a recent study. The research is the first to report the H1N1 virus in marine mammals, which shows influenza viruses can be transferred among species. During the study, scientists encountered two northern elephant seals who were infected, and they discovered an additional 28 seals carrying swine flu antibodies. Keep reading for more information on the highly contagious virus and this enlightening study. — Global Animal

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New Species Discovered In Antarctica

May 15, 2013

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) A new species of fish was discovered by Ukrainian mariners on a fishing trip near Antarctica in 2009. The new fish known as the hopbeard plunderfish, was discovered when the fishermen were attempting to catch Antarctic Toothfish. The discovery was recently publicized in a ZooKeys study this April and describes how the strange brownish splotched fish, whose shape vaguely resembles that of a tadpole, lives in depths of up to 4,560 feet. To learn more about the specifics of this new species, continue reading below. — Global Animal

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Can Fish Use Sign Language?

May 7, 2013

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) Two types of fish—grouper and coral trout—have been found to use sign language to help out their hunting buddies. A study published in the journal Nature Communications discovered that the fish are able to “point” their heads toward prey to alert their partners in crime where their next meal is hiding. After studying gesturing grouper in the wild, researchers found that when the prey fish escaped the hunting alliance, a grouper would sometimes move to where the victim was hiding and “signal” the others. Coral trout practice similar gestures, and as a matter of fact, this is the first time “sign language” has been found to occur in animals other than ravens and primates. Read on for more on these signing creatures and this enlightening study. — Global Animal

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Sea Turtles Get Caught In The Bycatch

April 28, 2013

(OCEANS) In a new study, Bryan Wallace and a team of researchers illustrate the relationship between sea turtle bycatch, (unwanted animals which are caught by fishing boats then discarded) and small-scale fisheries. Although there is little research backing bycatch and mortality rates in terms of endangered species like marine turtles, Wallace, in his research, learned that on average, the hardest places to be a sea turtle were in the East Pacific, Northwest, Southwest Atlantic, and Mediterranean. With such a vast number of sea turtles being killed in the bycatch of small-scale fisheries, it is critical for these small-scale fisheries to become a sustainable business. Read on to learn more about the informative study. — Global Animal

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Dolphins, The Ultimate Sleep-Swimmers

April 26, 2013

(OCEANS) The things that keep most of us up at night, may have dolphins sleeping easy. But interestingly enough, our marine mammal friends might not need it. Dolphins have a unique ability to sleep with only half of their brains, keeping the other half alert while they rest. This function allows dolphins to avoid predators, and surface for air, while they remain at rest. Continue reading below in order to find out more about this interesting study. — Global Animal

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One Student’s Plan To Take Out The Trash

April 25, 2013

(ACTIVISM) The world’s oceans may have just found their savior in the form of a 19 year-old Dutch student, Boyan Slat. At this moment, our oceans are filled with millions of tons of plastic waste. The waste from the oceans washes up on beaches all over the world, threatening countless marine species. Slat’s plan takes advantage of the ocean’s currents, collecting the debris at platforms, which then can be separated and recycled. Continue reading for more of the details on Slat’s plan and how his idea may save Earth’s precious marine life. — Global Animal

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PETA Invests To Free SeaWorld Animals From Cement Prisons

April 23, 2013

(SEA WORLD) In another bold attempt to release SeaWorld’s enslaved animals back into the wild, PETA has recently announced it has purchased enough common stock in the cruel company to give the animal activism group rights to attend annual shareholder meetings and submit resolutions. The group’s ultimate goal is to free the long-imprisoned orcas, which have been a subject of controversy for many years. Whales can swim up to a 100 nautical miles in one day, and experts agree that putting them in a pool causes them great trauma—as was the case with Tilikum who killed two SeaWorld trainers after developing aggression due to a lifetime in captivity. Hopefully this move will be allow PETA to actually bring about change, rather than just waste money. Read on to find out why it’s important to release SeaWorld’s orcas from captivity. — Global Animal

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Shark Tag: A Game Of Survival

April 23, 2013

(OCEANS) Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, it is. In truth, you should have never felt the need to get out of the water in the first place. The shark community has been forever plagued with misconceptions—most of which derive from the fact that little is actually known about them. Astonishingly, 250,000 sharks die daily at the hand of poachers. However, thanks to Dr. Neil Hammerschlag and a group of scientists, this shocking statistic could change. Hammerschlag has developed a shark tag that runs off solar power and has the ability to last for decades, which will help researchers observe sharks at a distance, and leave the animals untouched for the majority of their lives. Researchers hope to learn about sharks’ migratory patterns and nursing environments, with the ultimate goal of learning how to protect these impressive animals. Read below to take a look at Brain Lam’s remarkable first hand account of this research expedition. — Global Animal

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