Ocean Sentry
The vaquita, the world’s smallest and most endangered cetacean, is almost gone. Last week, scientists announced only about 10 of these porpoises are left in the ocean, with their best estimates ranging between 6 and 22 individuals.
March, 2019
-
19 March
Dead whale found with 40kg of plastic in its stomach
Marine experts in the Philippines say a dead whale found with 40kg of rice sacks and other plastic bags was the worst case they have ever encountered of an animal killed by plastic.
-
14 March
Horseshoe crabs at risk of extinction in some parts of the U.S.
These fearsome-looking prehistoric creatures have survived multiple global mass extinction events. The fear, though, is they may not survive us. They’re already endangered in Japan. And recent research shows they appear to be facing extinction in other areas, mostly due to encroachment on their beach habitats, pollution and over harvesting for everything …
-
14 March
Winter ice hits record low in Bering Sea
An area of ice the size of the UK and Ireland disappeared from the Bering Sea in February as scientists warned that the region was entering uncharted territory.
-
14 March
Sharp rise in Arctic temperatures now inevitable – UN
Sharp and potentially devastating temperature rises of 3C to 5C in the Arctic are now inevitable even if the world succeeds in cutting greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris agreement, research has found.
-
12 March
Fatal horizon, driven by acidification, closes in on marine organisms in Southern Ocean
The modeling study, published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, forecasts that at current carbon dioxide emission rates, the depth at which some shelled organisms can survive will shrink from an average of 1,000 meters today to just 83 meters by the year 2100, a drastic reduction in viable …
-
11 March
Seabirds on remote islands are contaminated with lead and selenium
New research, published in the journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research, has found that seabirds are being exposed to elements such as lead and selenium at potentially high enough concentrations to start causing problems.
-
8 March
Rain is melting Greenland’s ice, even in winter, raising fears about sea level rise
Rainy weather is becoming increasingly common over parts of the Greenland ice sheet, triggering sudden melting events that are eating at the ice and priming the surface for more widespread future melting, says a new study. Some parts of the ice sheet are even receiving rain in winter — a …
-
7 March
Climate change forces Arctic animals to shift feeding habits: study
Seals and whales in the Arctic are shifting their feeding patterns as climate change alters their habitats, and the way they do so may determine whether they survive, a new study has found.
-
7 March
400-acre wetland becomes a dust bowl in 6 months
A wetland habitat in Uran that drew a variety of birds, offering stunning views, has been completely flattened with dirt and debris, despite the Bombay High Court’s order that such places should be left alone and intact.
-
6 March
Russia’s Arctic plans add to polar bears’ climate woes
Last month’s visit by roaming polar bears that put a Russian village on lockdown may be just the beginning. For as Moscow steps up its activity in the warming Arctic, conflict with the rare species is likely to increase.
-
5 March
Balloons the number 1 marine debris risk of mortality for seabirds
A new study has found that balloons are the highest-risk plastic debris item for seabirds — 32 times more likely to kill than ingesting hard plastics. Researchers looked at the cause of death of 1733 seabirds from 51 species and found that one in three of the birds had ingested …