Posts Tagged ‘Sperm whale’
Paradise lost? Extraordinary encounters with sperm whales
A magical sperm whale encounter © Andrew Sutton One morning back in 2015, in an ocean devoid of other vessels for at least a mile in every direction, I had an astounding encounter with a veritable armada of sperm whales. I was off the coast of northwest Sri Lanka with colleagues including WDC ambassador and…
Read MoreRare sighting of sperm whale off Vancouver Island
After an absence of more than three decades, a sperm whale has been heard and seen in Johnstone Strait, a passage of water separating northern Vancouver Island from mainland Canada. This area is renowned as being home to the famous Northern resident population of orcas and while other species are also recorded, the reappearance of…
Read MoreNew estimate for Mediterranean sperm whale population
A study by the International Fund for Animal Welfare had produced a new estimate for the number of sperm whales living in the Mediterranean Sea. Published by the International Whaling Commission, the research produced a figure of 1678 whales in the western part of the sea and 164 in the eastern region, giving a total…
Read MoreWhale Trips: First stop – meeting sperm whales off Iceland!
I’m delighted to present a guest blog by Oliver Dirr, a German writer, tourism expert and passionate traveller! Oliver and his wife Theresa recently – in his words – “went on a trip around the world to meet some whales and learn about whale watching. First stop: the sperm whales off Iceland.” I’ve always been…
Read MoreWDC sends message of support to NZ whale watch community following earthquake
WDC sends a message of support to Kaikoura’s whale watch community, wider community and tourists, following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake which struck the region early Monday morning, local time. The large earthquake has been followed by over 150 aftershocks in the last 24 hours, including one particularly hefty aftershock with a magnitude of 6.2. The coastal…
Read MoreResults of sperm whale strandings in Germany released
Results from investigations into the sperm whale strandings in Germany in February have revealed that the whales died from heart (cardiovascular) failure after beaching on the shoreline. Without support from the water, the sheer weight of the whales crushed their lungs and other organs, leading to death. Nearly 30 sperm whales stranded in the UK, France, Netherlands and…
Read More