Marine - ASI

Whale song mystery solved by scientists

Article written by Helen Briggs and Victoria Gill Originally published by BBC News (Feb 22, 2024) Scientists have worked out how some of the largest whales in the ocean produce their haunting and complex songs. Humpbacks and other baleen whales have evolved a specialised “voice box” that enables them to sing underwater. The discovery, published in […]

This conservationist has a mission: Save the Amazon’s dolphins

Article written by Cynthia Gorney Originally published by National Geographic (Feb 5, 2024) Freshwater dolphins face an uncertain future as their waterways heat up. But a Colombian biologist has made it his life’s work to advocate for the Amazon’s “pink ambassadors.” The alarms last September from Brazil’s Lago de Tefé first reached Fernando Trujillo by […]

Dolphins and porpoises increasingly slaughtered for food and fish bait

Article written by Don Pinnock Originally published by Daily Maverick (Wed, Feb 7, 2024) As food fish decline, thousands of small cetaceans like dolphins and even orcas are being targeted. The picture of the dolphin cut in half by a man with his hand on its bloody head and a group standing around with basins […]

Deep learning discovers dark vessels on seas less empty than we thought

Adapted from article written by Don Pinnock Originally published by Daily Maverick (Wed, Jan 17, 2024) Three-quarters of fishing vessels worldwide have been inaccessible to public scrutiny and are potentially operating illegally, but AI has just tracked them down. On land, maps exist for almost every road, human structure or land use. On the vast, […]

Blue whales: Ocean giants return to ‘safe’ tropical haven

Article written by Victoria Gill and Kate Stephens Originally published by Science team, BBC News (Thu, Nov 23, 2023) Blue whales – the largest animals on Earth – are making their home in a part of the Indian Ocean where they were wiped out by whaling decades ago. Researchers and filmmakers in the Seychelles captured […]

Penguin crossing: Celebrating and conserving the pride of Simon’s Town

Article written by Jan-Hendrik de Villiers Originally published by news24 (Wed, Dec 13, 2023) The City of Cape Town unveiled a new pedestrian crossing to showcase the African penguins in Simon’s Town. Picturesque Simon’s Town honoured its most famous residents – the penguins – by changing a zebra crossing to a “penguin crossing”. The City […]

Levels of toxic PCB chemicals found at 30 times ‘safe’ limits in stranded whales

Article written by Karen McVeigh Originally published by The Guardian (Tue, Nov 28, 2023) Studies of cetaceans stranded in UK waters show high levels of toxins 20 years since global ban of most PCBs, say scientists Nearly half of the whales and dolphins found in UK waters over the past five years contained harmful concentrations […]

Dominica creates world’s first marine protected area for sperm whales

Adapted from the article written by Associated Press Originally published by The Guardian (Mon, 13 Nov, 2023) Nearly 300 sq miles of water on west of Caribbean island to be designated as a reserve for endangered animals The tiny Caribbean island of Dominica is creating the world’s first marine protected area for one of Earth’s largest animals: […]

Animals to be recognised as sentient beings under proposed Victorian cruelty laws

Article written by Benita Kolovos Originally published by The Guardian (Mon, 13 Nov, 2023) Draft of animal care and protection act may make Victoria first state to explicitly recognise animal sentience The Victorian government will follow the Australian Capital Territory and could become the first Australian state to recognise that animals are sentient beings, under […]

Even biodegradable plastic is harmful to fish populations

Article written by Eric Ralls Originally published by Earth.com (Tue, 23 Oct, 2023) In a disturbing revelation that challenges long-standing solutions to plastic pollution, a study from the University of Otago indicates that biodegradable plastics still pose a threat to aquatic life. The research assesses the effects of both petroleum-based and biodegradable plastics on wild fish populations. Unfortunately, […]

‘Very serious offence’: Four men sentenced for torturing a seal on a Cape Town beach

GOOD NEWS: Four men sentenced for torturing a seal in Cape Town Recently, we told our supporters about a terrible situation for Cape fur seals in Cape Town, South Africa. These defenseless creatures face threats from commercial fishing, climate change and, most horrifically of all, are brutally tortured and killed in their natural habitats by […]

‘Alarming’ scale of marine sand dredging laid bare by new data platform

Article written by Karen McVeigh Originally published by The Guardian (Tue, 5 Sep, 2023) UN-developed Marine Sand Watch estimates 6bn tonnes dug up a year, well beyond rate at which it is replenished One million lorries of sand a day are being extracted from the world’s oceans, posing a “significant” threat to marine life and […]

African penguins face extinction, please help us prevent that from happening.

