May
5
Exciting and shocking at the same time.
A pod of killer whales attacked and killed a grey whale calf in Monterey Bay. The calf’s mother tried to fend off the attackers by swiping them with her tail. But in the end, the grey calf, even though it was bigger, was no match for the half dozen orcas.
May
3
CAPE PANWA: The Phuket Marine Biological Office (PMBC) is considering building a 200-million-baht “Dolphin Center†near its aquarium as a way of treating people with disabilities and promoting tourism.
The project, which has already been approved in principal by Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura, would be run jointly with Danish marine biologist and dolphin expert Judith Kongsted.
PMBC Director Wannakiat Thapthimsang told the Gazette “The Danish researcher has welcomed us to join her in researching ways to treat people with disabilities, such as paralysis and autism, by allowing them to interact with dolphins.
“This has been done successfully in many countries already and would also help promote Phuket as a tourism destination,†he said.
He said that although the project had already been approved in principal by the Governor, there were still many issues to consider.
He had reservations, he said, about the idea of using dolphins to treat disabled people because this smacked of commercialism using a protected animal. “It is now just a proposal,†he said. “We must do more research – we are not even sure whether dolphins can treat such patients effectively,†he said.
The proposal has already come under fire from the UK-based Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), which argues that it is “impossible to accommodate the mental, physical and social needs of dolphins in captivity and that it is cruel to confine them.â€
In a letter to the Gazette, the WDCS also raised concerns about the idea of treating people through interaction with captive dolphins.
“These [concerns] include the welfare of the animal – including the lack of respite for the dolphins, which is inherent in programs where dolphins are forced to interact, and the potential for injury an d mental disturbance from irresponsible human behavior – the risk of aggression toward people and the potential for disease transmission between human and dolphin,†the WDCS wrote.
Funding for the project, if it does go ahead, will be primarily from foreign donations, K. Wannakiat said. A committee meeting is scheduled to take place on April 29 to discuss fundraising issues. Those interested in donating or learning more about the project can email Ms Kongsted at: judith.kongsted@mail.dk
Brought to you by:
The Phuket Gazette
17:00 local time (GMT +7)
Apr
19
Great story over at Live Science on the reasons why and how dolphins spin.
Once a dolphin breaks the surface, everything changes.
As it enters the air, the dolphin sheds all of the resistant forces that slowed it down in the water. And that’s when things really get dizzy.
Airborne, the spinner dolphin can make up to seven revolutions in as little as a second.
Apr
18
David Mattila and Ed Lyman, from the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, have developed several home-made tools to assist rescuers in freeing whales caught in fishing line and nets.
I’ve spoken to people who rescue marine mammals and several volunteers have died attempting to give aid to trapped whales. The volunteers know that the mammals mean them no harm but when you’re dealing with a multi-ton animal of that size, a simple slap of the tail while thrashing around could not only kill a human but is likely to take out any rescue boat the volunteers are on.
Apr
17
Wonderful news from DiveHappy about the rebirth of Koh Phi Phi which had been devistated during the 2004 tsunami.
All during 2005 volunteers and locals put in thousands of hours of work cleaning up not only on land but underwater. Divers have cleared some 280 tonnes of debris from under the water and beaches returning Ko Phi Phi to an excellent diving opportunity.
Mar
14
Ran across an excellent recap of the post-tsunami diving conditions in the Thailand area in PADI’s Sprt Diver Magazine. From the sound of the article things do appear to be improving:
The local tsunami dive camps’ effort to systematically clean any and all damaged reefs and sea bottoms around the Phi Phi islands has made noticeable differences, which is encouraging for all involved. Andrew Hewett, general manager of the Adventure Club on Koh Phi Phi, says that he has been overwhelmed by the efforts made by people who have travelled across the world not only to assist on the dive project, but also to help the local people and victims of the tsunami. “It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with these people, who are devoting all of their time and energy. Their efforts are totally selfless and they wish nothing in return, just to know that they have made a difference. My hat goes off to them.”
Mar
9
The Cayman Islands Central Planning Authority has approved a plan by Dolphin Discovery (Cayman) Ltd. to develop two dolphin parks in West Bay.
Mar
4
Aliya the Beluga whale has learned to blow bubble rings and is entertaining guests at a Japanese aqarium.
Feb
27
Although the story seems a little hyped up, it looks like the Bangkok Aquarium is now allowing divers to dive in the aquarium as part of their Deep Ocean exhibit. The reason I say hyped-up is because many other aquariums let you dive with sharks, Disney World Epcot being one so while this may be a new attraction for Bangkok, it’s certainly not as amazing as they try to make it sound.
