Latest news with #CapeCod
CTV News
9 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Calving season ends for North Atlantic right whales as conservationists hope for population recovery
A pair of North Atlantic right whales interact at the surface of Cape Cod Bay, March 27, 2023, in Massachusetts. For the past eight years, the North Atlantic right whale population has been fighting for its life. In 2017, 17 whales died from a combination of vessel strikes, entanglements, and unknown causes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They suffered 10 more deaths in 2019. In nearly a decade, 157 right whales have died or suffered serious injuries or illnesses, prompting the declaration of an unusual mortality event (UME) for the species. 'Understanding and investigating marine mammal UMEs is crucial because they can be indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues which may also have implications for human health,' reads the NOAA website. The calving season for the North Atlantic right whale recently ended, with the New England Aquarium reporting 11 confirmed mother-calf pairings. 'If you look over averages, 11 is actually the average number born,' said Kim Elmslie, campaign director with Oceana Canada. 'Last year, 20 calves were born and four of those calves are presumed to have died. 'The ideal number to hit is 50 calves, some models say. In 2009 there were 39 calves born, which is still a low number for this species. Every calf is to be celebrated, but we want to see more.' NOAA estimates there are roughly 370 North Atlantic right whales left; in 2017 that number sat at 431. Fifteen years ago the population rested at 477. Elmslie notes the raw numbers only tell half the story of the challenge facing the species. 'Of that population that are about 370, only 70 are reproductive females,' she said. 'If that number were to drop below 50, we'd have a crisis for the species.' Entanglements pose an ever-present threat to right whales, a fact that was hammered home this week as Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) reported an entangled whale that was spotted on the north shore of the St. Lawrence estuary. Oceana Canada said it was the first reported right whale entanglement in Canadian waters this year. DFO said the whale, which was identified as a juvenile male born in 2021, was first sighted entangled in North Carolina last December. Due to the ongoing entanglements, Oceana Canada has advocated for ropeless fishing gear to reduce the incidents. Elmslie says there is support from the fishing industry for exploring those kinds of opportunities. 'There are some unique opportunities as we see markets start to shift,' she said. 'It's a very interesting time globally. Canada might be poised in an interesting way to take advantage of these opportunities.' As the summer rolls along, Oceana Canada and other organizations will be keeping a close eye on the North Atlantic right whale population. 'Every year, everybody holds their breath,' she said.
CBS News
19 hours ago
- Health
- CBS News
Cicadas emerge on Cape Cod after 17 years underground. Why researchers test them for mercury.
After 17 years underground, cicadas are emerging on Cape Cod. The noisy bugs will spend the next four to six weeks above ground as part of their life cycle. When underground, they feed on nutrients and pollutants from nearby trees. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is capturing the insects to test them for heightened mercury levels. "We are looking at the base of the tree to see any if cicadas are climbing up from the bottom," said Corinne Richard, a WHOI research assistant. "The first thing we need to do is find a tree with holes around the bottom." Mercury levels in cicadas Mercury is everywhere from the ground to the air to the ocean. Scientists at WHOI want to see if the mercury levels in the bugs are getting higher, and how much of it is natural versus manmade. Assistant Scientist Laura Motta is out collecting cicadas, but typically she is working on zooplankton in the ocean. She calls them the bugs of the sea. Often, she sees mercury in plankton as well as the fish we eat. Cicada on Cape Cod CBS Boston "The cicadas are a cool analogue of what happens out in the ocean," said Motta. "What we are trying to figure out is how they get it, through time and anthropogenic emissions increases? How are we polluting our forest?" Motta and Richard have been collecting cicadas as well as their molts and the leaves they are near. When the molts land on the ground, they will decompose and potentially reintroduce that mercury to the soil. The mercury can also be passed onto their offspring. "What we are trying to figure out is where does it end up, and how does it accumulate and become a public health problem?" said Motta. The insects are placed into bags depending on their gender. It's easy to figure out which one is a female. "They don't have the ability to sing," said Motta, putting a live cicada up to her ear and shaking it. "If you get really close, you'll be able to tell female or male." How cicadas are tested After they collect a cicada, they give them a quick bath with a water bottle to clean off any excess mercury on their body. The bugs are later frozen at extremely cold temperatures before they are freeze dried and smashed into a powder. The powder is then tested for the mercury levels. "A few years ago, someone did a study to show that cicadas have quite a bit of mercury," said Motta. Now, researchers at WHOI will compare the new data with the study from 17 years ago to see if the mercury levels are rising.
