Latest news with #Wimmer
Hamilton Spectator
16-06-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Rare find: Remains of large, shortfin mako shark found in eastern Nova Scotia
PORT DUFFERIN - A marine animal rescue group has confirmed a rare but unfortunate find on Nova Scotia's eastern shore. The Halifax-based Marine Animal Response Society says the remains of a large, shortfin mako shark — considered the fastest shark in the ocean — were found Saturday along the shoreline near Port Dufferin, N.S., about 140 kilometres east of Halifax. Executive Director Tonya Wimmer said Monday it remains unclear how the adult, 3.6-metre female died. 'It wasn't in the greatest shape,' Wimmer said in an interview, adding that the animal was too decomposed to allow for a necropsy. 'She likely would have been there for a few days .... And there wasn't anything on the animal externally to give us any clues as to why it would be in this location.' It is unusual to find this type of shark near shore. 'They're usually offshore in warmer waters in the Gulf Stream, on the banks,' Wimmer said. 'It is a very rare thing for them to be this close to shore. But it has happened over the years.' According to the federal fisheries department, shortfin makos can grow to 3.9 meters in length, and they can swim at speeds reaching 68 kilometres per hour. 'It's an absolutely amazing animal,' Wimmer said. 'These are the fastest sharks that exist. They are phenomenal ... And they have these aerial displays at times when they'll jump out of the water.' Makos have been known to jump as high as six metres above the water. As well, they frequent Browns Bank on the continental shelf off southwestern Nova Scotia, as well as the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They swim as far south as Argentina. And they have a particularly intimidating look. 'The teeth are slender and slightly curved ... and are visible even when the mouth is closed, giving it a fearsome appearance,' the fisheries department says on its website. As for their colouring, the department says they have white undersides and 'metallic indigo blue' topsides. They mainly eat squid, mackerel, tuna, bonitos and swordfish. But other sharks and porpoises are sometimes on the menu. 'It is rarely encountered by swimmers or divers due to its oceanic nature and should be treated with respect and caution,' the department says. 'The mako has been known to attack boats on occasion but most of these attacks are usually linked to being hooked by game fishers and are considered abnormal behaviour.' Little else is known about this elusive species, which was designated as endangered in 2019 by the independent Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. The mako population is primarily threatened by longline fisheries that are trying to catch other fish. In recent years, there has been an increase in shark sightings along Canada's East Coast, with reports of great white sharks getting most of the attention. Last July, the Ocean Tracking Network at Dalhousie University in Halifax confirmed it was working on a plan to to post warning signs for beachgoers for the first time. Experts say conservation measures had helped the great white shark population recover from a drastic decline in the 1970s and 1980s. As well, they said climate change had led to warmer ocean temperatures, making it easier for many ocean species to spread northward. But Wimmer said it's too early to tell what is happening with the makos. 'Climate change is affecting a lot of the marine animals in our ocean. We've seen it with whales, we've seen it with other species .... (But) we don't have a lot of information on makos. It is something still to be determined.' In 2002, several makos were caught during a shark fishing derby 16 kilometres from Halifax harbour. Two years later, a massive 1,085-pound mako was landed in Yarmouth, N.S., where it was hauled away with a forklift, its gaping jaws showing rows of hooked teeth. Still, makos are seldom found in waters colder than 16 C, experts say. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2025. — By Michael MacDonald in Halifax Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Star
16-06-2025
- Science
- Toronto Star
Rare find: Remains of large, shortfin mako shark found in eastern Nova Scotia
PORT DUFFERIN - A marine animal rescue group has confirmed a rare but unfortunate find on Nova Scotia's eastern shore. The Halifax-based Marine Animal Response Society says the remains of a large, shortfin mako shark — considered the fastest shark in the ocean — were found Saturday along the shoreline near Port Dufferin, N.S., about 140 kilometres east of Halifax. Executive Director Tonya Wimmer said Monday it remains unclear how the adult, 3.6-metre female died. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'It wasn't in the greatest shape,' Wimmer said in an interview, adding that the animal was too decomposed to allow for a necropsy. 'She likely would have been there for a few days .... And there wasn't anything on the animal externally to give us any clues as to why it would be in this location.' It is unusual to find this type of shark near shore. 'They're usually offshore in warmer waters in the Gulf Stream, on the banks,' Wimmer said. 'It is a very rare thing for them to be this close to shore. But it has happened over the years.' According to the federal fisheries department, shortfin makos can grow to 3.9 meters in length, and they can swim at speeds reaching 68 kilometres per hour. 'It's an absolutely amazing animal,' Wimmer said. 'These are the fastest sharks that exist. They are phenomenal ... And they have these aerial displays at times when they'll jump out of the water.' Makos have been known to jump as high as six metres above the water. As well, they frequent Browns Bank on the continental shelf off southwestern Nova Scotia, as well as the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They swim as far south as Argentina. And they have a particularly intimidating look. 