Whales Content

Slimming Down a Colossal Fossil Whale

Andy Fell — February 29, 2024 - 2:23pm

A 30 million year-old fossil whale may not be the heaviest animal of all time after all, according to a new analysis by paleontologists at 51�ԹϺ�� Davis and the Smithsonian Institution. The new analysis puts Perucetus colossus back in the same weight range as modern whales and smaller than the largest blue whales ever recorded. The work is published Feb. 29 in PeerJ.

Why Are Killer Whales Harassing and Killing Porpoises Without Eating Them?

Katherine E Kerlin — September 28, 2023 - 10:48am

Why do killer whales harass porpoises without eating them? Scientists from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis' SeaDoc Society and Wild Orca investigate a perplexing behavior.

To Save California’s Whales, Put Overlooked Threats Into Policy

Katherine E Kerlin — April 06, 2022 - 10:50am

Whales are threatened by a variety of human activities off the West Coast of the United States, including fishing, ship traffic and pollution. Overlap between these stressors can compound effects on whale populations, but are rarely addressed by current whale-protection policies in California, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Plastic Found in Southern Right Whale in Argentina

Katherine E Kerlin — October 22, 2020 - 8:00pm

Scientists found plastic debris in the digestive tract of a southern right whale stranded in Argentina, according to a study from the Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, co-led by the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine; and Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas in Argentina.

The study, published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin, is the first finding of macroplastic debris recorded in this species.

AAAS Press Briefing: Protecting the Health of Endangered Whales

Katherine E Kerlin — February 16, 2020 - 4:34pm

Marine mammal health is changing across the globe due to human activities and climate change. Increasing numbers of animals are dying from trauma, environmental pollution, disease and lack of food. Some populations have recovered while others face extinction.

Scientists and veterinarians from the University of California, Davis, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution will hold a press briefing about new and ongoing efforts to protect marine mammal health, including that of endangered southern resident killer whales, North Atlantic right whales, and the vaquita.