Tag Archives | Ocean

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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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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Look Who’s Talking

April 17, 2013

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) It looks like Doctor Dolittle might not have been so special after all—as it turns out, animals really can talk! According to a new study, bottlenose dolphins can actually identify the vocal patterns of other dolphins familiar to them. What’s more, scientists have observed variations in these patterns that imply bottlenose dolphins may in fact be sharing additional information with one another. However, this news really comes as no surprise seeing as though dolphins are the second smartest animal in the world—second only to humans. Regardless, this level of communication between species is uncommon and could mean big news for the future understanding of animal communication. Continue reading to find out what scientists believe this could mean for the animal world. — Global Animal

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Gulf Sperm Whales Considered “Special”?

April 13, 2013

(OCEANS) Even though sperm whales are currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced it will decide whether or not the 1,300 sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico should be considered for special protection as a “distinct population segment.” Because sperm whales are genetically different than most whales and face unique threats in the Gulf area, the NOAA will now conduct a 12-month review to consider listing the whales as separate from whales outside of the Gulf—although it’s still unclear what protective measures might be taken. Continue reading to learn more about the reasons for the deliberation and the potential impact this status change could have on the whales as well as the environment. — Global Animal

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Protest Marine Mammal Captivity At uShaka Sea World

April 6, 2013

(ACTIVISM) SOUTH AFRICA — Each year, thousands of dolphins are slaughtered in Taiji on the south coast of Japan. Bottlenose dolphins are then pre-selected by trainers and sold for as much as $200,000 to marine parks all over the world such as Marineland, where the animals remain in captivity and are forced to perform circus acts for their entire lives. Aquariums defend their actions as “rescuing” animals, but in reality, the captive industry is subsidizing hunts which may not have been conducted otherwise. Today and May 25th, Ocean Watch SA is hosting a protest at uShaka Sea World to advocate for the rehabilitation and release of captive animals. Read on to learn more about Ocean Watch SA and sign the petition below telling uSkaka Sea World to retire their wild caught dolphins, Gambit and Frodo, ensure animals not disturbed after hours, stop breeding captive breeding programs, and only practice rehabilitation and release. — Global Animal

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