Iconic and charismatic, African penguins have declined in numbers by over 98% in the last century. At their current rate of demise, they could be extinct by 2035. Credit: APSS Once abundant along their native coast of Southern Africa, the African penguin has declined to just 2% of its original population size, placing it on […]

Ocean temperatures hit 90 degrees, fueling weather disasters

Article written by Brian K Sullivan Originally published by Bloomberg (Tue, Jul 25, 2023) Soaring water temperatures are triggering extreme heat, storms and drought. Heat searing enough to knock out mobile phones. Wildfire smoke that turns the skies an apocalyptic orange. Flash floods submerging towns in upstate New York and Vermont. This grim procession of recent disasters is being driven […]

Urgent: Cape fur seals are under attack and need your help!

In South Africa and Namibia, the Cape fur seals are becoming increasingly vulnerable. These defenseless creatures are facing threats from commercial fishing, and climate change. Now, most horrifically of all, they are being brutally killed in their natural habitats by humans. Credit: Isabelle Charrier A few weeks ago, the carcasses of six Cape fur seals […]

Gulf Stream could collapse as early as 2025, study suggests

Article written by Damian Carrington Originally published by The Guardian (Tue, Jul 25, 2023) A collapse would bring catastrophic climate impacts but scientists disagree over the new analysis The Gulf Stream system could collapse as soon as 2025, a new study suggests. The shutting down of the vital ocean currents, called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning […]

Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen?

Article written by Victoria Milko Originally published by AP News (Mon, Jul 3, 2023) Deep sea mining permits may be coming soon. What are they and what might happen? JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The International Seabed Authority — the United Nations body that regulates the world’s ocean floor — is preparing to resume negotiations that could open the international […]

Government introduces law banning international shark fin trade

Adapted from article written by by Himanshu Nitnaware Originally published by GOV.UK (Thu, Jun 29, 2023) The Shark Fins Act passed into law today banning the international shark fin trade Import and export of detached shark fins banned to promote shark conservation Ban will extend to imported & exported products containing shark fins including tinned […]

Orca rams into yacht near Scotland, suggesting the behavior may be spreading

Article written by Sarah Kuta Originally published by Smithsonian Magazine (Mon, Jun 26, 2023) The incident occurred roughly 2,000 miles away from the recent encounters near Spain and Portugal Orcas have been ramming into ships off the coasts of Spain and Portugal and making headlines worldwide, but until now, the behavior appeared contained to that […]

‘Vaquita are survivors’: World’s rarest marine mammal clings on at the edge of extinction

Originally published by Euronews Green (Fri, Jun 09, 2023) Vaquita are only found in small numbers in Mexico’s Gulf of California. Against all odds, the handful of remaining endangered vaquita porpoises are holding on in their only habitat in the Gulf of California in Mexico, according to a new research expedition report released Wednesday. Experts […]

Thousands of dead fish have washed up on a Thai beach. Experts say climate change may be to blame

Article written by Reuters and Laura Paddison, CNN Originally published by CNN (Fri, Jun 23, 2023) Climate change may have stimulated a plankton bloom that caused thousands of dead fish to wash up along a roughly 4 kilometer (2.5 mile) stretch of beach in Thailand’s southern Chumphon province on Thursday, an expert said. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, […]

Here’s proof fishing bans leave plenty to eat, says study of Mexico marine park

Article written by Sophie Kevany Originally published by The Guardian (Thu, Jun 1, 2023) Scientists compared catch data from four years before and after a permanent ban and found minimal impact on commercial fishing Banning fishing in a Mexican marine park did not reduce the fishing catch, according to a new study that says it […]

Revealed – most of EU delegation to crucial fishing talks made up of fishery lobbyists

Article written by Karen McVeigh Originally published by The Guardian (Wed, April 26, 2023) Europe accused of ‘neocolonialism’ for using vassal small island states to sway policy and continue ‘disgraceful plundering’ of distant waters. More than half of the EU’s delegation to a crucial body of tuna stock regulators is made up of fishing industry […]

High concentrations of DDT found across vast swath of California seafloor

Article written by Dani Anguiano Originally published by The Guardian (Friday, March 24, 2023) Barrels of the toxic chemical were dumped along the Pacific coast decades ago. New research shows the material never broke down For years industrial companies in southern California used the coast as a dumping ground for toxic chemical waste, including DDT. […]

Brazilian researchers find ‘terrifying’ plastic rocks on remote island

The discovery of rocks made from plastic debris on Brazil’s Trindade Island has sparked alarm among scientists, reports Reuters. Located 1,140 kilometers (708 miles) from the State of Espirito Santo in southeastern Brazil, Trindade Island’s rocks have become intertwined with melted plastic. According to researchers, this is a new and harrowing illustration of humans’ escalating […]

