Rorquals are baleen whales of the family Balaenopteridae, characterized by elongate bodies, pleated ventral grooves (ventral furrows), and generally falcate dorsal fins, and include genera such as Balaenoptera and Megaptera. They are specialized lunge feeders, using expandable throat pleats and a distensible buccal cavity to engulf large volumes of prey-laden water, which is then filtered through keratinous baleen plates. Rorquals exhibit extreme body-size evolution, with several species among the largest animals known, and show distinct migratory behavior between high-latitude feeding grounds and low-latitude breeding areas, playing major roles in marine trophic dynamics and biogeochemical cycling.
Scientists are increasingly worried we may be witnessing the start of the "sixth mass extinction"—the first to be caused by human activities.
Paleontology & Fossils
Jul 7, 2026
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Sightings of humpback whales off Rio de Janeiro's coast are surging as they recover from decimation due to commercial whaling, prompting an acceleration in the demand for whale-watching excursions to spot the huge marine ...
Ecology
Jul 2, 2026
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Scientists have spotted two humpback whales that made separate, record-breaking crossings between Australia and Brazil.
Plants & Animals
Jun 27, 2026
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114
A 100-year-old equation and a fiber-optic cable off the coast of Svalbard led researchers to discover they could detect swimming whales—even if they were completely silent. The discovery broadens the tools biologists could ...
Ecology
Jun 24, 2026
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Off Oman's coast lives a small population of just over 80 Arabian Sea humpback whales (ASHWs). They are classified as endangered and are thought to be the only humpback whale population that doesn't undertake seasonal migrations ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 19, 2026
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50
If you've noticed more whales visiting local waters, you're not imagining it: Vancouver's gargantuan guests are here thanks to the season, great grub and conservation successes, researchers say.
Plants & Animals
Jun 17, 2026
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Marine mammal stranding teams have completed major response activities for two deceased juvenile humpback whales discovered less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) apart in Monterey Bay earlier this month and issued preliminary ...
Ecology
Jun 15, 2026
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Humpback whales are one of the most popular species for whale watching. Since they are active close to the water's surface, groups of whale watchers can often see them breaching and diving during breeding periods. One popular ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 10, 2026
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Researchers have repurposed an AI model designed for visual identification tasks to detect Bryde's whale calls contained within seismic data collected in the South China Sea. The detection system precisely identified calls ...
Ecology
Jun 10, 2026
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Whale falls form when whale carcasses sink to the seafloor, creating localized concentrations of biodiversity in the deep ocean. Besides playing a role in long-term carbon sequestration, whale falls help scientists understand ...
Ecology
Jun 10, 2026
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