Latest news with #Curlew
USA Today
22-05-2025
- General
- USA Today
Endangered right whale gal pals Curlew and Koala spotted in Canada
Endangered right whale gal pals Curlew and Koala spotted in Canada Show Caption Hide Caption Two right whales take rogue winter trip across the Gulf coast Two female right whales traveled across the U.S. Gulf coast during the winter which is rare for the endangered whales, according to researchers. A pair of endangered right whales that made several surprise appearances off Florida's west coast this winter have returned to their feeding grounds in the North Atlantic. "After taking a nice little Spring Break trip in the tropics, the pair was seen a few days ago," said Erin Vande Ven, a senior communications manager with Oceana, an ocean conservation advocacy group. The gal pals, named Curlew and Koala, were seen on May 15 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence north of Canada's Prince Edward Island, Canadian officials said during an international right whale team meeting on Wednesday, Vande Ven said. The pair was spotted by an aircraft with the Conservation and Protection Program within Fisheries and Oceans Canada, according to interactive maps published by the U.S. and Canada. On maps, it appears they traveled a distance of roughly 2,700 miles since they were seen off St. Petersburg 34 days earlier, on April 11. That's an average of about 3.3 mph. Curlew and Koala spent almost three months off Florida's west coast, swimming north and south from near St. Petersburg to beaches along the western Panhandle a couple of times. Whale advocates worried the wayward whales might linger too long in the much warmer Gulf of America, formerly called the Gulf of Mexico. However, after Koala and Curlew were seen on April 11, they were next seen four days later off Bimini in the Bahamas. No known sightings were reported until the pair was spotted on May 15. A portion of the endangered right whale population migrates south to the waters of the U.S. Southeastern coast each winter, including pregnant females, juvenile whales and random male and female adult whales from the waters off New England and Nova Scotia. They navigate through busy shipping lanes and fishing grounds. It's uncommon for any of those whales to keep swimming south and around the Florida Keys. Right whales are identified by individual markings on their heads and bodies, with extensive photo catalogues managed by the New England Aquarium. Because they are critically endangered, with only an estimated 372 remaining, they are monitored by both the U.S. and Canadian governments, with a variety of agencies and nonprofits participating in efforts to conduct whale surveys and sighting networks. During the most recent calving season, 11 mother calf pairs were spotted in the waters between Florida and New England, far below the number officials say is needed to sustain the population. Scientists with Oceana and governmental and conservation organizations say the whales also face dangers from entanglement in commercial crabbing and fishing gear and vessel strikes. Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change, wildlife and the environment for USA TODAY. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wanted: Evidence of rare oily-kneed beetles
Keen-eyed wildlife watchers are being asked to look out for a rare parasitic insect with an unusual lifecycle. The larvae of the Short-Necked Oil Beetles lurk among flowers waiting for a passing bee to carry them back to its nest, where they feed on all the pollen the bee has collected. The species' name comes from the stubby shape of the adult beetles and their habit of secreting an oily yellow-orange substance from their knee joints when alarmed. The organisation behind the appeal, Buglife, said Scottish populations of the insect have been found in flower-rich habitats in the Hebrides. There were no reports of Short-Necked Oil Beetles in the UK for almost 60 years after 1948 and habitat loss was blamed for bringing the species to the brink of extinction. They were rediscovered in Devon in 2006 and on the Isle of Coll in 2009. Since then in Scotland, populations have been found on Tiree, Islay, Barra and Uist. Short-Necked Oil Beetles are one of 37 species being prioritised for conservation efforts under the Species on the Edge programme led by government agency NatureScot. Map Other species on the list include birds such as the Arctic Tern and Curlew, as well as Daubenton's Bat, the Great Yellow Bumblebee and Scottish Primrose. Workshops have been held in Uist and Barra to help islanders identify the beetles. Sally Morris of Buglife Scotland, said: "We're looking to raise awareness of the species and find out a lot more about its needs, its ecology, abundance and distribution. "We have five species of oil beetle in the UK. "Three are found in Scotland and the Short-Necked Oil Beetle is the rarest." She said the species is vulnerable to extinction. The beetle's lifecycle relies on solitary bees, species which do not live in colonies and have nests tended by a single female. The beetle larvae are only a few millimetres long and have hook like feet to snag on to a passing bee to be carried back to the burrow where the bee has built its nest. Later, after feasting on the contents of the nest, the insects emerge as adults. Only about one in 10,000 larvae make it to adulthood. Ms Morris said: "Oil beetles need flower-rich habitat and sites with areas of bare ground for borrowing, both for the oil beetles themselves and for the solitary bees that they parasitize." More on this story Related internet links
Wales Online
06-05-2025
- Wales Online
Rare habitat in Wales threatened by jet skiers, dog walkers and sewage
Rare habitat in Wales threatened by jet skiers, dog walkers and sewage A community nature group is calling on Vale of Glamorgan Council to turn an old harbour into a local nature reserve in order to protect the numerous species there A community group is calling for the old harbour in Barry to be turned into a local nature reserve A community group has called for better protection of nature at Barry's old harbour amid concerns jet skiers and "irresponsible dog walkers" are affecting wildlife there. Barry Action for Nature and hundreds of residents have called on Vale of Glamorgan Council to turn the site, which is just to the east of the Harbour Road car park on Barry Island, into a local nature reserve. The local authority has two main local nature reserves. These are Cosmeston Lakes Country Park and Porthkerry Country Park. Vale Council said it was currently looking into the possibility of making the old harbour in Barry and several other locations a local nature reserve. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Chairman of Barry Action for Nature, Rob Curtis, said: "Saltwater marsh is one of the rarest habitats in the UK. "The Old Harbour's saltwater marsh supports wintering red listed species such as Curlew and Whimbrel. "It also supports other waders and seabirds such as Shelduck, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Knot and Redshank. Article continues below "We call on the Vale of Glamorgan Council to declare this area a Local Nature Reserve which can contribute to the Welsh Government's aim of protecting 30% of Wales for nature by 2030. "We are concerned that jet ski users and some irresponsible dog walkers are disturbing resting and feeding birds. "We are also concerned at the sewage pollution currently being discharged into this harbour. Please help us protect our local wildlife." Vale of Glamorgan Council is the owner of the old harbour in Barry. It was the original anchorage and harbour at Barry before Barry Docks opened in 1889. A Vale of Glamorgan Council spokesperson said: "The Council and Vale Nature Partnership are looking into the possibility of making this and several other areas of the Vale designated Local Nature Reserves (LNRs). 'It is believed 20 or so species of rare bird are found there, along with butterflies and moths, while it is also one of few places in the Vale where seagrass could be reintroduced, a plant that is excellent at capturing carbon. 'To gain the designation as an LNR, the old harbour would need to have sufficient wildlife value so work will be carried out to see if it reaches that threshold. 'Any sewage discharge into the area is a matter for Dwr Cynru/Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales and we will work with them to investigate this.' Article continues below
USA Today
25-04-2025
- General
- USA Today
A wayward pair of female right whales took a 2,000-mile journey around Florida
A wayward pair of female right whales took a 2,000-mile journey around Florida A pair of North Atlantic right whales seen off Florida in the Gulf may be headed back north after being seen in Bimini in the Bahamas. Show Caption Hide Caption Two right whales take rogue winter trip across the Gulf coast Two female right whales traveled across the U.S. Gulf coast during the winter which is rare for the endangered whales, according to researchers. After a 3-month long girls trip along Florida's Gulf Coast, a wayward pair of endangered North Atlantic right whales known as Curlew and Koala have finally wandered back to the Atlantic Ocean. A group on a dolphin-watching trip from Neal Watson's Bimini Scuba Center saw the gal pals along the eastern edge of the Gulf Stream near Bimini, making the pair the first documented right whales ever seen in the Bahamas. 'That moment for me was breathtaking, and I couldn't fully gather myself," said Captain Isaac Ellis, who led the tour. "Once in a lifetime moment for sure.' Each winter a contingent of whales, including pregnant females, juvenile whales and random male and female adult whales make their way south for calving season, migrating in the Atlantic from the waters off Nova Scotia and New England to the waters off Georgia and Florida. This pair took a round trip adventure of about 2,000 miles, based on the reported sightings. Researcher track sightings, monitor by air Because North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered with only around 370 remaining, researchers track sightings and fly aerial monitoring surveys to document their locations. Photographs are kept in a detailed photo catalog maintained by the New England Aquarium in a collaborative partnership with other organizations and agencies. Curlew and Koala, both about 40-feet long, have been tracked since their births in 2009 and 2011. The pair were spotted last fall off the South Carolina coast, by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute on Nov. 24, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They were seen again along the Southeast coast of Florida on Jan. 13, but then didn't pop up in sightings again until Feb. 2, when they were seen in the Gulf near the Florida-Alabama border. It was only the fifth time since 2000 that right whales have been documented in the Gulf, according to the New England Aquarium. After several scattered sightings along the Florida Panhandle over about nine days in early February, the wayward whales next turned up in sightings off St. Petersburg Beach. Researchers hoped the whales were heading southward to round Florida back into the Atlantic. However, they turned