New study of Steller sea lions suggests death by predation may be higher

A pioneering project that implants life-long monitors inside of Steller sea lions to learn more about why the number of these endangered marine mammals has been declining – and remains low in Alaska – is beginning to provide data, and the results are surprising to scientists.

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“Genome 10K” proposal aims to sequence 10,000 vertebrates

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Protected whales found in Japan’s supermarkets

Many of us get a feeling of satisfaction when we learn that governments or international bodies have issued regulations to protect imperiled wildlife. Such as whales. Then we encounter a paper like the one in the October Animal Conservation that snaps us out of our complacency. Its new data drive home once more that rules have value only if they’ll be enforced. [read the article]

Digital Photography Workshop with Flip Nicklin

The MMI is hosting a 3-day digital photography workshop featuring world-renowned nature photographer, Flip Nicklin...

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Bycatch whaling a growing threat

Scientists are warning that a new form of unregulated whaling has emerged along the coastlines of Japan and South Korea, where the commercial sale of whales killed as fisheries "bycatch" is threatening coastal stocks of minke whales and other protected species.

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Bruce Mate Featured on National Geographic

A National Geographic Channel film, “Kingdom of the Blue Whale, premiered on Sunday, March 8 with more airings listed on their website.  This program offers some of the most revealingviews of the largest animal on the planet through the work of OregonState University’s Bruce Mate and colleague John Calambokidis ofCascadia Research Cooperative...

See the MMI photo gallery for this trip 

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National Geographic Magazine article on blue whale

Read the National Geographic story about blue whales online.  This article by Kenneth Brower, tells about the second part of a National Geographic-funded expedition to discover breeding and feeding grounds of the world's largest mammal, the blue whale.   National Geographic Channel will first air this TV special on March 8th - please check for times on your local TV listings.

See the MMI photo gallery for this trip

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"The Cove" wins Sundance

Scott Baker is featured in an award-winning documentary. 'The Cove', a documentary about the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan.  This moving piece just won the audience award for best US documentary at the Sundance film festival. This bodes well for a larger distribution in the future, hopefully leading to a greater appreciation of the problems of mercury contamination and the Taiji drive kill. Read the review here.

BBC Interviews Scott Baker about Humpback migration

Scott Baker was interviewed by the BBC regarding humpback whale migrations for their website "World on the Move".  For a link to the website and audio recording, please click on link to story.

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Whale Watch Training November 22-23, 2008 at HMSC

Internationally recognized whale expert Bruce Mate will lead off training for "Whale Watching Spoken Here" volunteers Nov. 22-23 at the Mark O. Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.

Mate, the director of the Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute, will introduce trainees to Pacific gray whale biology and natural history at the Nov. 22 (Saturday) session. He has helped lead the training since co-founding the whale watching program in the late 1970s. For more information and to sign up, read article below:

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