Latest news with #whales
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Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
Luxury Summer Vacation Ideas
Warm temperatures, beautiful weather, and ample free time—there's a reason why summer is one of the most popular seasons to travel. And while there's nothing wrong with a quick, easy weekend getaway to a destination near you, sometimes, summer calls for a luxurious, all-in, no-holds-barred vacation experience. Below, we've curated eight stories to inspire your next luxury summer vacation. Whether you're searching for an unforgettable train ride through the American West with red-rock views, or you want to fly a semi-private jet to an upscale Cabo resort where you can watch whales from a Champagne bar, we've got you covered.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Why are Ireland's whales disappearing?
Aren't huge whales always being spotted off Ireland's coast? Skipper Colin Barnes, who gave up commercial fishing in 2001 to set up one of Ireland's first whale -watching businesses, has said the whales have left his search area of ocean off Cork because the sprat they feed on have been fished to near extinction. He could no longer offer 'world-class whale-watching'. This decline contrasts with evidence of a rich mix of cetaceans increasingly found off Ireland including whales, dolphins and porpoises. There is no doubt some are here more frequently due to changes in water temperature caused by global warming or having to go further afield due to overfishing elsewhere. But declaring the territorial waters of Ireland a designated whale and dolphin sanctuary in 1991 helped. This coincided with an increase in numbers following an international ban on killing whales introduced in the 1980s. READ MORE [ 'It's an empty, lifeless sea': Whales leave Cork waters, putting watchers out of business Opens in new window ] It fostered a new form of ecotourism, centring on Ireland's rich marine biodiversity, though some occasionally encroached too close to these magnificent creatures. To see a fin whale, the second largest mammal in the world, almost on our doorstep was awe-inspiring. A humpback whale swims off the coast of west Cork accompanied by a common dolphin in 2021. Photograph: Nick Pfeiffer/Provision Why are sprats so important? Sprats are small fish indigenous to Ireland and a rich protein source for whales but also other cetaceans and seabirds. They dominate the inshore coastline in the Celtic Sea at shallow depths, making them especially vulnerable when trawlers fish for them at spawning stage from October on with no limits on catch. Deep-sea cameraman Ken O'Sullivan has described this as 'ecological suicide' when there is little data on the species, adding that the precautionary principle should apply. Moreover, it is not a commercial catch with most sprat sold to fish farms as fishmeal. [ Shining new light on sperm whales and the importance of Irish waters to them Opens in new window ] Barnes claimed Government apathy and inaction towards fish conservation, however, has led to the demise of the fish by just a handful of large trawlers in Irish waters. What can be done about it? At a recent public meeting in west Cork there were calls for a ban on sprat fishing in inshore coastal waters. In 2019, government efforts to introduce a ban were successfully challenged in the courts. In 2024, a public consultation invited views on introducing the ban again. It attracted more than 5,500 submissions, but campaigners say more than a year on nothing has happened. Minister of State with responsibility for nature and biodiversity, Cork South West TD Christopher O'Sullivan, has accepted the need to 'introduce measures to protect this forage species – not just for whales, but for all the other fish stocks and wildlife that depend on it – to prevent the collapse of an entire food web". Marine ecologists and those in the whale watching business believe a strictly enforced ban cannot come soon enough.
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Five dead gray whales were found in the Bay Area in one week, Marine Mammal Center confirms
Five whales found dead in the Bay Area in less than a week Five whales found dead in the Bay Area in less than a week Five whales found dead in the Bay Area in less than a week Five gray whales have died in Bay Area waters between May 21 and May 26, 2025. May 26, 2025: Suspected gray whale, Alcatraz; cause of death: undetermined (no necropsy performed) May 26, 2025: Gray whale, Point Bonita; cause of death: undetermined (no necropsy performed) May 22, 2025: Subadult female gray whale, Berkeley; cause of death: undetermined (no necropsy performed) May 22, 2025: Gray whale, Fisherman's Bay, Southeast Farallon Island; cause of death: undetermined (no necropsy performed) May 21, 2025: Yearling gray whale, Bolinas; cause of death: undetermined (partial necropsy conducted on May 23, inconclusive) Source: California Academy of Sciences California Academy of Sciences The California Academy of Sciences said this brings the total number of dead whales found in the Bay Area in 2025 to fourteen. At least three of them were killed by vessel strikes. They said have not responded to this many whale deaths since the unusual mortality event of 2019. Scientists with the Marine Mammal Center and California Academy of Sciences have not determined what killed the whales the five recently found whales. According to the Mammal Center's Cetacean Conservation Biology Team, there have been 33 individual gray whales spotted in the Bay Area in 2025. The center said that is up from the four gray whales that were sighted in 2024.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Science
- ABC News
WA melon-headed whale stranding investigation findings 'inconclusive'
Marine researchers have been unable to determine why 10 whales stranded themselves on Western Australia's far north earlier this year. The melon-headed whales were found by residents at Crab Creek, east of Broome and about 2,000 kilometres north of Perth, in January. Melon-headed whales are small, toothed whales belonging to the oceanic dolphin family. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) collected scientific information from the dead mammals to investigate the incident. But it has since confirmed the cause of the stranding would remain unknown. Marine scientist Holly Raudino said the species had only stranded twice previously in WA, so the incident was unusual and concerning. She said research team members had done everything they could with the samples available. "We hadn't anticipated how quickly the head and the soft tissues would decompose," she said. "By the time we received the head, it appears that decomposition had already set in. "We're always trying to improve on our efforts as much as we can and as funding permits." Findings initially suggested the stranding was caused by intense noise, due to severe damage to the mammals' ears. But because of significant decomposition, results regarding the ears were comprised and deemed inconclusive. "Elsewhere in the world when this species is stranded, it's been suspected to be in relation to exposure to an intense noise source," Ms Raudino said. The species is primarily found in deep water worldwide. The whales travel in pods ranging from 100 to more than 1,000 members. While the ultimate cause of the stranding is undetermined, Ms Raudino said the team's findings would help inform broader global understanding and research into strandings generally. Envrions Kimberley executive director Martin Pritchard said the stranding had shocked residents. He said it was disappointing the cause would not be fully understood. "We have a world-class marine environment here and there's a responsibility on the government to make sure we know what's going on and to manage it properly," he said. "We're a wealthy country; surely we've got the resources to monitor our marine life so we can understand what's been going on in our oceans." Mr Pritchard said at the time of the incident there were reports of "very large noises" in the area cause by "pile drivers". "We were concerned that could have had a direct impact on the whales," he said. "Now we'll never know."
