Each year we discover new species on land and at sea. In 2023, more than 5,000 new deep-sea species were discovered in a large area between Hawaii and Mexico in the Pacific. Defying all biological norms, recently discovered Antarctic strawberry-feather star species can have more than 20 arms. Jumping size brackets, in 2019 a new species called Sato’s beaked whales was identified in the North Pacific, and in 2021, the 40-foot-long Rice’s whale was formally recognized in the Gulf of Mexico. The list will keep growing.
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Although not nearly as new to science, did you know there are three different species of right whales— Southern right whales, North Atlantic right whales and North Pacific right whales? Of the three species, North Pacific right whales(NPRWs) are the most critically endangered, with fewer than 50 remaining in the Eastern stock.
Despite low numbers and even less information on this fascinating species, 2022 and 2023 were really big years for NPRWs. In 2022, fishermen spotted two NPRWs skim-feeding in Unimak Pass near Dutch Harbor, Alaska. In March 2023, a NPRW was spotted in Monterey Bay, California, making it one of about 20 sightings of the species in California since 1955. And a research survey in Alaska in 2023 sighted four different right whales, marking the first sighting in the Gulf of Alaska since 2021 and adding at least one and potentially two new animals to the NPRW catalog! NOAA Fisheries will consider all of this new information when revising the critical habitat designation for NPRW in Alaska.
Known threats to NPRWs include vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and climate-change impacts. But there is so much we don’t know about these enigmatic species, including where they migrate or spend their winters. It is therefore essential that we continue to expand research efforts to learn more about NPRWs so we can identify ways to protect them. It is also vital that we continue to raise awareness that this unique and largely unknown species along Alaska and the U.S. West Coast is important to preserving biodiversity in the North Pacific.
Help Ocean Conservancy raise awareness about NPRWs by participating in and sharing out the Whale Naming Contest! This is your chance to suggest and vote for a name for the latest identified addition to the North Pacific right whale family.
For more information on NPRW, check out this First Recording of North Pacific right whale song and listen to Dr. Jessica Crance’s presentation on NPRW at the Smithsonian Symposium November 2023.
The post One of the World’s Rarest Whales appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
This fall, Ocean Conservancy is celebrating its 41st annual International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC), once again bringing together volunteers to protect the beaches and waterways we all love. Ocean Conservancy recently hosted flagship events in Long Beach and Washington, D.C. that celebrated this global movement close to home.
Over the past four decades, nearly 20 million volunteers have rolled up their sleeves to remove more than 405 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways around the world. And their impact extends far beyond what they collect. ICC volunteers have documented nearly 440 million individual items, creating the world’s largest marine debris database and providing invaluable information that helps Ocean Conservancy and others better understand—and tackle—ocean plastic pollution.
This year’s celebration continued that incredible legacy. At Alamitos Beach in Southern California, more than 150 volunteers gathered on September 19 and removed 1,109 pounds of trash, alongside members of Team USA Artistic Swimming and Olympic and Paralympic athletes. In Washington, D.C., 439 volunteers gathered on September 26 to remove 2,182 pounds of trash from Anacostia Park along the Anacostia River.
“I am so grateful to all of the volunteers who came out today for our ocean—and every volunteer who has made the last 41 years of impact possible,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Allison Schutes. “Every piece of plastic collected helps protect marine animals and habitats and contributes to research and advocacy.”
And the impact doesn’t stop when the cleanup ends. During International Coastal Cleanup events, volunteers do more than remove trash: They document what they find, helping build a clearer picture of the plastic pollution threatening our waterways and wildlife. Through the Clean Swell® app or paper data sheets, ICC volunteers contribute to Ocean Conservancy’s online, open-access database, the world’s largest repository of marine debris data. These records help scientists, conservation groups and governments understand pollution trends and identify solutions.
That data can also drive meaningful policy change. ICC data were recently used in a peer-reviewed study showing that plastic bag bans lead to reduced plastic bag pollution. The data have also helped advance policies ranging from California’s SB 54 to Florida’s balloon release ban and the federal Farewell to Foam Act. From a neighborhood cleanup to statewide action, every piece of documented trash helps build the evidence needed to tackle plastic pollution at its source.
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Want to get involved?
Whether you join a local cleanup, record the trash you find using the Clean Swell app, or take action to reduce plastic pollution, you can be part of this incredible collective effort to protect our ocean. Here are a few ways to make an impact:
- Find a cleanup near you.
- Download our Clean Swell app to easily record the trash you collect.
- Take action to reduce plastic pollution.
- Explore our Wildlife Impact Calculator to estimate the potential benefits of your cleanup for marine wildlife.
- Donate today to Ocean Conservancy to help us fight plastic pollution for years to come!
The post Celebrating 41 Years of the International Coastal Cleanup® appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
For generations, stories of people being swallowed by enormous sea creatures have painted awe-inspiring tales of human survival and perseverance. From the biblical account of Jonah to the legendary battle of Hercules and Cetus to the timeless story of Pinocchio, these legendary tales have captivated people since time immemorial.
But all these stories raise the question: Could someone really be swallowed by a whale? With the premiere of the film Whalefall on October 16, 2026, you may find yourself in conversations about this very situation. Based on the bestselling 2023 thriller authored by Daniel Kraus, the film tells the story of a scuba diver who is accidentally gobbled up by a sperm whale while searching for the remains of his late father. With only an hour of oxygen left in his tank, the diver must fight to escape the whale’s gut before time runs out.
The answer to whether it’s anatomically possible for a whale to swallow a person is actually a bit more complicated than you might think.