Blue Whales

Lunge feeding in rorqual whales (a group that includes blue, humpback and fin whales) is unique among mammals, but details of how it works have remained elusive. Now, scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and University of British Columbia have solved the mystery. They discovered a sensory organ in the chin of rorqual whales that communicates to the brain. The organ orchestrates the dramatic changes and adjustments needed in jaw position...  

Lunge feeding in rorqual whales (a group that includes blue, humpback and fin whales) is unique among mammals, but details of how it works have remained elusive. Now, scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and University of British Columbia have ...  

Scientists have discovered a sensory organ in rorqual whales that coordinates its signature lunge-feeding behavior -- and may help explain their enormous size. Rorquals are a subgroup of baleen whales -- including blue, fin, minke and humpback whales. They are characterized by a special, accordion-like blubber layer that goes from the snout to the navel. The blubber expands up to several times its resting length to allow the whales to engulf...  

ScienceDaily (May 23, 2012) — Lunge feeding in rorqual whales (a group that includes blue, humpback and fin whales) is unique among mammals, but details of how it works have remained elusive. Now, scientists from the Smithsonian Institution and ...  

about 2,000 blue whales feed on krill along the California coast during the whale-watching season May through November. Humpbacks feed on krill and anchovies. "We've had the krill on the surface two and a half weeks now, which is a pretty rare ...  

Scientists with the Smithsonian Institution and the University of British Columbia (UBC) have discovered a new sensory organ in the rorqual family of whales -- a discovery which sheds new light on their unique feeding behavior and explains why they grow to such massive sizes. The US and Canadian biologists involved in the study located the organ at the tip of the chin of blue, humpback, minke and fin whales, contained within a batch of...  

Biologists on Wednesday reported they had discovered a new sensory organ on blue, humpback, minke and fin whales that helps explain why these mammals are so huge. In a study appearing in the journal Nature, researchers in the United States and Canada said ...  

Whilst sailing the Pacific blue Friday afternoon, Clark McNulty and fellow sailors were greeted by two hungry gray whales snacking on krill near the ocean surface. The sea beasts were spotted about one mile off the Hermosa Beach coast as the crew sailed the 30-foot vessel "Pegasus" back to King Harbor Marina in Redondo Beach. [ more › ]  

MercoPressSightings of blue whales in the south of Chile has grown significantlyMercoPress... blue whales sighted in the south of Chile increased significantly this austral summer as the cetacean approached the area to feed on the rich waters of the south Pacific according to a scientific report from the Austral University Blue Whale Centre ...  

Their presence, confirmed by such naturalists as Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, has encouraged the eco-tour specialists Jetwing to start dedicated whale watching trips, using boats supplied by Mirissa Water Sports, a company set up with European funding in ...  

Spring is a dynamic time for whale watching in Monterey Bay, California - gray whales are migrating north with calves in tow, blue whales move into the area to feed, and humpback whales return from their winter migration. Transient orcas (killer whales ...  

A British photographer witnessed a school of whales vanishing during an underwater earthquake. Could they serve as 'canaries' for humans?Do whales hear earthquakes long before humans? As tsunami warnings hit the Indonesian and Sri Lankan coasts last week, observers at sea watched as every species of cetacean – from massive blue whales to diminutive spinner dolphins – disappeared within five minutes. British photographer and film-maker...  

Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortez is filled with marine life, including blue whales, dolphins, orcas (killer whales), and sea lions. While on our Sea of Cortez cruise on the American Safari Cruises' Safari Quest, we had the opportunity to see many different species, including these pods of thousands of dolphins.The Safari Quest skiff took us out into the midst of this huge pod of dolphins, and we skimmed along the surface of the sea in harmony with...  

Today is the anniversary of several events important in the history of baseball not just as a game but as an expression of capitalism, of labor relations.First, 1914 Major league baseball returns to Baltimore as the first Federal League game is played with approximately 27,000 patrons on hand to watch the Terrapins beat the Buffalo Blues, 3-2. The Federal League was an attempt not just by owners to create a third major league to compete...  

On Sunday, April 8, 2012, the Hershey Bears played one final home game in the regular season. This time, the Connecticut Blue Whales traveled to the Giant Center to play the Bears. This game could give the Blue Whales a berth in the playoffs. Since this ...  

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will prepare a recovery plan for the North Pacific right whale, according to a notice published Tuesday in the Federal Register.     The Center for Biological Diversity last month gave 60-day notice ...  

... from the International Fund for Animal Welfare they'll be hoping to promote whale conservation and responsible whale watching. In particular the team are looking for baleen whales - large varieties such as minke, sperm, blue and fin whales.  

The two unnamed blue whales in the room are the USA which has attacked many countries and Israel which persecutes the Palistinians and threatens Iran....  

NOAA updates right, blue whale recovery plansJuneau EmpireBy Dan Joling AP A notice Tuesday in the Federal Register said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will prepare a recovery plan for North Pacific right whales and update a recovery plan for blue whales. The Center for Biological ...NOAA to Prepare Recovery Plan for Right and Blue WhalesKTUU.comall 3 news articles »  

NOAA to update right, blue whale recovery plansWisconsin Rapids TribuneBy Dan Joling, AP A notice Tuesday in the Federal Register said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will prepare a recovery plan for North Pacific right whales and update a recovery plan for blue whales. The Center for Biological ...NOAA To Prepare Right Whale Recovery PlanAlaska Public Radio Networkall 15 news articles »  

"From the vital role whales fulfill in the marine ecosystems to the strong economic impact of the $2 billion whale watching industry, whales have become the totems of the environmental movement and increasingly widely appreciated worldwide as ...  

Review: Rez Abbasi Quintet in timely concert at Blue WhaleLos Angeles TimesBy Chris Barton There was a rewarding symmetry at work in Thursday night's performance by the Rez Abbasi Quintet at the Blue Whale. Not counting the interplay between the musicians, which was also quite evident, the performance comes just days before ...  

Music: Rez Abbasi Group at the Blue WhaleLos Angeles TimesThe Blue Whale, 123 Astronaut E S. Onizuka St., Suite 301. 9 pm Thurs. $10. http://www.bluewhalemusic.com Currently there are no comments. Be the first to comment! Comments are filtered for language and registration is required.  

Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Birthday Bash - Blue Whale - 5/4/12LA Weekly (blog)He radiates an openness and familiarity that few musicians possess and that helps when you want to get fifteen friends together to play some music at the Blue Whale for your birthday. Last Friday, before a sold out crowd, Atwood-Ferguson did just that ...  

PR Web (press release)PlanetWildlife Itineraries Promote Awareness of Endangered SpeciesPR Web (press release)Apart from the black rhino of Africa, some of the most threatened creatures on the planet include the Asiatic Lion of India, the Chinese Panda bear (now bred largely in controlled environments), and the spectacular Blue Whale, most commonly seen in the ...and more »