'The teeth are slender and slightly curved ... and are visible even when the mouth is closed, giving it a fearsome appearance,' the fisheries department says on its website. As for their colouring, the department says they have white undersides and 'metallic indigo blue' topsides. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW They mainly eat squid, mackerel, tuna, bonitos and swordfish. But other sharks and porpoises are sometimes on the menu. 'It is rarely encountered by swimmers or divers due to its oceanic nature and should be treated with respect and caution,' the department says. 'The mako has been known to attack boats on occasion but most of these attacks are usually linked to being hooked by game fishers and are considered abnormal behaviour.' Little else is known about this elusive species, which was designated as endangered in 2019 by the independent Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. The mako population is primarily threatened by longline fisheries that are trying to catch other fish. In recent years, there has been an increase in shark sightings along Canada's East Coast, with reports of great white sharks getting most of the attention. Last July, the Ocean Tracking Network at Dalhousie University in Halifax confirmed it was working on a plan to to post warning signs for beachgoers for the first time. Experts say conservation measures had helped the great white shark population recover from a drastic decline in the 1970s and 1980s. As well, they said climate change had led to warmer ocean temperatures, making it easier for many ocean species to spread northward. But Wimmer said it's too early to tell what is happening with the makos. 'Climate change is affecting a lot of the marine animals in our ocean. We've seen it with whales, we've seen it with other species .... (But) we don't have a lot of information on makos. It is something still to be determined.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW In 2002, several makos were caught during a shark fishing derby 16 kilometres from Halifax harbour. Two years later, a massive 1,085-pound mako was landed in Yarmouth, N.S., where it was hauled away with a forklift, its gaping jaws showing rows of hooked teeth. Still, makos are seldom found in waters colder than 16 C, experts say. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2025. — By Michael MacDonald in Halifax
The Herald Scotland
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Motherwell manager worth risk, and why tear down Miller?
The news caught us all a bit off guard. Especially one or two Scottish former pros it seems who were keen on the gig. But after the disappointment of Michael Wimmer's departure, this was exactly the type of appointment the club needed to make to get the juices flowing again ahead of the new campaign. Now, I am not just saying this because he is a foreign coach with a slightly exotic sounding name. But rather because the board have clearly followed the same process that landed on Wimmer's name last time around, which inspires faith that they aren't swayed by factors such as a past history in the Scottish game. Equally, I'm sure that had the best available candidate been a Scot, they would have been appointed. But for clubs in Motherwell's situation, where they have been stuck in a sort of mid-lower table limbo for a few years, I think the era of opting for a 'safe pair of hands' is over. Just look at the reaction to, well, just about every other managerial choice in Scotland this summer. Yes, like any appointment, it could all go horribly wrong, Motherwell could be dragged into a relegation dogfight next season, and there could be an element of being careful what we wished for. But I would rather take the chance of breaking out of the morass of mediocrity by striving to move up the table and perhaps create something special, than be ruled by fear that it may go the other way. (Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group) Life is short, and all that. So let me welcome the (hopefully great) Dane to Fir Park. His CV is certainly an intriguing one. A decent enough playing career as a centre back included a stint at Norwich City, but his coaching journey has taken him to the Faroe Islands (where he won a double with HB Torshavn), his native Denmark (where he managed Horsens and was most recently assistant manager at FC Copenhagen), Czechia (where he was assistant at Sparta Prague) and Sweden (where he managed IFK Gothenburg, no less). He has had some ups and downs along the way, but there are clubs of real European pedigree on that list, and he has tasted a fair bit of success too. Given how tight-lipped they are this weather, I might well be the only journalist in Scotland praising chairman Kyrk McMillan and his board today, but fair play to them for another bold choice. AND ANOTHER THING… As much as I have always believed that club allegiances should be left at the Hampden turnstiles when you're going there to watch the national side, I can't deny there is an extra surge of pride whenever you see a Motherwell player (past, or present) pulling on the dark blue. And actually, it isn't even confined to just Scotland. I well remember the ovation that the great Tommy Coyne got upon his return to Fir Park following the 1994 World Cup where he represented Ireland with such distinction, when the Steelmen took on (tenuous link coming up…) Jens Berthoul Askou's former club, HB Torshavn. Anyway, so it was this week that I was delighted to see Lennon Miller not only represent his country but do so with distinction as he ran the show against Liechtenstein. Now, before all the snidey snipers jump in, I know the level of the opposition. I am not saying that Miller is better than Zinedine Zidane because he caught the eye against the team ranked 205th in the world. (Image: Craig Williamson - SNS Group) But ask yourselves this. If it is so easy to stand out in such a game, why wasn't Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson man of the match? Or Serie A winner Billy Gilmour? Or Aston Villa captain John McGinn? Miller outshone all of these wonderful players