(Mail Online) - In a rare battle of beasts these images show how several populations of skilled killer whales around the world have learned how to overcome huge sharks, that most animals give a wide berth. …

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1231454/Killer-whales-Death-karate-chop-deadly-tactic-used-orcas-sharks.html

Nat Geo clip:

The Farallon islands are a group of jagged islands off the coast of California. They’ve become an area of great interest to shark researchers as great whites choose to spend time aggregating there. Author Susan Casey wrote a book about this called Devil’s Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America’s Great White Sharks (the book is well worth a read but take heed that the story is just as much about the author as about the sharks). Peter Pyle, a shark biologist on the islands, is referenced in the book as well as the clip.

I find this incident interesting on a couple different levels. First, we don’t often think of great whites succumbing to other predators, which seems to have fed into our fear of this creature.

Also, if you watch an associated clip: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/wild/4669/Overview#tab-Videos/07504_00, it appears the orca may have exploited the phenomenon of tonic immobility, which I wrote a blog entry on previously. I’ve also written on the differing hunting behavior of orcas. Nature likes to keep us guessing….

Stainless Steel water bottle that I have etched into by hand, I selling them for $15 each. I have done custom water bottles of a 67 Mustang and a water lily.

Orca Bottle

When my parents first told me they’d bought a tugboat, I thought, “Who buys tugboats, I mean, for fun?”

Let my education begin. Turns out, there are legions of tugboat enthusiasts. (A good place to start learning about them is at the Tugboat Enthusiasts Society of the Americas.) And the one my parents bought — a vintage Nordic tug and the first of its kind — makes them rather popular at tugboat get-togethers.

My firsthand experience came with a trip back to Washington State to visit my family late last September. We went out for a day on Puget Sound for what was to be one of the best and coolest family outings I’ve ever experienced. Not only did we all have a blast, but we saw more than our fair share of wildlife including seals and killer whales. And the tugs mellow pace, a cool 12 knots or less, gave us ample opportunity to soak in the view. There’s something to be said for slowing down.

After seeing how much fun my parents were having, especially my dad, a retired Navy commander, I’m no longer hard-pressed to understand why people fall in love with tugs.

Happy Feet (2006)
★★ / ★★★★

An emperor penguin named Mumble (Elijah Wood) was born without a knack for singing, but his talent lies in tapdancing. His colony, aside from his childhood friend (Brittany Murphy) and mother (Nicole Kidman), doesn’t like the fact that he’s different and one of the oldest penguins believe that Mumble was a curse because ever since he was born, food became more scarce. (Talk about correlation does not mean causation.) Determined to prove that his tapdancing has nothing to do with the famine, Mumble, his short penguin friends and Noah the Elder (Hugo Weaving) went on a journey to search for the “aliens” (they were actually humans but they didn’t have the term for it) and kindly ask them through whatever means to stop taking their food. I like children’s movies but I hated the singing and dancing in this movie. I believe those elements took away some of the power (and time) to produce a well-developed story. The message about the humans’ destruction and disruption of the food chain was apparent but there were far too many extended singing and dancing sequences. (And it didn’t help that they weren’t that great to watch or listen to.) My favorite parts in the picture were the scenes that involved real danger for the penguins, such as being chased by a hungry seal, killer whales and birds. Yes, the animation was nothing short of spectacular but it doesn’t make up for its too light a tone about death and destruction. There were definitely some darker moments, especially in the second half when Mumble reached “heaven,” but I felt like George Miller, the director, could have pushed the envelope a little further by showing the audiences certain realities. After all, the point of the picture was the show that animals in the South Pole were struggling for survival. In fact, I think this film would have been far superior if it had ended in a bittersweet tone instead of a typical living-happily-ever-after note. Having said all that, I would have been harsher with this film if it was not intended for children. Given its flaws, it was still pretty entertaining because it had other messages such as tolerance, self-esteem and true friendships.

After recently watching Orca, I quickly have come to the conclusion that this is one that I have grown out of and probably enjoyed it more as a kid. Watching this growing up I guess I didn’t  care or notice all of the obvious trained killer whale footage superimposed over scenic sea shots, and the shots that were shot directly in a tank something like that of sea world. The story is about a killer whale taking revenge on the fisherman that killed his mate, and the lengths the whale goes through to torment and hunt down Captain Nolan, played by Richard Harris. (Gladiator, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)

 There are some other nice actors in the film, not that they are in top form or anything like that. Charlotte Rampling (Swimming Pool) plays the over concerned marine biologist, Will Sampson (Chief in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) as the local native american and Bo Derek (10) as the Captain Nolan’s girlfriend.

