Rarely seen sea creatures spotted swimming and foraging off Thailand, video shows
A pair of Bryde's whales were recently spotted off the coast of Thailand, delighting conservation officials.
The large marine mammals — which are infrequently observed in Thai waters — were seen on April 19 in the Mu Ko Chumphon National Park, according to a news release from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
The park comprises a group of islands in the Gulf of Thailand, located about 300 miles south of Bangkok.
The first whale was glimpsed by members of a park patrol unit around 10:30 a.m. They noticed it swimming, playing and foraging for food.
Only an hour later, another patrol unit spotted a different Bryde's whale swimming near Ko Mattra, a small island a few miles from the mainland.
Video footage shows one whale — with its distinctive dorsal fin — breaching the surface. The other whale can be seen filter feeding while birds flutter around nearby.
The twin sightings are a positive sign, indicating the health of the park's marine ecosystem, the release said.
Several other sightings of the species have been made in Thai waters in recent months, according to previous reporting by McClatchy News.
Bryde's whales — pronounced 'broodus' — are a member of the baleen family, which also includes gray whales and pygmy right whales, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They're named after Johan Bryde, an early 20th-century Norwegian whaler.
They are found throughout warm stretches of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans, with some populations migrating short distances between seasons.
The massive creatures — which can weigh 90,000 pounds and measure 55 feet — have sleek, dark bodies and slender, pointed flippers.
Little is known about their population status, and they are considered vulnerable to ocean noise, ship strikes and whaling in some areas, according to NOAA.
Around 100 Bryde's whales have been documented in the Gulf of Thailand, according to the Bangkok Post.
The Thai government lists the species as protected, according to The Guardian — and they are also protected throughout their range by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Google Translate was used to translate a news release from the Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
What to do if you find a shipwreck
You probably won't find a shipwreck—but it's possible. A fisherman recently found a one-hundred-year-old tugboat near Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and in 2023, an 8 year old with a metal detector found a 19th-century schooner off the coast of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. And there are more like it out there to be found—there could be up to 10,000 shipwrecks scattered among the waters of North America, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). You might be wondering: What should you do if you find a shipwreck? I was also curious, so I did some digging on the legality, safety, and ethics of discovering a historic shipwreck. In short, don't touch anything and report the wreck to your state or local government. Note that this article focuses on the US—the specific regulations will differ in other countries. You might be tempted, after finding a shipwreck, to claim it—or even just grab something from it. Don't. First, it's almost certainly not legal to take items from a shipwreck. In the United States, the Abandoned Shipwreck act of 1987 states that all shipwrecks legally belong to the state in which they're found. The only major exceptions are sunken U.S. military vessels, which belong to the military; wrecks found on federal land, which belong to the federal government; and wrecks found on Native American reservations, which belong to the specific tribe. This is true for wrecks found on land, on beaches, and in the water. Put simply, discovering a shipwreck in the United States doesn't give you any kind of legal right to salvage the wreck. Attempting to disturb a shipwreck could result in stiff penalties, including jail time and fines. But that's not the only reason to stay away. Shipwrecks are also dangerous. Any ship powered by fossil fuels probably had many gallons of fuel on board at the time of its wreck, according to NOAA. Tampering with the wreck could start a leak (if it's not leaking already), which would be dangerous for both you and the body of water it's immersed in, as well as its inhabitants. The natural corrosion of the ship itself releases pollutants into the water that you'd rather not encounter. The ship may also have been stowing dangerous materials, which in some cases could damage scuba gear or otherwise create dangerous conditions for you and your community. Military wrecks have their own obvious dangers, such as ammunition or explosives. Put simply, shipwrecks are best left to the professionals, who have training in dealing with these and other potential dangers. Shipwrecks are also the final resting places of the people who were on board during the wreck. In most cultures on Earth, including the United States, it's considered distasteful to disturb the deceased. This means