River dolphin tags, an end to orca hunts, and new ideas to save the vaquita
Big Blue Bulletin #42
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 -
🇮🇳 Mysterious animal tagged in India for first time ever
A Ganges river dolphin has been tagged in India for the first time ever, marking a major step in efforts to protect the endangered species. Footage shared by the Wildlife Institute of India shows researchers carefully releasing the dolphin back into the river after fitting it with a tracking device.
Until recently, Ganges and Indus river dolphins were thought to be the same species, and little is known about their movement in these river systems. The data from this tagging will be crucial for understanding their habitat needs and conservation.
Projects like this are the best way to figure out how to protect the vulnerable species we still know so little about.
🇻🇨 St Vincent Whalers End Hunt For Orcas in Landmark Conservation Deal
Fantastic news from St. Vincent and the Grenadines—whalers in Barrouallie have officially ended their hunt of orcas after reaching a landmark conservation deal. For the past decade, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Environment Fund (SVGEF) has been advocating for a shift from whaling to whale watching, working with the community to establish alternative employment.
The agreement provides funding for two Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to enhance tuna fishing, contingent on the permanent end of the killer whale hunt.
While this is a step in the right direction, FADs come with risks of their own. Poorly managed, they can contribute to overfishing, bycatch, and marine pollution. Sustainable management will be key to ensuring this win for orcas doesn’t come at the cost of other species.
🇦🇺 Australia begins euthanising false killer whales after mass stranding in Tasmania
Some heartbreaking news from Tasmania as Australia begin euthanising false killer whales after a mass stranding near Arthur River. Earlier this week, 157 whales were found beached, but despite rescue efforts, none could be refloated.
Bad weather and the remote location made it impossible to return the whales to the sea, leaving authorities with no choice but to put down those still alive to prevent further suffering.
Sadly, the chances of survival in mass strandings like this are low, as the whales’ own body weight crushes them on land.
🔍 Wildlife trust 'inundated' with whale sightings
Whale sightings off the UK coast have surged, with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust reporting an unprecedented number of sightings in recent weeks. At least five whales have been confirmed across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
As exciting as it is, marine conservation officer Bex Allen has urged people on boats to follow the whale watching code of conduct—approaching slowly from the side and keeping at least 100m away—to ensure the whales aren’t disturbed.
How I long to spot a humpback whale breach… I should probably move slightly closer to the coast to make that dream a reality!
🇬🇧 Crowdfunding campaign launched to fund dolphin research off Sussex
The Sussex Dolphin Project has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support its work protecting marine animals off the Sussex coast. While Brighton isn't particularly well known for its marine life, it's actually home to seals, cat sharks, dolphins, whales, and much more—all of which the project aims to safeguard.
Through citizen science and education, they’re inspiring locals and visitors to connect with their coastal wildlife and training volunteers to spot and record dolphins from land in a bid to collect as much data on the species as possible.
This all comes down to the notion that you protect what you love, and helping people engage with the ocean is how we ensure its future. That’s exactly what I work for at Beached.
🎣 Conservation groups look for new strategies, tech to halt vaquita decline
With fewer than 10 vaquitas left in the wild, conservation groups are scrambling for solutions to save the world’s rarest porpoise. Found only in Mexico’s Gulf of California, vaquitas continue to be caught in illegal gillnets used to hunt totoaba—a fish whose swim bladder is worth tens of thousands per kilo on the black market.
Efforts to protect them include patrolling their habitat with ships, sonar, radar, and drones to deter illegal fishing, as well as removing gillnets from the water. Others (including myself) believe that dismantling the international crime networks behind the totoaba trade is a better long-term solution. But with so few of these tiny porpoises left, any effort is better than none.
Have a great weekend! 📸
Cover image by National Geographic.
Never expected to see a “headless chicken monster” in the ocean! Fun fact!
I didn’t even know there were dolphins in the Ganges…! Was in Varanasi last January.