Blue whale foraging and reproduction are related to environmental conditions, study shows
OSU Newsroom: 02/28/2023

A new study of New Zealand blue whales’ vocalizations indicates the whales are present year-round in the South Taranaki Bight and their behavior is influenced by environmental conditions in the region.

How melting Arctic sea ice is affecting the migration patterns of bowhead whales
OPB Think Out Loud: 02/28/2023

Kate Stafford talks to OPB's Think Out Loud about the findings from analyzing 12 years of underwater recordings of bowhead whale songs.

Whale skin provides clues to elusive migration habits
Science: 02/27/2023

To conduct the study, Solène Derville, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute, and colleagues focused on the whale skin samples scientists occasionally gather to learn about the animal’s sex, genetics, diet, and health.

Visiting professor to study dolphin-teeth jewelry
Otago Daily Times: 02/25/2023

Professor Scott Baker is spending his sabbatical in New Zealand researching the historical practice of making jewelry from the teeth of dolphins.

As sea ice declines in the Arctic, bowhead whales are adjusting their migration patterns
OSU Newsroom: 02/22/2023

As sea ice declines in the Arctic, bowhead whales are staying north of the Bering Strait more frequently, a shift that could affect the long-term health of the bowhead population and impact the Indigenous communities that rely on the whales, a new study by Oregon State University researchers shows.

Deep-sea mining poses unknown threats to whales
Earth.com: 02/14/2023

MMI postdoctoral scholar Solène Derville was interviewed about a new study on the importance of assessing the potential impacts of deep-sea mining on cetaceans.

Uptick in Oregon whale beachings prompts research and warnings
Jefferson Public Radio: 02/13/2023

Jefferson Public Radio recently talked to MMI Assistant Professor Josh Stewart about whale strandings. To report a dead or distressed marine mammal in Oregon, contact the Stranding Network hotline at 541-270-6830 or stranding@oregonstate.edu, or call NOAA West Coast Region Stranding Hotline at 866-767-6114.

Oregon coast whale beachings part of larger trend as oceans undergo ‘profound changes’
OregonLive: 02/08/2023

Changes in arctic waters may be affecting the gray whales’ food supply, leading them to become malnourished, [Jim] Rice said. Killer whales also prey on them. ... Rice said the whale deaths are concerning, but he pointed out that it’s not completely unusual.

When wild dolphins help humans fish, both benefit
PBS Nova: 02/04/2023

In a study published this week, scientists have zeroed in on just how the fishers and dolphins synchronize their hunts and how both sides benefit in the short and long term. The team, led by marine biologist Mauricio Cantor of Oregon State University, concluded that the situation is one of true mutualism.

Humans and dolphins work together to fish in southern Brazilian city, ecologist says
NPR: 02/01/2023

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Mauricio Cantor, behavioral ecologist at Oregon State University, about his study on how humans and dolphins work together to fish in a southern Brazilian city.

Fishing in synchrony brings mutual benefits for dolphins and people in Brazil, research shows
OSU Newsroom: 01/30/2023

Mauricio Cantor and colleagues have concluded that a population of dolphins actively coordinates its behavior with humans for the benefit of both.

When Your Old Fishing Buddy Has a Snout and a Blowhole
New York Times: 01/30/2023

Bottlenose dolphins help Brazilian fishermen pull in their catch, and researchers have worked out what the marine mammals get from the cooperative hunting.

Study reveals influence of krill availability on humpback whale pregnancies
UC Santa Cruz: 01/23/2023

Debbie Steel and Scott Baker are co-authors on a new paper that describes how reduced krill supplies lead to fewer pregnancies in humpback whales.

Oregon Sperm Whale to Be Given Back to Nature Before Potential Burial
01/18/2023

A sperm whale carcass washed up on a northern Oregon beach this week. Jim Rice, stranding program manager, said, "We document an average of six large whale strandings annually in Oregon. In the vast majority of cases, the animal is dead before it comes ashore."

Ways of Whales returns
01/06/2023

Associate Professor Kate Stafford will present about bowhead whales at the Ways of Whales workshop, hosted by Orca Network, on January 14.

OSU researcher revisits dead orca saga through genetic analysis
KLCC: 01/02/2023

Charles Nye, a graduate fellow with OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute, said he was able to examine some organic material from the crabbing gear line. Nye has determined that the dead orca was not [endangered Southern Resident killer whale] K44. 

Get to know 10 of Oregon’s most famous gray whales
OregonLive: 12/20/2022

Researchers with Oregon State University have spent so much time with our local gray whales that they know them by name. Now, they’re sharing those observations to help casual whale watchers become better acquainted with the animals and to help raise money for additional research through the their Adopt a Whale campaign.

Lots of whales spotted around offshore wind farm zones along West Coast
NWNews: 12/19/2022

The federal government has commissioned Oregon State University to look into the possible impacts of offshore wind farms on marine wildlife. “The (continental) shelf and the slope have high abundance and high density of marine mammals and seabirds,” reported OSU Marine Mammal Institute director Lisa Ballance after the first two of seven planned research cruises were in the books. Ballance said her team needs to do a lot more analysis before she would consider making any statements about whether anchoring massive floating wind turbines amid this maritime abundance would create problems.

Less ice, more shipping noise to affect Arctic marine life
Sustainability Times: 12/14/2022

“Because extensive commercial shipping in the Arctic is a relatively new phenomenon, Arctic species may have a lower tolerance of, and react more strongly to, such noise,” said [Kate] Stafford, [Associate Professor at MMI]. 

Largest Manta Ray Population Discovered Off Coast of Ecuador
12/14/2022

“It’s clear that something different is happening here,” said study co-author Joshua Stewart, an assistant professor with the OSU Marine Mammal Institute. “This is a rare story of ocean optimism.”

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