Stranded dead mother at Kastri, Heraklion, SE Crete on 3/4/2014.

February 24^th, 2020 (Dorian Archus). NATO exercise Dynamic Manta (DYMA20) began today Feb. 24, off the coast of Sicily, NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) has announced via official website. Ships, submarines, aircraft and personnel from 9 Allied nations are converging in the Central Mediterranean Sea for advance anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) training.

Clipper, another endangered northern right whale. © Réseau québécois d’urgences pour les mammifères marins

July 19^th, 2019. The Canadian government says two more rare North Atlantic right whales have been found dead in the country’s waters, worsening a disastrous year for the marine mammals.

July 19^th, 2019 (Lynda V. Mapes). As long expected, the Canadian government confirmed Thursday blunt force trauma killed southern resident orca J34 in December 2016, as was initially reported, raising new questions about what took so long to release the findings.

Pictures of beached whales whales taken by helicopter – David Schwarzhans

July 19^th, 2019 (James Rothwell). Dozens of beached whales have been discovered on a secluded stretch of sand in west Iceland where people rarely tread.

June 27^th, 2019, Take a whale : beluga or killer whale, depending on your prefered meat. Make it marinate in a tiny pen

A new baby was spotted swimming with the endangered southern resident killer whale J Pod off Tofino on Thursday. (John Forde and Jennifer Steven)

Marine biologist says in light of struggles facing southern resident killer whales, the news is ‘fantastic’

May 31^st, 2019 (Karin Larsen). A newborn orca calf has been spotted off Tofino, B.C., swimming with J Pod, an endangered population of southern resident killer whales.

The Pacific Ocean’s grey whale was once hunted to the edge of extinction but the species has recovered in recent years and now numbers around 27,000. RENACAL1 / GETTY IMAGES

May 31^st, 2019 (Travis Lupick). A number of grey whales have died and washed ashore in B.C. this year.

Dozens more have similarly ended up beached on the coasts of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California during the same period.

And on the west coast of Mexico, yet more.

Nobody knows how the 147 large marine mammals have died during just the last five months (December 17, 2018, to May 27, 2019).

Now the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared the deaths an “unusual mortality event” (UME) and announced its scientists will investigate the matter.

“The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) defines a UME as a stranding event that is unexpected, involves a significant die-off, and demands immediate response,” reads May 30 NOAA media release.

“Given the increased strandings, NOAA Fisheries convened a UME Working Group of marine mammal experts to assess seven criteria to determine whether a UME should be declared, as outlined in the MMPA.

“The working group members include experts from scientific and academic institutions, conservation organizations, and state and federal agencies who work closely with stranding networks and have a wide variety of experience in biology, toxicology, pathology, ecology, and epidemiology,” it continues.

NOAA staff will coordinate their investigation with counterparts in Canada as well as Mexico, according to the release.

“Each spring eastern North Pacific gray whales migrate 10,000 miles or more along the West Coast from winter waters in Mexico where they give birth to summer feeding grounds in the Arctic off Alaska,” NOAA explains.

The gray whale migrates between its summer feeding grounds in the North Pacific and Bering Sea and its winter breeding grounds in the lagoons of Baja California. (NASA image edited by GA)

“The whales rely largely on their summer feeding in the Arctic to last them throughout the year because they do not feed extensively while migrating or wintering in Mexico. Many gray whales that have stranded this year during their northbound migration have been skinny and malnourished, with some showing signs of emaciation.

“That suggests that some whales may be exhausting their energy reserves this year before they reach the Arctic to resume feeding, researchers say,” the release adds.

Reaching weights of 36 tonnes, the grey whale is one of the largest animals on Earth (but only half the size of the blue whale).

It was once at risk of extinction but has recovered in recent decades. The grey whale was removed from the United States’ government’s endangered species list in 1994. NOAA estimates some 27,000 live off North America’s west coast.

The research organization’s investigation will focus on learning possible causes of the strandings. It will also make additional resources available for NOAA staff to respond to grey whale deaths as they continue to occur.

National oceanic and atmospheric administration

Ed Sibylline : in the same time, thousand of seabirds starved to death in the Bering sea (link)

Nineteen tufted puffins found on St. Paul Island in Alaska in October 2016. (Courtesy of Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Ecosystem Conservation Office)

Because the death toll is not sufficient : Navy plans extensive training in Pacific Northwest. Here’s how many animals could be hurt (link)

Via Maryann : You have until June 12 2019 to voice your opinion about the Navy receiving permits to play war….If you do not voice your opinion..Do not cry when whales and marine mammals show up dead on your beach..Do not freak out and then try to stop something..TO STOP SOMETHING..YOU DO IT BEFORE A PERMIT IS ISSUED..Last time permits were issued for the current war games a little under 800 comments were received..That is RIDICULOUS..How many people Advocate for the Ocean and its Life ????..USE YOUR VOICE..READ, LEARN, AND SPEAK UP BEFORE PERMITS ARE ISSUED TO KILL…

Participate following this link : https://www.nwtteis.com/Public-Involvement/Public-Comment

And what about the Makah tribe whishes to slaughter Gray whales ?

Makah reservation could resume whale hunts under federal proposal (Washington state, USA)

NB : if you read something about the theory of climate change, a theory is not a conclusion, it’s an hypothesis.

Source

Southern resident killer whale J17 has improved and shows few signs of the starvation-caused condition called ‘peanut head,’ researchers say.

April 10^th, 2019. An endangered killer whale who earlier this year exhibited signs of an illness known as peanut head has drastically improved, according to researchers.

Photo : Andrey Armyagov/Shutterstock

April 10^th, 2019 (Mary Jo Dilonardo). Norway, one of the world’s largest exporters of oil, has opted to leave billions of barrels of oil beneath the sea.

©The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, CA

April 10^th, 2019. Scientists at The Marine Mammal Center confirm that the gray whale that stranded near Rodeo, CA, last week died of severe malnutrition.