New Disease Caused Solely by Plastics Discovered in Seabirds

Scientists have discovered a new disease in seabirds which is caused solely by plastics, reports The Guardian. Plasticosis scars the digestive tract of birds as a result of ingesting waste, according to researchers at London’s Natural History Museum. This is the first recorded instance of specifically plastic-induced fibrosis in wild animals. A study published in […]

High Seas Treaty: Historic Agreement to Protect International Waters Reached at UN

After almost two decades in the making, United Nations member states have finally agreed on a treaty to protect the high seas – parts of the ocean that are not within a particular country’s jurisdiction. The treaty, reached late on Saturday 4 March at UN headquarters in New York, is vital for enforcing the 30×30 […]

More than half of reef sharks and rays threatened with extinction, study shows

More than half of the world’s known species of coral reef sharks and rays are now threatened with extinction, reports conservation news service Mongabay. The primary culprit? Overfishing, along with the ravages of climate change and other environmental threats. According to a study published in Nature Communications journal earlier this month, populations of 94 species […]

‘Swimming sensation’ Maia the sea turtle makes it to Mozambique with missing flipper

With one missing flipper and in just eight days, a determined green sea turtle named Maia traveled more than 600 kilometers (373 miles) from South Africa to Mozambique, according to South Africa’s Mail & Guardian. In December 2020, Maia was found stranded on the beach in the Isimangaliso Wetland Park in northern Kwazulu-Natal. A large […]

Brian Davies obituary (1935 – 2022)

Brian Davies – 4 February 1935 – 27 December 2022 Brian Davies, world-renowned animal welfare activist, has died. He was 87. To the general public, Davies will be most remembered for his success in ending the baby whitecoat seal slaughter in Canada in the 1960s, and for donating £1-million to the British Labour Party election […]

A Remarkable Rescue by the Saint Mark’s Animal Hospital and Shelter

Just a few days ago, our partner, The Saint Mark’s Animal Hospital and Shelter in Lagos, Nigeria, was alerted to a dreadful case involving a vulnerable Olive Ridley sea turtle who had been caught by poachers for the illegal wildlife and bushmeat trade. The magnificent creature had most likely come ashore to lay her eggs, […]

Outrage As Spain Plans World’s First Industrial Octopus Farm

Spanish seafood manufacturer Nueva Pescanova is said to be investing $63 million (more than £55 million) to build the world’s first industrial-scale octopus farm in Las Palmas on the Canary Islands in 2023, according to FoodIngredientsFirst.com. The move comes amid increasing consumption of octopus across the Mediterranean, Asia, Mexico and the United States. The plans […]

Efforts to Pass Global Ocean Protection Agreement Fail

A fifth attempt to pass a global treaty to safeguard the world’s oceans and marine life has failed, according to BBC.com. Discussions to pass the UN High Seas Treaty continued for two weeks in New York, without governments able to come to agreement on the terms. Only 1.2% of international waters are protected, said the […]

The Guardian: Major sea-level rise caused by melting of Greenland ice cap is ‘now inevitable’

Article written by Damian Carrington, Environment editor Originally published by The Guardian (Monday, August 29, 2022) Loss will contribute a minimum rise of 27cm regardless of what climate action is taken, scientists discover Major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now inevitable, scientists have found, even if the fossil fuel […]

Freya the Beloved Walrus Euthanized by Authorities Following Public’s Failure to Stay Away

Freya, the young 600kg (1,300lb) walrus who drew crowds of curious onlookers at the Oslo fjord, has been euthanized. The announcement was made by the head of Norway’s fisheries directorate, Frank Bakke-Jensen, who said that the decision to kill her had been taken “on the basis of a global evaluation of the persistent threat to […]

PEAK WHALE BIRTHING SEASON HAS BEGUN – newborn whales are in grave danger from entanglement in fishermen’s nets!

A truly terrifying statistic is that every year, more than 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die after getting entangled in fishing nets, with devastating effects on the different species. Some drown immediately, while those who survive their initial entanglement endure many painful months, ultimately bleeding out from deep wounds or dying of starvation because their […]

Up to 150 Southern Fin Whales Spotted Feeding in Antarctica, Bringing Renewed Hope for Whales

A pod of up to 150 southern fin whales has been spotted feeding together in Antarctica, in what has been called a ‘thrilling’ spectacle, according to The Guardian. Scientists say it offers renewed hope for a species hunted to near-extinction during catastrophic industrial whaling that took place in the 20th century. Southern fin whales are […]

Gizmodo: Hundreds of Little Blue Penguins Are Washing Up Dead in New Zealand Amid an Ocean Heatwave

Article written by Lauren Leffer Originally published by Gizmodo (Tuesday, June 14, 2022) The birds are members of the smallest penguin species in the world. Their numbers have been declining in recent years. On a peninsula toward the northernmost tip of New Zealand’s North Island lies Ninety Mile Beach. Usually, the (actually 55-mile) expanse of […]