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Blanket Term
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today's puzzle before reading further! Blanket Term Constructors: Tom Pepper & Zhouqin Burnikel Editor: Amanda Rafkin HISS (1A: Sound from an annoyed cat) The only time my cat, Willow, ever lets out a HISS is when she discovers an unwelcome feline visitor in her house. I don't have any pictures of that, since when that happens I'm usually playing referee between the cats. Instead, here's a picture of Willow trying to convince me to pet her instead of working. (How could I possibly refuse?) WAS (26A: "It ___ a dark and stormy night") In the Peanuts comic strip, Snoopy began using a typewriter on top of his doghouse on July 12, 1965 (nearly 60 years ago!). Many of Snoopy's stories begin, "It WAS a dark and stormy night." ORCAS (30A: Whales known as "wolves of the sea") ORCAS and wolves are both apex predators, meaning they have no natural predators. ORCAS earned the nickname "wolves of the sea," because they hunt in groups, like wolves do. PASTA (33A: Fusilli or gemelli) Fusilli is corkscrew-shaped PASTA. Gemelli is a type of PASTA that appears to be two tubes twisted around each other. AFGHAN HOUND (36A: Silky-haired hunting dog) The AFGHAN HOUND gets its name because the breed originated in the mountain regions of Afghanistan. AFGHAN HOUNDs are characterized by fur that is long, fine, and silky. FORT (42A: Structure that might be made of pillows and blankets) I am a fan of a blanket FORT; it makes such a cozy hideaway. This is a nice theme bonus – whether you call a BLANKET a THROW, an AFGHAN, or a COVER – it can be used to build a FORT. COD (48A: Common fish for lutefisk) Lutefisk is made by drying and salting COD (or whitefish), and then rehydrating it in a lye-solution. The result is gelatinous in texture. Lutefisk originated from Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland). It is popular in some parts of the United States, where it is often associated with Christmas celebrations. ITHACA (2D: Cornell's city) Cornell University was founded in ITHACA, New York in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White. Cornell is a land grant university (an institution of higher education given federal land by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890). ALF (6D: 1980s sitcom alien from the planet Melmac) ALF is a TV sitcom that ran for four seasons from 1986 to 1990. The title character was an "alien life form" (aka an extraterrestrial, or ET) from the planet Melmac. OTTAWA (8D: City home to Canada's Parliament Hill) OTTAWA is the capital of Canada. It is located in the southern part of the province of Ontario, and is Canada's fourth-largest city (following Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary). Parliament Hill is an area of land in downtown OTTAWA, located along the OTTAWA River. The Parliament of Canada is housed in three buildings located on Parliament Hill. TINA (10D: Bette's partner on "The L Word") The L Word was a Showtime TV drama that aired from 2004-2009. One of the show's main characters is Bette Porter, portrayed by Jennifer Beals, considered by some to be one of the most important LGBTQ TV characters of all time. Another main character is TINA Kennard, portrayed by Laurel Holloman. As the clue mentions, TINA and Bette are partners (though their relationship is on again, off again throughout the series). NAS (22D: Rapper Lil ___ X) Lil NAS X's song "Old Town Road" (2019) is tied (with "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" by Shaboozey) for the most weeks (19) at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart. AGE (34D: What Adele's album titles represent) To date, Adele has recorded four studio albums: 19 (2008), 21 (2011), 25 (2015), and 30 (2021). The numbers reflect Adele's AGE when she wrote the songs on the album, not necessarily her AGE when the albums were released. KFC (39D: Colonel Sanders' chain) KFC, formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, was founded in North Corbin, Kentucky in 1930. Founder Harland Sanders (1890-1980) was commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel (an honor bestowed by Kentucky's governor) in 1935, and became known as Colonel Sanders, the company's spokesman. REDDIT (47D: Popular discussion website) REDDIT is an online news aggregation and discussion website. One of the features of REDDIT is multiple discussion boards, or subreddits, focusing on a variety of topics. REDDIT users get to upvote and downvote posts, so the most popular posts appear at the top of a feed. THROW A FIT (17A: React angrily) AFGHAN HOUND (36A: Silky-haired hunting dog) COVER BAND (58A: Tribute group playing familiar songs) BLANKET TERM: The first word of each theme answer is a TERM that means BLANKET: THROW, AFGHAN, and COVER. A BLANKET TERM is a generic term used to describe a number of items. For example, "color" is a BLANKET TERM, whereas "red," "yellow," and "blue" are specific terms. In today's theme, however, BLANKET TERM refers to a TERM that literally means BLANKET. That's very fun. Thank you, Tom and Zhouqin, for this enjoyable puzzle. USA TODAY's Daily Crossword Puzzles Sudoku & Crossword Puzzle Answers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Crossword Blog & Answers for May 20, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
