Attention to all those living in the Los Angeles area we are entering the last two weeks of gray whale watch season! So if you want to get out and see some whales now is the time to do it. March 20th was the annual Ultimate Whale Watch trip sponsored by the American Cetacean Society’s… [read more]
8 badass Burmeister’s porpoise facts
1. The name Burmeister’s porpoise can be traced back to Hermann Burmeister, who first described the porpoise in 1865. It’s great that he identified the porpoise, but it’s a bit of a bummer name for the porpoise, sounds like a beer name. But the scientific name makes up for it: Phocoena spinipinnis. 2. As with… [read more]
Beaked Whales: an introduction
The “B” section of the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals has now taken us to the beaked whales, the toothed-whales belonging to the family Ziphiidae. Not as much is known about these whales that prefer to hang out in the deep ocean diving for squid. In fact, the 21 species of beaked whales have had so… [read more]
Atlantic White-sided Dolphin
The Atlantic white-sided dolphin or Lagenorhynchus acutus hangs out in the cold water of the north Atlantic Ocean. According to the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, this dolphin has been spotted as far south as Cape Cod, as far north as southern Iceland and as far east as the Norwegian Sea. Considered to be one of the most… [read more]
Mako Sharks: eggs for breakfast, jumbo squid for dinner
Thanks to Jaws, sharks have received a bad rap that’s really not fair. It’s annoying to even feel the need to mention Jaws, but I wanted to get it over with. Yes, Jaws was a very scary take on the Great White Shark. Not all Great Whites attack humans and not all sharks are Great… [read more]
The Vaquita Porpoise: the most endangered marine mammal in the world
In the Gulf of California, the body of water between Mexico’s mainland and the Baja California Peninsula, exists the Vaquita. Now what is the Vaquita you ask? Depending on your persuasions the name brings to mind different things. Possibly it’s a fancy cocktail drink that clubbers order, “I’ll take another Vaquita on the rocks please.”… [read more]
Blue Whale: the largest animal to ever live on Earth
And now ladies and gentlemen…drum roll please…introducing the largest animal to ever live on earth, bigger than the largest dinosaur, as long as two school buses stacked end to end a whopping 80 feet, weighing on average 85 tons with a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle…I now present to you—the blue whale. Yes,… [read more]
Bottlenose Dolphin: the fin you want to see
Finally, you left the security of your beach towel to take a dip in the ocean and now you’re swimming and wondering why you wasted so much time on the sand. But wait, is that a fin? Trying to remain calm, you pray you didn’t see anything. There it is again, the fin is closer,… [read more]