Is your swimming pure š©?
Plus would you rather a whale or a snake joined your paddleboarding trip?
Hi there,
Has anyone else got that back to school feeling? After a washout summer here in the UK, it feels like things are starting to ramp up as we zoom towards the end of the year.
The IUCN Congress has kicked off in Marseille, bringing together governments and organisations from around the world to discuss how to protect biodiversity and endangered species (EuroNews). And there are fewer than 60 days until COP26 (anyone else planning on being in Glasgow over the conference? Iād love to say hi if so!)
Before we get going, if you love crime mysteries as well as the ocean, you might like this recent piece I wrote about the CSI of the Sea (warning: contains graphic images).
And a reminder that one of the best ways you can help support Baleen is by sharing it with your network so new members of the pod can find and join us!
š³š¦ Whales, dolphins & sharks
Unusual visitor: Caution advised over the social solitary bottlenose dolphin recently seen in Cornwall (BDMLR)
Courting in Clare: Iām not jealous at all of whoever got to see these hundreds of basking sharks having little sharky dates in Ireland (RTE)
Whale, thatās curious: Imagine having your paddleboard pushed along by a southern right whaleā¦ actually, you donāt have to: thereās a video (Guardian)
Thatās not right: North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of Maine left critically endangered thanks to climate change (Guardian)
I didnāt do it on porpoise: charity urges members of the public not to touch or move stranded cetaceans and call the emergency rescue line instead (BDMLR)
š Marine animals
Shell, yeah: Female octopuses throw shells at males during unwanted mating attempts. Totally understandable IMOā¦ (Independent)
Ssssstrewth! Iām very glad I wasnāt this Aussie paddleboarder who came across a curious sea snake in the middle of the ocean (Brodie Moss)
Highly underfunded: much needed funding for less charismatic species such as freshwater mussels, Southwest desert fish (Natural Resources)
Tee hee: for a bit of a giggle, check out the world's funniest animal photograph awards (Creative Boom)
Plastic-filled journeys: Migratory species likely to be among the most vulnerable to plastic pollution (CMS)
Enjoying Baleen? Make sure youāre subscribed so you never miss an edition:
š£šÆ Threats
Boulder barrier: Greenpeace being prosecuted for dropping boulders to protect MPAs from trawling (Morning Star)
Oil drilling challenge: Greenpeace also in court challenging the governmentās decision to let BP drill for oil in the North Sea (MSN)
Ocean blob: in the Pacific OceanĀ connected to a decades-long megadrought thousands of miles away inĀ Chile (Independent)
Ropeless or hopeless? Can ropeless fishing gear save North Atlantic right whales? (Mongabay)
Total š©: conservationists are fighting against raw sewage being dumped in UK waters (Kent Live) - please sign their petition (Change.org)
š° Opportunities
Green Heroes: last call for nominations for the PEA sustainability awards. Deadline 7th September
100 days to #BeatPlasticPollution: UNEP is calling for South-East Asian sustainability advocates toĀ help turn the tide on the plastic pandemic
PhD funding: for candidates starting 2022 whose research advances conservation in Shark Bay, Ningaloo Coast, Purnululu Natl Park & Murujuga
Baleen is provided completely free each week to help you keep on top of the latest marine conservation news - if you find it useful, shout me a coffee (thanks!)
šš Ecosystems
A fighting chance: coral breeding successes could help larger scale restoration efforts (EurekAlert!)
Clear economic, ecological benefits: a strong case for carefully managed Mangrove restoration (Mongabay)
Under pressure: this yearās Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition hopes to empower audiences to advocate for the natural world (Sky News)
Helping all the fish: this seven-year-old has played an important part in a vital seagrass restoration project (RTE)
āļø Ice, ice, baby
Accidental discovery: Arctic researchers believe they have found the worldās northernmost island off Greenland (EuroNews)
Arctic hosts: climate change could be increasing the risk of viruses being able to jump species in the Arctic (New Scientist)
Brrrrrr: Arctic climate change linked to colder winters (BBC)
Know someone who would love this news? Share Baleen:
š£ In case you missed it
Recapping your most clicked news items from recent editions of Baleen
Rescue dolphins:Ā Spirtle the dolphin was part of a pod that helped theĀ RNLIĀ rescue a swimmer in trouble (BBC)
Whale, thatās exciting:Ā Blue whales are back inĀ SpaināsĀ Atlantic coast after over 40 years (Guardian)
Major environmental risk: ExxonMobilās oil drillingĀ project in marine ecosystems offĀ GuyanaĀ could be disastrous (Guardian)
How to help: What can I do from theĀ UK to be more sustainable?Ā (Guardian)
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this issue, consider buying me a virtual coffee.
Melissa