Condé Nast Traveler
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
Gifford House
Why book? An inn, a porch bar, a lounge, a nightclub, a theatrical speakeasy—all under one roof? You bet. This isn't where you come to plop down on the beach and unplug (although you can do that, too). Gifford House is where you come to truly be a part of the Provincetown community. Set the scene There's always something happening at Gifford House, thanks to its vibrant porch bar, nightclub, lounge, and theatrical spaces, all of which are heavily programmed during the summer months. The premises are a veritable revolving door of drag queens, musicians, city slickers, Cape Cod locals, and more. Truly, all are welcome here. The backstory The building dates back to 1858, when it served as the absolute last stop of the cross-country stagecoach. Provincetown, once a bohemian artists colony and currently an LGBTQ-friendly paradise, truly feels 'like the end of the world,' according to owner Steve Azar, who has a background in real estate development. Under his stewardship, the building has entered a fantastic new era of vibrancy, with common spaces that feel integral to the Provincetown community and restored guest rooms for a restful night's sleep. 'My vision was to create a queer space where everyone feels welcome,' says Azar. The rooms Rooms are spread across two buildings—the main building and the (even more) historic annex—and have been updated for the 21st century. The vibe is modern-meets-Cape Cod, with subway-tiled bathrooms, metal bed frames, and the occasional antique. Food and drink Breakfast for overnight guests is a grab-and-go affair, with a tidy offering of breakfast bars, fruit, and coffee laid out each morning. Gifford House also offers discounts for several local breakfast restaurants. The neighborhood/area The hotel sits on top of a hill and is the tallest building at the tallest point of the town. For that reason, all rooms have either a harbor view or scenic town views. Everything is within walking (or biking) distance. The service White-gloved, reverential, call you 'Mr.' service, this is not. But Gifford House offers valuable service in a different way: true insider knowledge about where to go and what to do in Provincetown. During the day, hotel staff also double as bartenders. The person who checks you in might also pour you a screwdriver when you get back from the beach. When you're here, you're instantly treated as a friend. Spa? While no spa currently exists, there are plans to add one in 2026 to the building's upper side deck for casual treatments. Accessibility? The team is working to make the premises as accessible as possible, given their historic nature. In the last year, the outdoor 'Yard' and the nightclub have become fully accessible. The theatrical speakeasy is partially accessible, and they're in the process of converting two guest rooms to become accessible. Anything left to mention? The overall atmosphere definitely skews toward loud, upbeat, and party-positive in the peak summer months, but Gifford House cares deeply that its overnight guests have a warm welcome to Provincetown. A serene seaside respite? Probably not. Maybe in shoulder season. But as Azar puts it, 'When you're here, you actually become a part of our town.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Army veteran with 3-year-old son identified as man killed in Wellfleet hit-and-run Saturday
The man killed in a hit-and-run late Saturday night in Wellfleet has been identified by police. Timothy Duval, 24, of Tallahassee, Florida was a husband, and father of a 3-year-old son, according to a press release and post Monday evening on the Wellfleet police Facebook page. The case is still under investigation, but no arrests have been made, the statement said. Duval, an Army veteran, had been on vacation on Cape Cod and spending the night with a group of friends who he became separated from. He was killed walking along Ocean View Drive. In an earlier statement, police said they found Duvall after receiving a call about a pedestrian lying in the road and performed life-saving measures, but that Duval was pronounced dead at the scene. "Investigators are urging members of the public, including residents, homeowners, and business owners in the area, to come forward with any information that may assist in the case," the statement Monday night said. "Surveillance footage, dashcam videos, or eyewitness accounts from the night of the incident could prove crucial in determining what happened and identifying those responsible." The suspect vehicle is believed to be a pickup truck or SUV, police said, based on the location of the injuries. Information should be directed to Detective Michael Allen at 508-349-3702, according to the statement. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Wellfleet hit-and-run: Man killed Saturday identified as Army vet, dad