in the Scotland midfield on the day, and there is nothing wrong with pointing out how impressive that is from an 18-year-old prospect. That didn't stop an army of these 'reply guys' on social media responding to any post praising the performance of Miller by sneering at the level of Liechtenstein, insisting he is worth only £3m or thereabouts (which is, at least, a good couple of million more than where Maurice Ross recently valued him), and their favourite phrase of course, that 'they just don't see it' with the youngster. This wasn't only fans of the larger clubs either, who you might expect at least to hold a snooty attitude towards a player from Motherwell, and who are perhaps emotionally preparing themselves to cope with the fact that he may have moved now beyond their clutches. No, this was coming too from fans of teams of a similar size. Is it jealousy that Motherwell have reared such a talent while their own club has not? That there is about to be a huge cash injection to one of their rivals? Or is it simply that peculiarly Scottish trait of not wanting anyone to get too far above their station? I just don't understand why any Scottish football fan would feel the need to try and tear such a young talent down, or bring him down a peg or two. Particularly when the one person who absolutely isn't getting carried away with the hype is young Lennon himself, who showed remarkable maturity beyond his years once again in his post-match interview. It's all just a bit weird. It was nice though to see many other fans of all sizes of clubs shout these types down, and there were even more Celtic and Rangers fans beseeching their clubs to go out and spend whatever it takes to land him. Miller has done himself proud this week. And he may well have ensured Motherwell are about to hit the jackpot.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wimmer's shock exit left O'Donnell 'baffled & gutted'
Defender Stephen O'Donnell said he was left feeling "pretty baffled" and "gutted" after Michael Wimmer's shock exit as Motherwell manager. The former Stuttgart coach left Fir Park for family reasons, returning to Germany to join third-tier club Jahn Regensburg. Advertisement Ex-Scotland right-back O'Donnell was a regular under Wimmer, who had comfortably guided the Lanarkshire side to top-flight survival. O'Donnell said there was plenty of positivity heading into next season. Then came the "massive shock" of the manager's departure last month. "At the end of the [last game of the season] he thanked us," O'Donnell said on BBC Sportsound. "There was lots of optimism going forward. "Then when I got the text I was pretty baffled. He'd spoken a couple times about his family. These are the kind of things you don't question, family comes first. Advertisement "I was gutted personally. I'd been playing and was looking forward to next season." Motherwell are yet to appoint a replacement for Wimmer. On Sunday's Sportsound, former Hearts boss Steven Naismith said the role would not interest him. Meanwhile, O'Donnell said he would be "excited to work" under another foreign coach.
Scotsman
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Ex-Hearts boss emerges as next manager contender at rival as McInnes comparison made
A former Hearts player and manager is said to be keen to take charge of Premiership rivals Motherwell. Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Robbie Neilson has reportedly declared his interest in taking charge at Motherwell after the former Hearts manager was described as a potential 'safe as houses' appointment for the Fir Park club. BBC Sport have reported the former Hearts boss is keen to return to the dugout with the Steelmen and have claimed Neilson's CV has been submitted to club chairman Kyrk Macmillan. The 44-year-old has been out of work since leaving USL Championship club Tampa Bay Rowdies in April 2025 but has spoken of his desire to get back into management ahead of the new season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Motherwell have been without a manager since Michael Wimmer left his position with the Steelmen last month after citing 'family reasons' as the reason for his decision and has now returned to Germany to take charge of third tier club Jahn Regensburg. The BBC report says a three-man sub-committee of Motherwell's executive board 'draw up a shortlist, conduct interviews and make their managerial recommendation'. Chairman Kyrk Macmillan, chief executive Brian Caldwell and digital marketing chief executive Greg Anderson will play integral roles in appointing a successor to Wimmer as they look to improve on last season's eighth place finish. 'They might not be too concerned' Former Falkirk and Dundee striker Rory Loy has told discussed the possibility of Neilson taking charge at Hearts in the near future and believes the appointment would mirror Hearts' decision to appointed Derek McInnes as their new manager. Loy described the situation following Wimmer's departure as 'quite rare' and insisted the Steelmen won't be concerned shunning a 'safe as houses' appointment and 'going a bit more leftfield again' after they appointed ex Austria Wien manager Wimmer earlier this year. "You look at Hearts, appointing Derek McInnes is probably as safe as houses in terms of the risk involved," Loy told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "I think Neilson is pretty similar for Motherwell. I don't like the cliches of 'he knows the league' and 'he knows the players', but it is relevant to an extent. And one thing he has had is success. Whether Hearts fans enjoyed how he played or his personality or how he came across, he had a level of success where they were consistently finishing in good positions in the league. The difference is, and it's quite rare, Wimmer wasn't actually sacked. Motherwell maybe like what they did and could see where it was going, so they might not be too concerned about going a bit more leftfield again." Your next football read: Scotland team v Iceland: Steve Clarke to give players a chance in predicted line-up for Hampden friendly