‘Bulldozing’ of Seabeds in the UK Continues, Despite Government “Efforts”

Environmental NGOs have criticized the UK government on its “unambitious,” plans to prevent bottom-trawling in marine protected areas (MPAs), with many insisting that banning commercial fishing would allow for better and faster protection. Such bans could have – and should have – come into immediate effect post-Brexit via the 2020 Fisheries Act, but more than […]

URGENT! Illegally caught and drowned in fishermen’s nets, less than a dozen rare vaquitas (small porpoises) still swim free today. THERE IS A CHANCE TO SAVE THEM!

The vaquita is the most endangered marine mammal on the planet. Right now, there are only about 10 of these small porpoises left in the entire world – we are perilously close to losing them forever. Vaquitas live only in the Sea of Cortez in Mexico where imminent extinction beckons because they become entangled in […]

Is the Russia-Ukraine War Leading to a Rise in Dolphin Deaths?

Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Turkish Marine Research Foundation (Tudav) has recorded an “extraordinary increase” in the stranding of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis). More than 80 have been found dead across Turkey’s western Black Sea coast. A similar trend can be seen in Bulgarian waters, especially among harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena […]

New York Times: Trying to Keep 10 Porpoises From Shrinking Down to Zero

Article written by Catrin Einhorn Originally published by New York Times (Wednesday, May 10, 2022) For a Shy Porpoise, Rare Good News The vaquita, a porpoise from Mexico with pandalike eyes, is one of the world’s most endangered animals. Only about 10 remain. But now there’s some good news about their chances for survival. When […]

With birthing season approaching, NEWBORN WHALES ARE AT RISK of DEATH by starvation and drowning! All because of fishermen’s nets!

Every year, more than 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die after getting entangled in fishing nets. Some drown immediately, while those who survive their initial entanglement endure many painful months, ultimately bleeding out from deep wounds or dying of starvation because their ability to dive and feed is impaired. The risk is particularly high in […]

IMAGINE being caught in a fisherman’s net, unable to breathe, destined to SUFFOCATE and DROWN! IMAGINE being a sea turtle!

On the coast of Kenya, sea turtles are accidentally being caught in fishermen’s nets. Tragically, many become completely entangled and die, but with our help, they now have a chance of being rescued and released back into the ocean. Entanglement is a major cause of death in sea turtles around the world. We have the […]

Whaling in Iceland May Finally Be Banned by 2024

Commercial whaling could soon be banned in Iceland after demand for its whale meat dramatically declined in recent years. According to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), the country’s fisheries minister, Svandis Svavarsdottir, said the practice – banned in almost every other part of the world – was no longer profitable since Japan had resumed whaling […]

BREAKING: Shell Ordered to Halt Seismic Blasting on SA’s Wild Coast

The Grahamstown High Court in South Africa has ordered petroleum giant Shell to immediately halt its seismic survey activities along the ecologically sensitive coastline of South Africa’s Wild Coast. The decision has been welcomed by local and international environmentalists and the Animal Survival International (ASI) team alike, all of whom have strongly opposed the operation […]

It is not too late to SAVE COUNTLESS ANIMALS FROM EXTINCTION!

These are frightening times for animals and the planet! Climate change, the relentless destruction of forests, coral reefs and wilderness areas and the illegal trafficking of creatures large and small, powered by greedy humans, are sending animals and marine creatures hurtling towards extinction. Without determined action, we could lose the wild and its creatures soon […]

EMERGENCY! In search of oil and gas, oil giant Shell plans to fire seismic blasts into a huge expanse of ocean. COUNTLESS MARINE CREATURES COULD DIE!

South Africa’s Wild Coast is vitally important to whales, dolphins and countless other marine life, and it’s under threat! Oil and gas giant Shell is about to start oil and gas exploration in the area – with potentially disastrous effects on the region’s marine life. Sea creatures face injury and possible death if we do […]

Shell Oil Set to Cause Massive Marine Disaster in South Africa

The Wild Coast in South Africa is set to face a massive assault on its entire marine ecosystem because Shell Oil, a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Company, is about to conduct a five-month seismic survey that will have a devastating effect on millions of sea animals. A major concern for marine biologists is that […]

They ATE PLASTIC GARBAGE – now, 47 baby turtles are in LIFE-OR-DEATH struggle!

Right now, 47 rescued baby turtles in Cape Town, South Africa, urgently need help. After eating more than 500 pieces of plastic between them, mistaking the tiny pieces for food, plus suffering other injuries, expensive and long-term care is needed to ensure they survive. It’s vital that these hatchlings get the treatment they need – […]

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