The AI-powered cetacean conservation technology developed jointly by the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Lenovo Group has been extended to Cambodia, Myanmar, and other countries. Through the integration of towed acoustic devices and drones, the China-Cambodia team tracks dolphin movements in real time. By leveraging AI models to build species knowledge databases,…

At the China-ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Forum held in Beihai, Guangxi, China and ASEAN nations reached a consensus to establish the “Beibu Gulf-South China Sea Bryde’s Whale Conservation Alliance,” designating Bryde’s whales as its flagship species. The waters around Weizhou Island in Guangxi, a critical habitat for Bryde’s whales, will collaborate with Southeast Asian nations on…

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography released a report analyzing the long-term impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill on cetacean populations. Data indicates that sperm whale and beaked whale population densities declined by 30% and 80% respectively within a decade after the spill, with some areas experiencing complete disappearance. The study emphasizes that toxic…

In October, a young humpback whale stranded on Long Beach Island, New Jersey. Rescue workers discovered distinct propeller injuries on both sides of its body and found it severely emaciated. Preliminary assessments indicate the whale died from vessel strikes and malnutrition. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) noted that propeller injuries are a leading cause…

The AI-powered cetacean conservation platform developed jointly by the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Lenovo Group enables real-time tracking and behavioral analysis of Yangtze finless porpoises through over 200 smart cameras and underwater sonar devices deployed along the Yangtze River. The platform incorporates embodied intelligent hexapod robots capable of autonomously collecting water…

Long-term monitoring on Canada’s Baffin Island reveals that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in local beluga whales now exceed international safety standards by threefold. As sea ice melts, the opening of Arctic shipping routes has spurred increased maritime traffic and oil-gas exploration. Pollutants accumulate through the food chain, while noise disturbs the whales’ echolocation systems, causing their…

Marineland, an aquatic park near Niagara Falls, faces financial bankruptcy and threatens to euthanize 30 beluga whales. The park stated that monthly maintenance costs of 2 million Canadian dollars have become unsustainable. Without government funding or approval for relocation, it will be forced to carry out euthanasia. This incident exposes the lack of a contingency…

On September 23, the most severe whale stranding incident in nearly two decades occurred near Macquarie Harbour in Tasmania, Australia: approximately 470 long-finned pilot whales stranded in batches, with 380 confirmed dead by the 24th. Rescue teams successfully freed over 80 whales using slings and barges. However, due to the whales’ massive size (7 meters…

On September 17, a tragedy unfolded near French Polynesia’s Tahiti: a 2-3-year-old female humpback whale (nicknamed “Coco”) was severely injured after being struck by a high-speed ferry, ultimately drowning with her upper jaw nearly completely severed. The ferry involved was traveling at 55 km/h in a 9 km/h speed-restricted zone—six times the limit. Witness videos…

Research from Stanford University indicates that blue whales may ingest up to 10 million microplastic particles daily, primarily through krill consumption. Within California’s ocean current ecosystem, microplastic concentrations at depths of 50–250 meters highly overlap with whale feeding zones, turning filter-feeding whales like blue whales and humpback whales into “plastic vacuum cleaners.” Long-term accumulation may…