(OCEANS) Thousands of jumbo squid have beached themselves on the central California coast this week, committing what scientists are calling a “mass suicide.” Despite years of studying this phenomenon in which squid actually fling themselves onto shore, the cause has always been a mystery. However, new evidence suggests that poisonous algae may be intoxicating the Humboldt squid and causing them to swim ashore in Monterey Bay. Read on to learn more about the decades-old mystery. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL WELFARE) CANADA — The Canadian Government allows hunters to club or shoot baby seals and skin them for their fur in order to meet its increasing demand. And within the past five years, Canada’s commercial seal hunt has killed nearly one million seals—97 percent of which were younger than three months old. The Humane Society of the United States has made it their mission to end this mass slaughter and is encouraging consumers, chefs and restaurants to join the Protect Seals Boycott. As of November, over 6,000 establishments have taken a stand to refuse the use of Canadian imported seafood. Continue reading to learn how you can help join the fight for baby seals. — Global Animal
(TAKE ACTION) GEORGIA — The Humane Society of the United States has created a petition against the Georgia Aquarium. The facility is requesting a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service to import 12 wild caught Beluga Whales for entertainment purposes. The Belugas will be taken from their natural environment and placed in a tank to be guffawed at by insensitive spectators. The permit also entails the legal transport of these marine mammals 6,000 miles by plane. The animals will also be transferred from one container and plane to another during a layover in Belgium. These conditions will be extremely stressful for the whales, and not to mention that their heightened noise sensitivity will be exposed to hours worth of screaming engines. Continue reading and sign the petition to stop the exploitation of these Beluga Whales. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL NEWS) CANADA — Residents along Lake Erie were woken up by a smell that was similar to a septic tank backing up yesterday, when tens of thousands of dead fish and sea gulls washed ashore. The scene is reminiscent of earlier this month when thousands of dead fish washed up along the Texas shore, and when birds seemed to fall dead from the sky in Arkansas in 2011. Researchers have ruled out many reasons for the deaths and are still looking to make sense of this strange phenomenon. Is this really just another coincidence, or a direct result of the damage humans have done to the planet? Read on for more eerie details. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL NEWS) HAWAII — Researchers are stunned by the the millions of pea-sized crabs that washed ashore on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. The name and type of crab is still unknown. The crabs are in their swimming stage and cannot survive on the beach. Could this be related to the hundreds of beached dolphins and pelicans found in Peru earlier this year? Let us know what you think. — Global Animal
(ANIMAL NEWS) Twenty years ago the cod industry was shut down in many places due to overfishing, and scientists are now seeing the first signs of the population returning. The rise in water temperatures in some northern areas is helping the longevity of the fish. Read on for more on the recovery of this species. — Global Animal
(WHALING) During an undercover investigation, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) found Greenland in violation of the global ban on commercial whaling. They discovered that restaurants were targeting tourists with menus containing whale meat and whale products were made available in supermarkets. Under the terms of the International Whaling Commission’s ban, Greenland is allowed to kill a limited number of whales per year to meet the food needs of local people. However, wildlife campaigners claim the availability of whale meat for tourists demonstrates how Greenland is catching more than necessary. Read on to learn more about how Greenland has taken advantage of their right to sustenance whaling. Remember to sign the petition requesting that Denmark stop slaughtering whales to feed tourists.— Global Animal
(ANIMAL NEWS) With nearly 900 dolphins and 1,500 marine seabirds found dead on the northern coast of Peru, scientists are still scrambling for answers as to why. While some specialists blame pollution and pesticides for the deaths, others believe it could be seismic testing, disease, or starvation. Although government officials say that the two events are unrelated, there are overlapping factors, one of which is a common food source, anchoveta. Read on for further developments into this marine mystery, and what it could mean for sea life and people. — Global Animal
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