When the carcasses of nine blue whales were spotted in sea ice off the coast of Newfoundland in April, it was an environmental tragedy. Blue whales are endangered all over the world, and only about 240 now live in the western Atlantic Ocean near Canada.
Animals
World’s Biggest Dinosaur Found
Scientists have uncovered the fossilized bones of what may be the largest dinosaur that ever existed.
Deer Shuts Down Major Highway
The young doe had apparently been scared out of the woods by a dog. It ended up walking along the busy highway.
Brave Dogs, Smart Cat In Animal Hall Of Fame
Five incredible animals have been entered into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame for 2014.
Why Do Zebras Have Stripes?
A new study answers a question people have long asked themselves about the animal kingdom: Why do zebras have stripes?
If you want to try guessing the answer, stop reading now.
Have you guessed? OK, start reading again.
According to a new study, a zebra’s stripes most likely help to keep annoying, biting flies off them.
Scientists have thought that might be the reason.
However, they also had other theories: that the stripes provide camouflage to help them hide from enemies; to confuse their enemies; to help them stay cool; or for a social reason such as to attract a mate.
US Group Says Canadian Lobster Traps Are Endangering Whales
Canada has failed to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale by allowing the use of old-fashioned methods to catch lobsters and crabs, according to an environmental group in the United States.
Many Canadians who fish for lobsters and crabs use nets, traps and ropes that can tangle up whales and accidentally capture other sea creatures, they say.
The magazine on earth is published by The Natural Resources Defense Council in the US.
In a recent article they said Canada has no regulations to protect the endangered right whale from the old-fashioned fishing methods.
Endangered Animals Making A Comeback In Canada
Seven Canadian species that were once considered endangered or nearly extinct are beginning to flourish again, thanks to efforts by conservationists.
Canadian Geographic magazine reported in its December 2013 issue that populations of endangered whooping cranes, North Pacific humpback whales, eastern wild turkeys, swift foxes, sea otters, wood bison and peregrine falcons have increased in recent years.
Most of them are no longer considered endangered.
Several factors contributed to the disappearance of these species, including loss of habitat, pesticides, disease and over-hunting.
Scientists Find 60 New Species In Suriname Rainforest
Scientists have discovered 60 species of previously unknown plants and animals living in a remote rainforest in southeastern Suriname.
Suriname is a small country on the northeastern coast of South America, just north of Brazil.
It is located in a geographic area called the Guiana Shield, which contains more than one-quarter of the world’s rainforest.
An expedition of 16 field biologists spent three weeks in Suriname in 2012, exploring the remote, mountainous rainforest region.
Thirty indigenous men helped transport their food and equipment by boat and guided team through the forest.
New Ripleys Aquarium In Toronto
Toronto has a new landmark–an aquarium.
Nestled in beside the Rogers Centre at the base of the CN Tower, the new Ripleys Aquarium opened last week.
It’s home to more than 16,000 marine animals and 450 species.
There are lots of interactive displays to let kids see and experience the fish.
In the “dangerous lagoon,” visitors board a moving sidewalk which takes them on a slow ride through a 97-metre see-through tunnel filled with 17 sharks and thousands of marine animals. Sea turtles and saw fish swim overhead as visitors file past.
“Touch pools” feature horseshoe crabs, stingrays and bamboo sharks. The pools are shallow, so people can reach in and gently pet the animals.
An exhibit called Planet Jellies houses many different species of colourful jellyfish.
Rare Five-Metre-Long Oarfish Discovered In California
A marine biologist, who was snorkelling off the coast of California, has made a fantastic discovery.
Jasmine Santana found a dead oarfish so long that she needed 15 people to help her drag it out of the ocean.
Santana works for the Catalina Island Marine Institute. She was snorkling when she saw something shimmering.
It was the body of an oarfish. But it wasn’t just any oarfish–this one was more than five metres (18 feet) long.
Oarfish are plankton-eaters. They are rarely seen by humans, because they live deep in the ocean–up to 1,000 metres down.
They are long, like a “sea serpent.” In fact, oarfish may have been the mythical sea serpents of legend.