If this one came on TV when I was in junior high, you could probably find me watching it. Now I would probably say skip this one. It can be an entertaining late night popcorn movie, but don’t expect to be wowed by special effects, pretty cheesy compared to movies these days.

Such a genius design for such an ugly car. The Ford is such a reliable brand and they really do make good reliable cars. Their most aggressive, design-full car to date is the Focus RS…the new Ford Capri is due to be released soon but for now the major competitor is the Focus RS. With daring attitude, stunning looks and a brilliant contrasting green with black detailing that’s jaw-droppingly eye catching, Ford have proven that they have the balls to design a fine piece of engineering. It’s a shame this person who designed their Ford Ka like a killer whale didn’t just decide to a) visit sea world or b) get a stuffed teddy.

Its Free Willy's cousin!

Well at least the person has got one thing right… put the Ford Ka in Livingston dressed like a killer whale on top of a grassy hill in Scotland as near to the sea as possible. Sadly not quite close enough however – it’s where the poor car-whale clearly belongs.

twitter's "fail whale" error message makes me seriously consider joining the site. © Yiying Lu

Batten down your hatches, landlubbers, for I’m about to tell ye a tale.

Whales are my favorite animals, a love I can trace back to an obsession with the movie Free Willy* and annual childhood trips to MarineLand. I still have a stuffed orca, Whaley, from one of those visits, who may or may not still sit on my bed.

(*Yes, I know that killer whales are more closely related to dolphins. But considering they’re the BAMFs of the ocean, I think of them as one of the family. Plus their genus name, Orcinus, means “from hell.” Awesome.)

I’m a sucker for these sea-dwelling creatures in any material form they may take. Calendars, posters, jewelry, anatomically incorrect Beanie Babies, even one of those horrendous spray-painted t-shirts from the mall — I have owned and treasured them all.

Today my collection is considerably pared down, but my eyes and ears still perk up at the slightest mention of anything whale-related. That’s why I was delighted to come across Heart on a Stick’s A Goddamned Guide to All These Goddamned Whale Bands. (Part Two is here.) Whales and music served up with a side of snark? Yes please!

The list is exhaustive (“but not comprehensive,” warns the author. ”I left out Namu the Disco Whale, just to be mean.”), featuring dozens of whale-monikered artists. Who knew that Whale is the new black? (Or Wolf/Bear/Hands/Tapes/Cassettes/Crystal, as the case may be.)

I thoroughly recommend reading through the whole Guide, which is sprinkled with wit (my favorite!), fun facts, and a few pretty good bands. WALL•E and Fudgie the Whale also get shout-outs.

The best offerings from a musical standpoint are The Devil Whale and Freelance Whales:

Freelance Whales, whose vocalist reminds me of The Format and synthesizers of Hellogoodbye, is also blessed with one of my favorite names of the bunch. As a freelance writer, I feel for these guys; I can just imagine some poor, frustrated porpoise trying to scrape together a living as a whale.* This is what happens when I’m left alone with my thoughts.

(*Actually, “freelance whale” is a pretty fitting description for the orca.)

Other contenders for best name include:

•  British Whale: While the name is a combination straight out of my own personal version of heaven, the usually-entertaining Justin Hawkins (of The Darkness fame) disappoints here with only two tracks, both abysmal.
• Prints of Whales: Another fantastic juxtaposition, this time adding puns to the whales and Britishness. Their MySpace page offers the cheeky tagline “Putting the ‘O’ back into Cuntry,” plus the most giggle-inducing friends list I’ve seen in quite some time. (Thank you, Scrotum Clamp and Gob$au$age.) If it weren’t for the fact that I don’t like their music, I’d be in love. As it is, I’m still slightly smitten.
• Simien the Whale: Named for a misheard Rusted Root lyric, though I question the band’s ignorance. This song is a classic.

I’ll stop here for fear of ruining the rest of the list’s lustre. Suffice it to say, it’s a worthy venture if you’re up for a whale of a time, mateys.