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Man swims 62 miles around Martha's Vineyard to press for protections for sharks
A British-South African endurance athlete crossed the finish line of his 62-mile (100km) multiday swim around Martha's Vineyard on Monday, becoming the first person to swim all the way around the island off the coast of Cape Cod. Lewis Pugh, 55, began swimming multiple hours a day in the 47F (8C) water on 15 May to raise awareness about the plight of sharks – as the film Jaws nears the 50th anniversary of its cinematic release. The swimmer and campaigner has said he wants to change public perceptions and encourage protections for sharks, which are at risk from human threats and which he said the hit film wrongly maligned as 'villains, as cold-blooded killers'. Pugh hauled himself out of the water on Monday at the Edgartown Harbor lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard, near where Jaws was filmed, which tells a story of a fictional, man-eating great white shark terrorizing a New England tourist coastal destination given the name of Amity Island. 'We've been fighting sharks for 50 years,' he said after completing the last 1.2 miles of the swim. 'Now, we need to make peace with them.' In total, Pugh swam for about 24 hours over 12 days. His first stop in Edgartown after greeting cheering fans on the beach as he completed his feat was at an ice-cream shop, where he enjoyed a cone of salted caramel and berry brownie. Pugh said this was among his most difficult endurance swims in an almost 40-year career, which says a lot for someone who has swum near glaciers, including on Mount Everest, and volcanoes. He's swum among hippos, crocodiles and polar bears. Pugh was the first athlete to swim across the north pole and complete a long-distance swim in every one of the world's oceans. He said he expected the swim to be difficult because of the low water temperature, the distance and the fact that it was happening during the start of the shark migration season. But the weather proved the most challenging element of all. 'It's been a long journey, it really has, 12 days, cold water, constant wind, waves and then always thinking of what may be beneath me. It's been a big swim. A very big swim,' he said. 'When you swim for 12 days, you leave as one person and I think you come back as a different person with a new reflection on what you've been through.' Day after day, Pugh entered the island's chilly waters wearing just trunks, a cap and goggles, enduring foul weather as a nor'easter storm dumped 7 in of cold, pounding rain on parts of New England and flooded the streets on Martha's Vineyard, the famous and beautiful island off southern Massachusetts where some prominent politicians, including former US president Barack Obama, choose to relax and the history of whale hunting is almost visceral. Some days, Pugh was only able to make it a little over half a mile before wind and waves made it impossible to see beyond an arm's length in front of him. In some cases, he had to make up lost distance by swimming multiple legs in a day. 'I was just getting really cold and swallowing a lot of sea water, not making headway and then you're constantly thinking: 'Are we taking the right route here? Should we go further out to sea? Should we get closer in?'' he said. 'And meanwhile you're fighting currents.' But Pugh, who has been named a United Nations patron of the oceans and often swims to raise awareness for environmental causes – said no swim is without risk, and that drastic measures are needed to get his message across: about 274,000 sharks are killed globally each day, a rate of nearly 100m every year, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. On Monday, Pugh called the decimation of sharks an 'ecocide'. 'I think protecting sharks is the most important part of the jigsaw puzzle of protecting the oceans,' he said. Jaws was released in the summer of 1975, based on the book, and setting new box office records. Both director Steven Spielberg and author Peter Benchley expressed regret that many viewers became so afraid of sharks. Both later contributed to conservation efforts. The Associated Press contributed reporting
