#1: Long-distance swimming whale

We know so little about life in the oceans. We find that a Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) did travel from the west coast of Latin America to the east coast of Africa, i.e. more than 13,000 kilometer, an extraoridnary long migration for an individual of this species, scientists say and puzzle over what could have caused this whale to go that far — mental confusion? desperately looking for a mating partner? However, we should also envisage that this individual behaviour is not so exceptional. The long-distance swimmer has been detected thanks to a new fluke recognition software, so, more long-distant travelling conspecifics could be detected in future.
More…

#2 Whale sharks (and not only them) threatened by deep-sea mining

We know so little about life in the deep sea and what will happen when the industry starts digging there. Just one example: The Sea of Cortez between the Baja California peninsula and the Mexican mainland is one of the few hotspots for whale sharks known to migrate in the Pacific and also dive in the zone around Clarion-Clipperton Island, a key area for deep-sea mining in the Pacific. Whatever happens there will have its consequences in the Sea of Cortez, 2000 kilometres to the north, where global warming is threatening marine life and posing challenges not only to the whale sharks but also to local fishermen and people who live from tourism. This is one example of why the organisation ‘The Ocean and Us’ has launched its petition ‚to call on all governments to take a firm position against deep-sea mining‘.
More…