shipwrecks need to be treated with respect, the same way that a graveyard or a tomb should be. So, if you find a shipwreck that you think hasn't been discovered, don't touch anything. Don't try to take anything. Leave the wreck alone and contact the proper authorities. Having said that, who are the proper authorities to get in touch with? As previously mentioned, state governments are responsible for wrecks within their borders under U.S. law. Your first point of contact should be the historic preservation office in the state where you found the shipwreck. The National Park Service has a list of State Historic Preservation Offices, complete with links to department websites. Some states have dedicated forms for reporting shipwrecks; all have email addresses and phone numbers you can use to get in touch. It's a good idea to record the GPS coordinates where you found the wreck and to provide photos if you can—this should help the agency find the wreck and determine whether it's been previously documented. The state agency will, generally, take it from there, combining historic research with on-site investigations to determine the ship's origins and ultimately work out a plan to preserve the site. The specifics vary, but generally there's a collaboration with local archaeologists, universities, and other appropriate agencies. So, if you happen to find a shipwreck, do not disturb it or attempt to salvage anything from it—it's illegal, unsafe, and potentially disrespectful to the deceased. Instead, you should contact the historic preservation office in your state.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
How an innovative portable shelter could help India's outdoor workers beat the heat
BENGALURU, India (AP) — An innovative portable shelter recently exhibited in one of India's largest cities shows how smart, cheap ways to help workers escape the heat are gaining traction in a country that's particularly vulnerable to climate change-driven extreme temperatures. The Neralu shelter, winner of a design contest in the southern city of Bengaluru, was displayed at the Sweat and Concrete 2025 event in late May alongside a theatrical performance about heat impacts on outdoor workers and exhibits on heat-related studies. Organizer Kanishk Kabiraj said the aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness about how extreme heat is endangering the health and livelihoods of the country's outdoor workforce. It comes amid a shift in India toward greater awareness of climate-related issues in recent years. 'We think that it's important to not only talk conceptually but to try and create models and proof of concept,' Kabiraj said. Neralu, which means shade in Kannada, the most common local language spoken in Bengaluru, consists of a lightweight frame that supports a shade, bench and angled slats operated by manual pulleys to fan people seated within. The shelter costs about $175 and is made of metal, fiber-reinforced plastic and plywood. Weighing roughly 15 kilograms (33 pounds), the shelter for up to four people can be installed on outdoor walls and easily disassembled and transported on the small motor vehicles known as tuk-tuks. 'This kind of shelter will be helpful for people like us who work outdoors,' said Madhe Gowda, a 62-year-old fruit seller who came to the exhibit. 'I sell fruits from my pushcart all day. When it's really hot, my fruits begin to rot and it becomes difficult for me to move around much." Neralu beat 19 other entries in a contest for designing heat shelters for outdoor workers organized in Bengaluru last year. Ankritya Diggavi, one of the architects behind the design, said it was inspired by speaking to and observing outdoor workers. 'They have made their own makeshift measures using material like beach umbrellas and tarpaulin sheets,' Diggavi said. The designers said the Neralu shelter can be made of recycled and repurposed material from the auto industry or other businesses. They said the design has a lot of room to be modified according to local needs and available materials. 'We wanted something simple, affordable, and quick to assemble,' said Sagar Kandal, another one of the designers. They said they have received interest from both public and private organizations that want to purchase and install these shelters in the city. The Indian Meteorological Department has found the number of extreme heat days increasing in the city, which planning experts say is likely due to climate change and rapid urbanization. And with a rising number of Indian states designing heat and climate change adaptation plans, they said the shelter can work in any heat-stressed city that needs low-cost solutions. Tamanna Dalal, a researcher on heat policy at the New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collaborative, said the way cities are built in India is resulting in urban heat islands, parts of cities with higher average temperatures than the surrounding areas. Shelters that take local climate factors into account and can be replicated easily will become 'supremely important' as heat worsens in the coming years, Dalal added. India is among the world's most vulnerable countries to climate impacts, with floods, heat waves and cyclones having resulted in 80,000 deaths and economic losses nearing $180 billion from 1993 to 2022. According to the International Labor Organization, India stands to lose up to 34 million jobs due to increasing heat by 2030. P. Kumaravel, a 42-year-old construction worker who was at the event held over two days at the end of May, welcomed the idea of the shelter, but said good public transport and reliable health insurance are what workers like him need the most. 