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Marine Mammals

  • Aerial Drones Give Scientists a New Perspective - Oct 3: What will help launch a whole new era of marine mammal research? Aerial drones help biologist Wayne Perryman and other NOAA scientists study animals and ecosystems in a whole new way.
  • Getting to the Bottom of Marine Mammal Crimes - Oct 3: Special agents and enforcement officers with NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement investigate crimes against marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this month.
  • New Research: Climate Impacts on Marine Predators - Sept 24: What happens when marine animals at the top of the food chain start to feel the impacts of climate change? This week Nature Climate Change features the results of research led by NOAA Fisheries scientist Elliott Hazen.
  • Grants Awarded for Marine Mammal Rescue - Aug 31: NOAA Fisheries awards 39 grants to participants of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network to respond to sick, injured, or stranded marine mammals and investigate health concerns for these populations in the wild.
  • Meet Springer—One Orca Who Overcame the Odds - July 13: An orphaned killer whale calf, Springer, was rescued from Puget Sound and returned to her family in Canada in 2002. This summer, she has been sighted again.
  • Teacher at Sea Helps Scientists Study Right Whales - June 28: NOAA Teacher at Sea Ellen O’Donnell shares incredible highlights of her research cruise studying North Atlantic Right Whales.
  • Dolphin SMART Businesses Protect Dolphins - June 12: Protecting dolphins and their coastal homes is crucial for conservation efforts and economic sustainability of dolphin-viewing businesses.
  • Bering Sea Research Reveals Changing Ecosystems - June 6: NOAA and partners conduct new research in the Bering Sea to examine how ecosystem changes are affecting our fisheries.
  • Crimes Against Marine Mammals—New Exhibit Opens - May 22: NOAA Fisheries and the Crime Museum open new exhibit "Crimes Against Marine Mammals," celebrating 40 years of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and highlighting Act violations, investigations, and protection measures.
  • Amazing Gray Whale Journey Across the Pacific - April 22: The Gray whale journey is one of the longest made by any mammal, covering over 12,000 miles round-trip, from the Alaskan Arctic to Mexico.
  • 'TweetChat' to Highlight Famous Gray Whale Rescue - Feb. 23: NOAA scientist Dave Withrow will answer questions live on Twitter this Thursday, February 23 at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. He was part of the real-life 1988 rescue of three gray whales trapped in sea ice that inspired the new movie, "Big Miracle."
  • Whale Rescue Inspires Hollywood - Feb. 1: This weekend, Universal Pictures will premiere "Big Miracle," a new film inspired by the real-life 1988 rescue of three gray whales trapped in sea ice near Barrow, Alaska. NOAA scientist Dave Withrow talks about his experience as part of the rescue team.
  • Unusual Mortality Event Declared in Texas - Dec : NOAA declares 2011-2012 bottlenose dolphin unusual mortality event in Texas. Scientists continue to investigate the cause.
  • Fishermen ‘Get Smart’ about Reducing Bycatch - Nov 17: NOAA presented the grand prize at World Wildlife Fund’s 2011 International Smart Gear Competition today in Seattle. The competition recognized three fishing devices that save lives of seabirds, fish, turtles, and other marine life.
  • NOAA Right Whale Experts Use Twitter to Reach Out - Nov. 16: As right whales migrate down the Atlantic Coast this winter to their winter calving grounds, there are things boaters can do to ensure their safe travels. To inform the public, NOAA whale experts took to Twitter.
  • Bacterial Infection Cause of Dolphin Deaths - Oct. 27: NOAA has identified the bacteria Brucella in five bottlenose dolphins that died in the northern Gulf of Mexico. These five are among 580 dolphins in higher than expected strandings that began in February 2010.
  • Antarctic Killer Whales Seek Spa-like Relief - Oct. 25: NOAA researchers explain why a type of Antarctic killer whale performs a rapid migration to warmer tropical waters – spa-like skin treatment.
  • Porpoise Bycatch Prevented with Proper Pinger Use - Oct. 7: The correct-use of warning systems on fishing gear in the Northeast has become increasingly important for protecting harbor porpoise, one of the region's most vulnerable marine mammals.
  • NOAA releases first national bycatch report - Sept. 22: A new NOAA report will help the agency's scientists monitor progress in reducing bycatch – the non-target fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds caught incidentally in fishing.