Ten remarkable new marine species from 2021: Ramari's Beaked Whale
LifeWatch Belgium: 03/19/2022

A team of international collaborators examined a dead female whale in New Zealand whale found that it was morphologically and genetically different from all other whale species, and so Ramari’s beaked whale was described. Scott Baker initiated the DNA and tissue archive used for this study when he was a professor at the University of Auckland.

In Graphic Detail: Solving Tuna’s Dolphin By-catch Problem
Hakai Magazine: 03/18/2022

[T]here are indications that some fisheries observers might be underreporting the number of deaths, says Oregon State University marine mammal ecologist Lisa Ballance, who led a recent review of the dolphin by-catch. 

Gray whales pass Oregon Coast
03/16/2022

[Leigh] Torres is hoping to see more and healthier whales this year. Some of the underfed whales they spotted in years past have not recovered to where researchers think they should be.

Study Finds Sharp Decline in Alaska Humpback Whale Population Due to Marine Heatwave
National Park Service: 03/14/2022

Scott Baker is a coauthor on a new study concludes that the humpback whale population in Southeast Alaska waters was disrupted by the massive and intense 2014-2016 Northeast Pacific marine heatwave.

Whale migrations: how new UN treaty aims to protect species on the high seas
The Conversation: 03/14/2022

United Nations member states agreed in 2017 to negotiate an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of the high seas. The whale migration tracks identified in a new collaborative report from WWF will be essential when it comes to identifying areas of importance to marine mammals.

Where the whales are: OSU helps compile atlas of whale travel routes
JPR: 03/01/2022

Daniel Palacios was interviewed by Jefferson Public Radio about his role in the new World Wildlife Fund report, Protecting Blue Corridors, which describes global whale "superhighways."

New map and report expose growing dangers along whale ‘superhighways’ across the globe
OSU Newsroom: 02/16/2022

“Protecting Blue Corridors” was developed through collaborative analysis of 30 years of scientific data contributed by more than 50 research groups, with leading marine scientists from Oregon State University, the University of California, Santa Cruz, the University of Southampton and others

Orcas found to kill blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, for first time
National Geographic: 01/26/2022

Robert Pitman has coauthored a paper documenting the first known lethal predation events on blue whales.

Three Oregon State researchers receive distinction of AAAS fellow
OSU Newsroom: 01/26/2022

MMI Director, Lisa T. Ballance, has received the distinction of AAAS Fellow for her outstanding contributions to science.

Website tracks Oregon's gray whales by name and habits
KGW8: 01/04/2022

The Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory at OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute has developed a website that allows visitors to meet some of the whales the researchers have identified over the years. IndividuWhale aims to teach about the animals, the stressors humans put on whale populations, and how those stressors can be reduced.

Meet some of Oregon’s most recognizable gray whales via new OSU website
OSU Newsroom: 12/28/2021

The Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Laboratory at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute has developed a website, https://www.individuwhale.com/, where visitors can learn about some of Oregon's iconic whales.

Sea otter bitten by shark found on Oregon Coast, taken to Aquarium for care
12/01/2021

An unlikely visitor to the Oregon Coast -- a live sea otter -- was transported by Jim Rice to the Oregon Coast Aquarium for care after it was bitten by a shark. 

Whales eat far more than thought
Newport News-Times: 11/10/2021

KC Bierlich, currently a postdoctoral scholar at the Marine Mammal Institute, was a PhD student at Duke University when he contributed to the project. “They are eating so much more than we thought. It’s crazy,” Bierlich said.

An Oregon State ocean expedition’s surprisingly close-to-home whale discovery
Oregon Public Broadcasting: 10/26/2021

Ballance and her team were on the trail of what they thought could be a totally new species that had been sighted, but not identified, near the garbage patch. But with more than half their time being eaten up by engine repairs and other delays, the team made the call to look for whales a bit closer to home.

Interior eyes Oregon for offshore wind energy development
Oregon Public Broadcasting: 10/20/2021

Last week, Oregon’s two U.S. senators announced a $2 million grant to OSU to study potential impacts of offshore wind developments to seabirds and marine mammals. Project leader Lisa Ballance, director of the school’s Marine Mammal Institute, says data gathered in the survey will help the Department of Energy site wind facilities.

OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute to develop wildlife distribution models to inform wind energy development
OSU Newsroom: 10/19/2021

Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute has been awarded a $2 million grant to collect data about distribution and density of marine mammals and seabirds that will be used to inform decisions about offshore wind energy development.

Gray whale hormones give off distress signal
Florida International University: 09/27/2021

Certain hormones in gray whales could act as a distress signal, revealing how whales cope when it’s harder for them to find food.

New forecasting tool enables proactive conservation of New Zealand blue whales
OSU Newsroom: 09/15/2021

Dawn Barlow is the lead author on a paper that describes new ways of predicting when and where blue whales will occur off New Zealand.

Gray whale found washed ashore near Yachats along the Oregon Coast
KGW8: 08/20/2021

In a video interview with KGW8 News, Stranding Program Manager Jim Rice talks about a dead gray whale that washed ashore near Yachats.

Don’t stand so close to me
Oregon Coast Today: 05/20/2021

A reminder to please give a very wide berth to seal pups on the beach, including keeping dogs far away. 

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