From Public Library of Science (article by Sakamoto, Takahashi, Iwata, Trathan):

Albatrosses fly many hundreds of kilometers across the open ocean to find and feed upon their prey. Despite the growing number of studies concerning their foraging behaviour, relatively little is known about how albatrosses actually locate their prey. Here, we present our results from the first deployments of a combined animal-borne camera and depth data logger on free-ranging black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophrys). The still images recorded from these cameras showed that some albatrosses actively followed a killer whale (Orcinus orca), possibly to feed on food scraps left by this diving predator. The camera images together with the depth profiles showed that the birds dived only occasionally, but that they actively dived when other birds or the killer whale were present. This association with diving predators or other birds may partially explain how albatrosses find their prey more efficiently in the apparently ‘featureless’ ocean, with a minimal requirement for energetically costly diving or landing activities.

Photos by an albatross

A la hora prevista, el pequeño grupo salió a la luz del sol y se dirigió al puerto de embarque. Los pesados trajes rojos nos hacían lucir como astronautas dirigiéndonos a un potente cohete, pero no éramos más que un grupo de entusiastas turistas preparados para observar orcas en su hábitat. 

Esta aventura era una “asignatura pendiente” desde que visité Vancouver por primera vez y el brillante día de octubre lucía perfecto para tener un encuentro cercano con estos gigantes blanquinegros.

Tras abordar el bote inflable, el capitán y guía encendió los motores y plácidamente atravesamos la Bahía de Victoria, la capital de Columbia Británica. Entre cruceros, veleros e hidroaviones nos fuimos acercando a mar abierto. Entonces, al pasar una señalización y, como si un demonio se hubiera apoderado del bote, arrancamos a toda velocidad.

La embarcación empezó a volar entre cresta y cresta del agitado mar; a veces en línea recta, a veces con curvas tan cerradas que nos sentíamos como en una montaña rusa. Entre los splash-splash del agua estrellándose contra mi cara y los paff-paff de nuestros cuerpos rebotando en los asientos podía escuchar como, a través de la radio, el capitán recibía información acerca de la ubicación de las orcas.

Finalmente, la lancha se detuvo en un área cercana a la costa. Una nubecita de vapor, a lo lejos, fue la primera señal. Una espigada aleta dorsal emergió del océano como para avisarnos que el viaje había valido la pena. Allí estaba, la primera orca que veía en su estado salvaje. El hermoso cetáceo pasó frente a nosotros sin prestarnos mucha atención.

Dos por aquí, tres por allá, una solitaria por este lado… Cerca de una hora estuvimos admirando el majestuoso paso de estas impresionantes criaturas, monarcas de los mares. Definitivamente, otra muestra de la maravillosa naturaleza que tenemos la responsabilidad de preservar. 

The small group went out to the sun light. The heavy red suits made us look like astronauts going to a rocket, but we were just a few tourists ready to meet orcas in their  environment. This adventure had been a “to do” since the first time I visited Vancouver and this bright October day looked perfect to have a close encounter with these black and white giants.

After boarding the inflatable boat, the captain and guide turned on the engines and we started moving slowly through the bay where Victoria, British Columbia´s capital is located. Sailing between cruise ships, ferries and hydroplanes, we got closer to the open sea. Suddenly, after leaving behind a signal and, as if a demon had taken the control of the boat, we started moving very very fast.

The boat was jumping over the waves. Some sudden changes of direction made us feel like riding a roller coaster. Between the splash-splash of the water hitting my face and the paff-paff of our bodies bouncing on the seats I could hear how, by radio, the captain was receiving information about the orcas´ whereabouts.

Finally, the boat stopped near the coast. A small steam column was the first signal. A slender dorsal fin surfaced to let us know that the trip was worth. It was the first orca I ever saw in its habitat. The beautiful cetacean passed in front of our boat. Two here, three over there, a lonely one this way… We spent near one hour observing those majestic creatures. Definitely, another sample of the wonderful nature that we have the responsibility to preserve.

Albatrosses in the South Atlantic with cameras on their backs apparently used killer whales to find food. The cameras were attached to four black-browed albatrosses from Bird Island and their treks for food were monitored. The cameras were set to take pictures every 30 seconds. From these cameras the researchers noticed that the birds used large marine mammals that were feeding to find their own food. The researchers conducting the study were from the British Atlantic Survey or BAS, the National Institute of Polar Research, and Japan’s Hokkaido University. The researchers had to endure thousands of “nothing” pictures from the small cameras on the albatrosses’ backs until they came across a piece of gold. A picture documenting a few birds in front of the one with the camera and a clear picture of a killer whale.