'This year's heat was really bad. I had rashes and pimples. We rest under a tree when we can, but we're paid to work, not to rest,' he said. 'A shelter is helpful, but it's not enough,' he said. ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
How an innovative portable shelter could help India's outdoor workers beat the heat
BENGALURU, India (AP) — An innovative portable shelter recently exhibited in one of India's largest cities shows how smart, cheap ways to help workers escape the heat are gaining traction in a country that's particularly vulnerable to climate change-driven extreme temperatures. The Neralu shelter, winner of a design contest in the southern city of Bengaluru, was displayed at the Sweat and Concrete 2025 event in late May alongside a theatrical performance about heat impacts on outdoor workers and exhibits on heat-related studies. Organizer Kanishk Kabiraj said the aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness about how extreme heat is endangering the health and livelihoods of the country's outdoor workforce. It comes amid a shift in India toward greater awareness of climate-related issues in recent years. 'We think that it's important to not only talk conceptually but to try and create models and proof of concept,' Kabiraj said. Neralu, which means shade in Kannada, the most common local language spoken in Bengaluru, consists of a lightweight frame that supports a shade, bench and angled slats operated by manual pulleys to fan people seated within. The shelter costs about $175 and is made of metal, fiber-reinforced plastic and plywood. Weighing roughly 15 kilograms (33 pounds), the shelter for up to four people can be installed on outdoor walls and easily disassembled and transported on the small motor vehicles known as tuk-tuks. 'This kind of shelter will be helpful for people like us who work outdoors,' said Madhe Gowda, a 62-year-old fruit seller who came to the exhibit. 'I sell fruits from my pushcart all day. When it's really hot, my fruits begin to rot and it becomes difficult for me to move around much.' Neralu beat 19 other entries in a contest for designing heat shelters for outdoor workers organized in Bengaluru last year. Ankritya Diggavi, one of the architects behind the design, said it was inspired by speaking to and observing outdoor workers. 'They have made their own makeshift measures using material like beach umbrellas and tarpaulin sheets,' Diggavi said. The designers said the Neralu shelter can be made of recycled and repurposed material from the auto industry or other businesses. They said the design has a lot of room to be modified according to local needs and available materials. 'We wanted something simple, affordable, and quick to assemble,' said Sagar Kandal, another one of the designers. They said they have received interest from both public and private organizations that want to purchase and install these shelters in the city. The Indian Meteorological Department has found the number of extreme heat days increasing in the city, which planning experts say is likely due to climate change and rapid urbanization. And with a rising number of Indian states designing heat and climate change adaptation plans, they said the shelter can work in any heat-stressed city that needs low-cost solutions. Tamanna Dalal, a researcher on heat policy at the New Delhi-based think tank Sustainable Futures Collaborative, said the way cities are built in India is resulting in urban heat islands, parts of cities with higher average temperatures than the surrounding areas. Shelters that take local climate factors into account and can be replicated easily will become 'supremely important' as heat worsens in the coming years, Dalal added. India is among the world's most vulnerable countries to climate impacts, with floods , heat waves and cyclones having resulted in 80,000 deaths and economic losses nearing $180 billion from 1993 to 2022. According to the International Labor Organization, India stands to lose up to 34 million jobs due to increasing heat by 2030. P. Kumaravel, a 42-year-old construction worker who was at the event held over two days at the end of May, welcomed the idea of the shelter, but said good public transport and reliable health insurance are what workers like him need the most. 'This year's heat was really bad. I had rashes and pimples. We rest under a tree when we can, but we're paid to work, not to rest,' he said. 'A shelter is helpful, but it's not enough,' he said. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123 ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .
