Latest news with #NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationFisheries
USA Today
2 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
Video shows sea lions diving off cliff after massive earthquake strikes Russia's far east
A powerful earthquake that struck Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on July 30 prompted a group of sea lions to dive into nearby waters in search of safety, footage of the ordeal shows. The video taken by a tourist on a nature day trip shows at least 30 sea lions jumping off cliffs and into the waves for safety as an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Antsiferov. The earthquake also prompted tsunami alerts along America's West Coast, from Alaska to Hawaii, with no immediate damage reported. Meanwhile, authorities in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands have ordered a precautionary evacuation for residents living in vulnerable areas along the Pacific coast, according to Reuters. More on sea lions on the island The island affected by the earthquake is home to Steller sea lions, the largest members of the family Otariidae, which includes "eared seals," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The species was named after German surgeon and naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who described it in 1742, according to NOAA Fisheries. The seals can be found mainly along the North Pacific Ocean rim from northern Hokkaido, Japan, to the Kuril Islands and Sea of Okhotsk. They can also be found in the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea, the southern coast of Alaska and south to central California. Adult males tend to be much larger than females, the agency said. Adult males can be up to 11 feet long and can weigh up to 2,500 pounds, while adult females are 7.5 to 9.5 feet long and weigh up to 800 pounds. They primarily feed at night and consume over 100 species of fish, including mackerel, walleye pollock, salmon, Pacific cod, flounder and others. They can forage both nearshore and offshore, and can travel long distances within a single season. Disturbances and how they impact sea lions The creatures need 'undisturbed land habitat to rest, molt, socialize, mate, give birth, and nurse small pups during the breeding season,' NOAA Fisheries said. The agency also said Steller sea lions have been disturbed in the past by powerboats, kayaks, paddleboards and other watercraft, as well as approaching aircraft.. 'Disturbance to Steller sea lions on terrestrial haulout sites can lead to individuals fleeing toward the water, causing mass stampedes during which pups and juveniles may be injured or killed when crushed by adults,' the agency said. 'Disturbance can also cause sea lions to flee from the tops of steep rocks or cliff faces, also causing injury or death.' Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Sea creature spotted off southeast Alaska coast for first time. See rare sight
A sea creature was spotted off the coast of Alaska, and the sighting has raised questions for researchers. In March 2024, the first sighting of a bowhead whale in southeast Alaska was recorded off the coast of Sitka Sound, according to a July 16 news release by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. 'This sighting is important because it is a first for a pretty big region,' Ellen Chenoweth, lead author on the study from the University of Alaska Fairbanks said in the release. 'This is the first documented sighting of a bowhead whale in Southeast Alaska. It's not the furthest south they have been seen, but it's very notable because of how far it is from its typical range. It raises a lot of questions about what was going on with this animal that we can't answer.' The group of scientists were on a 25-foot motorboat when they came across humpback whales they wanted to photograph, as they were seen 'bubble-net feeding in the area,' the release said. After spotting gray whales feeding near the shore, the group spotted another whale, but 'it didn't appear to be a humpback,' researchers said. The 'small' whale with a 'distinct arch' was spotted submerging, and the crew placed a hydrophone underwater to capture the whale's vocalizations, the group didn't hear anything, however. The whale had 'unusual behavior,' and the group only saw its head and jaw as it came up for air, researchers said. Groups didn't record any feeding behavior and saw that the whale didn't have a dorsal fin, the group said. 'Outreach is important so that people know what to look for, like the bowhead's unusual head and lack of dorsal fin,' Kim Shelden, marine biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's Marine Mammal Laboratory, said in the release. 'To identify a bowhead whale, look for distinctive features such as: no dorsal fin; a narrow, arched upper jaw; paddle-shaped pectoral flippers; a black body; white chin patches; and some white coloring on the peduncle (the muscular area where the tail connects to the body).' Bowhead whales are usually found in Arctic and subarctic waters, researchers said. They have 'evolved to survive in ice-covered waters' and use their blowholes as a way to 'break through heavy ice to form breathing holes.' Scientists believe that due to the changes in the Arctic's ecosystem, more of these types of sightings will take place. But because researchers lack additional sightings, the 'origins and health condition of this specific whale will remain unknown,' the group said.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists raise red flags after observing concerning new whale behavior: 'We're seeing conditions that suggest a continuation'
