Latest Whales News

Sperm whale dies after beaching along Florida's Gulf Coast

Mar. 11, 2024 12:41 PM EDT

VENICE, Fla. (AP) — In a rare occurrence along Florida's Gulf Coast, a large sperm whale that drew national attention after beaching itself on a sandbar died Monday, state wildlife officials said. The whale was measured at about 44 feet (13 meters) long, roughly the size of a large...

Authorities are trying to help a sperm whale beached off Florida's Gulf Coast

Mar. 11, 2024 07:45 AM EDT

VENICE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities were seeking to assist a beached sperm whale stranded on a sandbar off Florida's Gulf Coast on Sunday, but said conditions in the water were too dangerous for crews to safely approach and administer a sedative. The Venice Police Department said in...

What is a whale native to the North Pacific doing off New England? Climate change could be the key

Mar. 05, 2024 12:25 PM EST

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Scientists have confirmed the presence of a whale off New England that went extinct in the Atlantic Ocean two centuries ago — an exciting discovery, but one they said that illustrates the impact of climate change on sea life. Researchers with the New...

First baby right whale of season dies from injuries caused by ship collision

Mar. 05, 2024 12:24 PM EST

The first confirmed baby right whale of the year has been found dead from a collision with a ship, a devastating blow for the vanishing species. North Atlantic right whales number less than 360 and they are vulnerable to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. Federal...

A stray whale's death in a Japanese bay raises questions about the cause and the cost of disposal

Feb. 22, 2024 20:20 PM EST

TOKYO (AP) — A whale as long as a train car that died after straying into a Japanese bay is set to be buried until it naturally becomes a skeletal specimen for a local museum. It's the third year in a row that whales have become stranded in Osaka Bay, raising questions about the...

How do whales sing? Lab experiments suggest their voice boxes have a unique feature

Feb. 22, 2024 19:10 PM EST

LONDON (AP) — Whales sing loud enough that their songs travel through the ocean, but knowing the mechanics behind that has been a mystery. Scientists now think they have an idea, and it's something not seen in other animals: a specialized voice box. Experts say the...

To keep whales safe, Coast Guard launches boat alert system in Seattle

Feb. 21, 2024 21:41 PM EST

SEATTLE (AP) — Photographer Matt McDonald had lived on Puget Sound for years, but had never seen a whale, so he was elated when he spotted a giant marine mammal just off Seattle's waterfront one evening. The excitement was short-lived. As McDonald tracked the whale in his camera's...

Another endangered whale was found dead off East Coast. This one died after colliding with a ship

Feb. 17, 2024 08:18 AM EST

Federal authorities said the second critically endangered North Atlantic right whale found dead in the last month showed injuries consistent with a collision with a ship. The whales number less than 360 and they have experienced decline in recent years. The National Oceanic and...

Endangered right whale floating dead off Georgia is rare species' second fatality since January

Feb. 15, 2024 16:58 PM EST

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — The carcass of a North Atlantic right whale found floating off the coast of Georgia marks the second known death in the past month for the critically endangered whale species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the dead whale off Tybee...

Environmental groups sue to force government to finalize ship speed rules that protect rare whales

Feb. 14, 2024 13:05 PM EST

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A coalition of environmental groups has sued the federal government to try to force the finalization of ship speed rules that the groups say are critically important to save a vanishing species of whale. The proposed ship speed rules would require vessels off...