Forever chemicals legacy, a bowhead visit, and earthly greetings from dolphins
Big Blue Bulletin #46
Welcome to the latest edition of the Big Blue Bulletin – things have changed just a little bit around here as featured stories will now focus on whales, dolphins, and porpoises, with a little bit of commentary from me thrown in as well. Still, you can expect good news, bad news, and a cute creature in your inbox every Friday.
Let’s dive in 🐬
Ocean news
🗞️ Big news of the week -
🛰️ Dolphins welcome Nasa astronauts stuck in space back to Earth
After nine months aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Nick Hague, along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, only to be greeted by an unexpected welcoming party.
A pod of dolphins were seen swimming near the SpaceX capsule just minutes after landing, prompting NASA commentators to joke that they were an "honorary part of the recovery team."
Who needs space exploration when creatures from your home planet greet you like this? A sweet reminder to value what we already have.
🏞️ First documented sighting of bowhead whales in Canada's Churchill River Estuary
Researchers from the University of Manitoba who were studying beluga whale interactions with marine vessels instead recorded a group of bowhead whales, the first documented sighting of its kind in the area.
Bowhead whales are the only baleen whales to live year-round in the Arctic and are usually found in two distinct populations in Canadian waters but their presence in this estuary had never been recorded before.
A recently published study in Polar Biology, led by Veronica Coppolaro and colleagues, highlights the rarity of the sighting based on historical data. After commercial whaling severely depleted certain bowhead populations in the area, this sudden appearance is wonderful proof of what happens when you leave a species alone.
☠️ Victoria’s unique dolphin population threatened by legacy of ‘forever chemicals’
A new study has found alarming levels of long-banned chemicals in Victoria’s dolphins, including the critically endangered Burrunan dolphin, a species found only in these Australian coastal waters.
Published in Environmental Research, the study reveals that DDT and PCBs, both banned decades ago, are still present at some of the highest levels recorded worldwide. These ‘forever chemicals’ were once widely used in pesticides and electrical components before their devastating environmental impact was revealed.
“The problem with these legacy contaminants is that they’re amazing in our products because they don’t break down, but they’re equally devastating in our environment because they don’t break down.” says environmental scientist Chantel Foord.
Animals suffering at the hands of humans once again.
⛴️ Dolphin separated from mum rescued by tourist boat
A dolphin calf separated from its mother was rescued off the coast of New Quay, Wales, after it was spotted struggling in shallow waters.
The team at Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips, with help from the public and a volunteer trained by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, stepped in to guide the calf back to deeper waters. Video footage showed volunteers wading into the water fully clothed before carefully wrapping the dolphin in a blanket and transferring it onto a boat so they could speedily whisk it out into deeper water.
The calf hasn’t been seen since, and as the team put it—no news is good news.
🇨🇦 Canada’s Marineland to rehome its whales and dolphins as it seeks a buyer
Marineland, the controversial Ontario theme park, is planning to remove its remaining whales, dolphins, and seals, including the world’s largest captive beluga population, as it looks for a buyer. But with few available sanctuaries in Canada, finding suitable homes for these animals has been a challenge.
The park recently secured financing that requires the “expeditious” removal of marine animals, according to city documents. Meanwhile, concerns over animal welfare remain high as more than 20 whales and dolphins have died at the facility since 2019, including five belugas last year.
They’ll do anything except set them free.
Have a great weekend! 📸
Cover image by Marine Mammal Foundation.
“…wonderful proof of what happens when you leave a species alone.” Best sentence I’ve read all morning.
Dolphins get more amazing with each story I read about them🐬