Today, researchers are using the fossils of the Olympicetus thalassodon an early toothed whale which existed around 26.5 and 30.5 million years ago, to better understand the early history and diversification of modern dolphins, porpoises and other toothed whales.
Nestled in the heart of the Philippines is a hidden gem of an island called Romblon, located in the Mimaropa region. Kate Jonker takes us there to discover the underwater treasures and rare marine species that beckon divers and photographers from all over the world.
KUALA LUMPUR, 7 June 2023: Aptly themed “Let’s stay connected with the ocean,” the 17th Malaysia International Dive Expo (MIDE) concluded with great success at its new venue at MITEC in Kuala Lumpur.
After moving from the former venue at the World Trade Center (WTC), where the expo was held for 16 years, the refreshing start at the uber modern and spacious Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) proved to be a hit among exhibitors and visitors alike.
“I have taken the decision to suspend whaling” until 31 August, food minister Svandis Svavarsdottir said in a statement, after a recent government-commissioned report concluded the hunt does not comply with Iceland’s Animal Welfare Act.
The report which provided a video showing a whale being hunted for five hours concluded the killing of whales during the hunt took too long.
Animal rights groups and environmentalists hailed the decision, with the Humane Society International calling it “a major milestone in compassionate whale conservation”.
Entering the exhibition hall on Day One at MIDE 2023 gave me a distinct buzz. Squaring my shoulders in anticipation, I walked past the booths and waved hello to old friends. As I made my way deeper into the hall, I felt a raising sense of excitement. MIDE 2023 was my first overseas dive show since the pandemic, and it appeared to be off to a promising start.
British artist and avid diver Olivier Leger creates large-scale fineliner pen drawings and colourful ink paintings that celebrate the diversity and interconnectedness of our blue planet, drawing attention to the threats the oceans face.
We asked our contributors what their favorite images were, captured using ambient light only, and they came back with a diverse selection of photos featuring sublime underwater scenes from a variety of dives on reefs and wrecks, in caverns and cenotes, as well as with interactions with marine life.
Brazil's environmental protection agency, Ibama, estimated that approximately 11,000 blue sharks and shortfin mako sharks, which Brazil listed as endangered last month, were killed.
The fins, which were destined for Asia, where shark fin soup is considered a delicacy, were found in two locations.
Amid the buzzing hum of the relentless mosquito, it appears that our everyday habits may be making us more alluring to these pesky insects. In a surprising discovery, it appears that your favourite body wash may be your downfall when it comes to warding off mosquitoes.
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty, widely known as the High Seas Treaty, establishes the first-ever framework for governing practices like fishing, mining and oil extraction in international waters, an issue that has threatened oceanic ecosystems across the globe with little oversight.
Some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host.
To better understand how corals improved their tolerance to heat stress, the researchers at the University of Miami examined more than 40 years of coral reef-monitoring data from Panama, one of the longest datasets of its kind in the world.
Observations using the newly upgraded human-occupied vehicle Alvin are the first of a deep-sea coral reef in the Galápagos Marine Reserve. The reef, found at 400-600 meters (1,310-1,970 feet) depth at the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago, supports a breathtaking mix of deep marine life, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution writes.