Dr. Richard Phillips, a seabird ecologist from BAS, says the pictures “show us that albatrosses associate with marine mammals in the same way as tropical seabirds often do with tuna or dolphins. In both cases the prey – usually fish – are directed to the surface by the marine mammals and then it’s easy hunting for the birds.”

The purpose of the research was not conservation driven, but to learn more about albatrosses every day life and foraging habits. Sadly, due to long-line fishing techniques about 100,000 albatrosses die yearly. Albatrosses feed on fish like the Patagonian toothfish, which is a deeper-water fish. The researchers suspect that whales drive the fish to the surface and the birds take advantage of this because they can only dive up to a few meters.

A report on this research in the Public Library of Science states that “scavenging on such prey fragments may be more energetically advantageous than the pursuit and capture of live prey, as such activities can require frequent take-off, landing, and prey handling which may all be energetically costly.”

Having enough energy to feed is very important for mostly seagoing birds. Therefore, energy efficient feeding techniques are very advantageous. The foraging trips lasted between a half day and five and a half days.

Even though this research is not directed towards avian conservation, it shows that many animals act together in the wild. Even more than we may realize. It is all interconnected.

Click here for the full article.

Top picture credit to British Antarctic Survey/PA.

‘Till next time – enjoy!

This is one story I had heard about in college and find really fascinating. Killer whales, more formally known as Orcas, have subdivisions of their species that behave in drastically different ways .

Apparently, the title of whale is often considered a misnomer as these guys are supposedly genetically dolphins (as they are in the Delphinidae family). However, this leaves me a little confused as all dolphins are part of the larger classification, the suborder Odontoceti, or toothed whales. Apparently there is not total agreement as to whether dolphins are really just toothed whales. But I digress…

At any rate. They’ve (you know… the disembodied “they”? Guess I should change this to a more appropiate but no less vauge “researchers”) found that orcas have several different ecotypes. This means basically that there are subgroups of orcas that are adapted to different living conditions. There are three described killer whale ecotypes which include offshore, transient, and resident orcas.

The least studied ecotype is the offshore Orcas. They are a fairly recent discover. These dolphins (whales?) are found further from the coast than the other two types, and appear to be genetically and phenologically distinct.You might describe them as orcas gone rogue =).

Both resident and transient orcas will often be found closer inland. Resident populations tend to be the social butterflies of the species. They form larger pods and tend to be more tightly knit. They are piscivorous (fish) feeders.

Transient pods are smaller, usually no larger than six individuals. They are stealthier hunters, focusing their attention on marine mammals as prey. Transient orcas also had an interesting role in the disappearance of Alaskan sea otters. Sea otters  were considered keystone species in the local foodweb and their disappearance led to a proliferation in sea urchins which in turn led to the decline of kelp beds that provide invaluable habitat for other organisms.

I watched a very beautiful documentary about a young Orca (killer whale) named Luna. Luna got separated from his pod in Nootka Sound on the west coast of Canada and tried to make friends with humans for companionship. Saving Luna is an interesting portrayal of our relationships with animals and the beauty that can be found if one looks.

After the photoshoot yesterday, we went to Sea World which I haven’t been to in a long time. Its was ok, wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Walked around, and I was tired as hell.

You’d be surprised how hard it is to take pictures at Sea World.

Yes, “water bullets”.

The shamu show is so incredibly over done. The music was so intense, you’d think you were watching Lord of the Rings or something. The “narrator” was like he was narrating Star Wars. Lol.

Shamu!

Just uploading vacation pics here… I’m slow, but getting there. While doing so – CHECK OUT THIS BABY! Holy freaking cow. Or shall I say Holy freaking KILLER WHALES?

This is where I should have gotten out of her way… if only I knew which way she wanted to go. I was afraid to attempt any quick maneuvering (a story for another day)… so I just stayed there, kept shooting and hoped for the best…

I was nothing short of amazed to be so close. This was, by the way, after the second time I tried to get my camera back in the dry bag thinking we had seen our last of the pods for the day (and not wanting to press my luck or test my coordination). Little did we know just how much of a show we were going to be treated to that day!

I suppose I half expected them to pass right under me or even knock me out of my tiny vessel, but I was still stunned when I heard and saw this enormous mammal emerge from the shallow waters between me and the rocks. I didn’t even have time to say “good day to you” and they were gone again.