Regardless, it may be something Bangkok divers might want to slip into their next visit to the Land of Smiles.
Feb
27
Divehappy has a nice little summary of the story about Aussie football star Josh Francou and his father being stalked by a great white.
Feb
20
When couples promise each other for better or for worse, they probably don’t think the “for worse” part could happen as soon as the wedding ceremony. But Barbra Anderson and Jason Skubitz took that chance when they got married in the shark tank at the Mall of America’s Underwater Adventures aquarium on Valentine’s Day.
Feb
13
From about 3 days before the full moon to 3 days after last quarter moon during the months of March to June, Whale Sharks can found be in the waters of southern Belize.
Jan
17
Some pretty cool photos from this Russian website of strange and weird animals washed up from the recent tsunami.
Jan
16
Thought I would clean out the inbox of stories I have been meaning to link to:
Thailand is looking for volunteer divers to help clean up the post-tsunami reefs
Marine expert details tsunami damage to reefs
Whales can suffer from decompression sickness (the bends)
Not sure what this was intended to be but it looks like a cross between dating advice and scuba writing. Betsey Styles: Diving With Sharks
Report from ScubaCat Dive Shop in Phuket I didn’t dive with these folks but we went by their shop to inquire about taking some the the Tech/Rec instructor training they offer. Unforunately, their Tech/Rec instructor was in Bangkok and unable to offer classes for us.
Honduran island’s a scuba eye-opener
American woman in Thailand eyewitness to devastation
Scuba instructor doesn’t mind getting wet
Family escapes tsunami disaster
Deep dive saves U.S. pair from tsunami
Paradise then terror for open water scuba diving student in Thailand
From 90 feet to 12 feet to 60 feet in seconds: Scuba diving tsunami hell
Dec
18
More than 60 countries agreed Sunday to ban the killing of sharks for their fins in the Atlantic Ocean, a move that conservationists hope will increase protection of threatened species around the world.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas drew up the agreement at its annual meeting being held in New Orleans. The group, which oversees management of many Atlantic fish species, acted on a proposal by the United States.
Dec
10
Santa dove into the shark tank at the Aquarium of the Pacific hoping to get kids interested in marine life. In addition to seeing Santa, children watched as other animals were treated to special holiday treats, including icy candy canes and cookies.
Dec
6
Bamboo sharks released at Cape Panwa
CAPE PANWA: The Phuket Marine Biological Center (PBMC) and Phuket Provincial Administration Organization pooled their resources and released 99 Indonesian Bamboo sharks yesterday in a gesture to mark the birthday of HM King Bhumibol Adulyedej.
The sharks – between six and 12 months old and measuring up to 50 centimeters long – were bred at the PMBC.
Harmless to humans, these creatures – which reach around a meter long when fully grown – can, surprisingly, live out of water for up to 12 hours.
Although bamboo sharks are not classed as endangered, there is concern that accidental or deliberate fishing may soon begin to take their toll on the species.
Brought to you by:
The Phuket Gazette
12:01 local time (GMT +7)
Nov
28
This is very sad but it appears that poachers have killed several of the dolphins who protected swimmers from a great white. The Scotsman reports:
The mutilated carcasses of the two bottlenose dolphins were found on Wednesday in the Awaroa River, which branches off the upper reaches of Whangarei Harbour on North Island’s east coast.
Staff from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) believe the dolphins died about two weeks ago after drowning in fishing nets set out by criminals poaching fish. DOC officer Richard Parrish said their tails had been hacked off, probably to free them from the net.
Nov
24
A pod of dolphins is being credited with saving a group of lifeguards from a circling great white shark.
Lifeguard Rob Howes, his daughter Niccy, 15, Karina Cooper, 15, and Helen Slade, 16, were swimming 100m out to sea at Ocean Beach, near Whangarei, when seven bottlenose dolphins sped towards them and herded them together.
Nov
22
Poco was a beluga whale who seems to have been lost from his usual pals and decided to stay in Maine and befriend the locals. Despite the best efforts of wildlife officials young Poco didn’t want to return to the wild. He was known for playing with scuba divers and making visits to be with the local fishermen. Unfortunately, his body was found last week, washed ashore in South Portland.
Nov
8
“You are more likely to be killed by falling airplane parts or be hurt by using a room deoderizer than be attacked by a shark.”
– Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, Ca.
Taken from the Nov. 2004 edition of Scuba Diving Magazine.
Oct
23
About.com has an interesting top ten list of barracuda facts. For instance, did you know that scientists still don’t know how to tell a male barracuda from a female?