Albino Baby Dolphin Captured

An albino baby dolphin was immediately singled out from the massive pod netted in last weeks dolphin drive at Taiji and taken into captivity. This baby, along with 3 others, are currently being held at the Taiji Whaling Museum. Whether they will remain there or will be sent elsewhere is yet to be determined. Animal activists are concerned for the albino's health since there is little (if any) shade provided over dolphin tanks, and the water is typically too shallow to filter sunlight and provide relief from the sun's rays. Albino animals are susceptible to sunburn and have very sensitive eyes that can be easily damaged by the bright light of the sun.

Biggest new animal discoveries of 2013

 

Thousands of species were scientifically described for the first time in 2013. Many of these were "cryptic species" that were identified after genetic analysis distinguished them from closely-related species, while others were totally novel. Below are some of the most interesting "new species" discoveries that took place or were formally announced in 2013. 

Click here for the complete list of discovered species in 2013

Happy Veterans Day- Animals of War

Did you know dogs and horses weren't the only types of animals used in war? A variety of species were used to carry out different tasks such as detection, protection, therapy, and sledging.

Carrier Pigeons carried messages. Cher Ami saved 200 US troops by carrying a message 25 miles despite being blinded and shot twice.

Dogs pulling machine guns

Camel Corps

 Mule Team

Oxen Team

Canaries used to help calm wounded soldiers

Dolphins were used for locating underwater mines

Glow worms were collected and used to light maps and charts in the trenches in WWI

Circus Elephants were used to pull heavy loads and plow fields as horses and mules were taken off to war. They were also used in WWII to haul supplies through jungles, and across rivers and mountains. The movie Operation Dumbo Drop was based on a true story.

African Rats are being trained to sniff out landmines that still remain several years after the civil war in Mozambique. Rats are easy to train and their light weight prevents tripping any mines that may be in the search area.

As you can see, a variety of animals were used in war. No matter how big or small, they all played a significant role and were held with high esteem. Of course, behind every great animal there is a great handler as well. Whether 2 legged, 4 legged, feathered, finned, or furred, your dedication to your country is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Sources: Denver Post

GWPDA.org

Slate.com

BBC News

History.com

80-year-old Orca 'Speiden' missing, presumed dead

 

SEATTLE -- An 80-year-old Orca whale has been missing for about six weeks and Orca spotters are presuming her dead.

The Orca J8, also known as "Speiden," was last seen on Sept. 19 near Victoria and has not been seen the last two times the J Pod was in the Puget Sound's Saratoga Passage, officials with Orca Network said. Speiden has a distinct sound when she breathed and a notch at the base of her fin making her easy to identify, day or night.

"At 80 years old, she was right in the upper limits of longevity for females," said Howard Garrett, co-director of the Orca Network. "It was probably just a natural passing after a long life."

Garrett said that Speiden was not known to have any offspring during their studies, but it's hard to know for sure since their research didn't begin until after the whale capture era from 1966-1976, when dozens of whales were taken from the area waters.

"Over 40 were delivered from her family, so she may have lost several offspring during those years," Garrett said.

Garrett says Speiden is especially missed now that her J Pod and neighboring K Pod families have both been sighted in the Puget Sound waters this week.

"She was always great to have out there because she was so familiar," Garrett said. "We'll miss her. It's always reassuring to see the whales that we know and recognize out there. She was one of the ones that everybody who watched these whales knew very well."

The Orca Network said Spieden was not the most senior Orca in the pod. Orca J2, "Granny," is believed to be 102 years old.

Source: Komo News 

Can Orcas keep pets?

We often observe fur seals or Dall's porpoises following groups of fish-eating orcas. But this group we saw some days ago had an unusual companion. A single Pacific white-sided dolphin was travelling with the orcas, as a normal group member, for at least 1.5 hours. At first we mistakenly thought he was a strangely coloured calf. This is amazing to us not only because of this weird companionship, but also because Pacific white-sided dolphins are rarely seen in this area. We have never observed them before in the nearshore waters of the Commander Islands. Perhaps this dolphin was travelling with orcas for a while and then followed them to our research area from offshore or more southern waters where this species is more common. The more you look closely at nature, the stranger it becomes.

Source: RussianOrca.org 

Orca Hunt Photo Series

Check out this amazing series of photos showing the final moments of 2 hour chase between an Orca and its prey, a bottlenose dolphin-

Source: DailyMail.co.uk