up along the Panhandle again in early April, near Seaside. Other right whales with their recently born calves already were being seen on feeding grounds off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. On April 5, Curlew and Koala were seen as far west in the Gulf as Navarre Beach. Then less than a week later, they were seen roughly 300 miles to the southeast off St. Petersburg Beach on April 11. Traveling faster than a boat Daniel Mosley and his wife LaShay were out with a friend in their boat about a half-mile from shore near Pass-a-Grille Beach when they spotted the pair. "We were just shocked," Mosley said. "We were like no way those are whales right there." They were in water only about 20-25 feet deep, Mosley said, according to his depth chart. The large animals were stirring up sand off the bottom leaving a little trail behind them as they swam. Just as astounding to Mosley was how fast the whales turned up in Bimini, a distance of more than 400 miles depending on their route. "It really surprised me that four days after we saw them, they were in Bimini," he said. "I couldn't get around the peninsula of Florida in a boat that quick." Inspiration for journey 'will likely remain a mystery' The whales, which typically swim an average of 1-3 mph, likely moved in the Florida current, which pulls warmer waters from the Gulf through the Straits of Florida and into the Gulf Stream. 'These two are really on quite the swim-about!' said Philip Hamilton, senior scientist in the New England Aquarium's Anderson Cabot Center. "What inspired them to make this journey will likely remain a mystery." 'Besides the unusual locations, it is also rare for two right whales to remain together for more than a few days unless it is a mother with her calf. Everything about this sighting is remarkable and exciting,' Hamilton said. After Ellis and his passengers saw the whales off Bimini, they shared the videos with the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization, which then conferred with the Aquarium to confirm the identities of the two whales. Over 30 years, the Bahamas research group had documented 26 different marine mammal species, according to Executive Director Diane Claridge. She had always hoped they'd see a right whale one day, since they are as close as 50 miles to Florida. "As their numbers declined, I had given up hope, but these two surprised us all!' Claridge said. 'As much as we enjoyed their visit to The Bahamas, I hope Koala and Curlew make their way back north safely." WhaleMap, an online resource managed by the Aquarium, allows the public to monitor whale sightings. Anyone who sees a whale, is asked to report it to 877-WHALE-HELP, stay at least 500 yards away and go no faster than 10 knots when the whales are nearby. Only 11 right whale mother and calf pairs were documented during the winter birthing season that just wrapped up. The Center for Coastal Studies, in Provincetown, Massachusetts just documented the 11th pair, Monarch and her calf, off Barnstable, Massachusetts. The number of calves born this season is well short of the 20 that scientists say is needed for a productive season, and far below the 50 calves per season needed to rebuild the population, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare. The whales face a number of human-related threats including warmer oceans, entanglements in rope and fishing gear and collisions with boats. Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change, wildlife and the environment for USA TODAY. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- General
- The Hindu
On the tail of a tagged Curlew sandpiper
When a wintering bird doubles back to its breeding grounds to attend to the visceral business of procreation, it becomes essentially 'unreachable' for the human friends it has made in its wintering grounds. It is impossible to keep tabs on the bird. One only knows its vast breeding range, which could straddle countries. It would be easier to find a needle in a haystack than trace this bird. Birder Jithesh Babu is engaged in an exercise of this kind: he is trying to trace the address of a curlew sandpiper (he made friends with, on April 18, 2025 at Kelambakkam backwaters). Jithesh would likely succeed in this effort; he is not playing blind man's buff. The curlew sandpiper (found in its breeding plumage and likely to be around in its wintering grounds for some more time) is wearing a tag. A bird with a tag usually has a recorded history to fall back on. In a couple of days, Jithesh is likely know where exactly the Curlew sandpiper would go. The tagged Curlew sandpiper having crossed his 150-600 mm telephoto lens, he has a photo of the creature, which he has sent to Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) along with a request for information about it. And Jithesh knows what exactly to expect. Around the same time four years ago — April 21, 2021 — he found a tagged flimingo at Pallikaranai marshland and he wrote to BNHS seeking information, and in response, Tuhina Katti, a scientist with the Wetlands Programme, BNHS, wrote back to him: 'From the combination on the tag, it appears to be 'AAP'. This individual was tagged in Panje, Navi Mumbai (on the outskirts of Mumbai) on 24 September 2018. It was resighted in Chennai in August 2020 and since then it has been resighted in Sholinganallur on a couple more occasions. It is interesting that the bird was still present there in April.' Jithesh remarks: 'As this happened at the height of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the response took some time. Usually, it is prompt with a turnaround time of just two days.'