Pacific gray whales are stranding at an unusually high rate again, and experts are worried that a similar crisis from just a few years ago is occurring once more. According to KNKX, scientists are alarmed by the rising number of gray whale strandings along the Pacific West Coast. So far this year, 47 gray whales have been stranded across California, Washington, and Oregon — already well above last year's total of 31, with peak migration not expected until the end of June. Cascadia Research reports that most of the stranded whales showed signs of malnutrition, including depleted blubber oil, missing fat reserves, and empty digestive tracts. These findings are similar to conditions that precipitated the Unusual Mortality Event monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries from 2018 to 2023. With the number of sick whales and strandings today, Cascadia whale biologist John Calambokidis said in the KNKX report, "We're seeing conditions that suggest a continuation, rather than a rebound, from that mortality event." Low blubber oil levels and malnutrition suggest that the gray whales are likely struggling to find food in the Arctic due to warming waters and melting sea ice. With depleted fat reserves and empty stomachs, the gray whales veer off-course to feed in unexpected places like San Francisco Bay. According to scientists, unusual behaviors like this are signs of ecosystem imbalance. Similar issues have appeared in other species, too, like mass strandings of sperm whales and atypical behaviors in killer whales. NOAA Fisheries is monitoring the situation and plans to release updated population estimates. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While large-scale solutions to address this may take time, individuals can still support marine health and minimize ocean-harming pollution through simple, everyday environmentally friendly choices like cutting back on single-use plastics, driving an electric vehicle, and thrift shopping. Discussing environmental issues with family and friends and advocating ocean conservation policies can also raise awareness and encourage collective action. Conversations about pollution can help communities find ways to protect the planet together. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Entangled gray whale freed off Palos Verdes coast
A whale that got trapped in a gillnet off the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula about a week ago has been freed, officials said Wednesday. The adult gray whale was first spotted by whale watchers on April 8, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said in a news release on Wednesday. A day later, a trained and authorized team used aerial drones and underwater cameras to document the entanglement and found that the gillnet had snagged a rock crab trap, keeping the whale from swimming free. 'The whale was anchored in place because of the trap about 100 feet down on the sea floor and was having difficulty coming to the surface to breathe,' NOAA Fisheries spokesperson Justin Greenman said. Video shared by NOAA Fisheries showed team members reaching over the side of their boat as they cut the net with specialized tools. 'After working for 2 hours, they were able to cut off the net, and the whale swam free!' NOAA Fisheries' post on Instagram read. To report an injured, dead, or stranded marine mammal, contact NOAA's West Coast Stranding Hotline at 866-767-6114. To report an entangled marine mammal, call NOAA's Entanglement Reporting Hotline at 877-767-9425. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
09-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Two endangered whales mysteriously pop up off unexpected US coastline, NOAA says
Two endangered whales are baffling researchers by continuing to show up along a stretch of U.S coast that is not part of their turf, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The pair of North Atlantic right whales are not only 'out-of-habitat,' but they're hanging out in shallow water off the Florida Panhandle, the department said in an April 4 news release. Multiple 'nearshore' sightings have been reported in the 40 miles between Panama City Beach and Destin, NOAA says. (Right whales reach up to 52 feet and weigh up to 140,000 pounds, making them tough to miss.) The most recent sighting, on April 5, was off the Okaloosa Island Pier, about seven miles west of Destin, NOAA told McClatchy News in an email. 'While not unheard of, it's rare for North Atlantic right whales to be sighted in (Gulf of Mexico) waters. Since 2000, there have only been four other known instances of this occurring,' NOAA Fisheries says. 'Biologists are working with partners and law enforcement to raise awareness about the animals' presence. The public and mariners are asked to report all sightings immediately to our hotline (877-WHALE-HELP) so we can monitor their movements and body conditions.' What caused this? The two whales, known as Koala (age 16) and Curlew (age 14), have never before been seen in Gulf Coast waters, experts say. 'Both (are) adult females who could have been pregnant when they first came to the Southeast U.S. this calving season, although neither has been seen with a calf previously,' NOAA says. It's unclear why they are continuing to travel west, but some research suggests climate change could be involved. The traditional home for North Atlantic right whales (all 370 of them) stretches along the East Coast, from New England to the Southeastern U.S., NOAA says. 'North Atlantic right whales face many threats, including ... climate change — which may alter their migratory patterns and feeding areas,' a NOAA species profile reports. Koala and Curlew 'appear to be in good health,' but their presence off one of Florida's tourism hot spots heightens the chances of a potentially deadly boat strike, experts say. 'Right whales tend to swim just below the surface and rest at the surface, making them difficult to spot,' NOAA says. By law, people (and boats) must stay at least 500 yards from whales, NOAA says.
