In early December 2019, more than 2,700 marine mammal scientists, policymakers, students, and activists, as well as journalists and others interested in the latest marine mammal science developments, gathered from 95 countries in Barcelona, Spain, to attend a joint meeting of the Society for Marine Mammalogy and the European Cetacean Society. At the conference, AWI’s
Read moreIn other news related to horse welfare, a major victory was gained when the Chicago City Council voted 46–4 to ban the use of horse-drawn carriages in the city. The law takes effect next year. Horses conscripted into this business endure long hours pulling 1,000-pound carriages on city streets while being exposed to temperature extremes,
Read moreMost of the news we receive during the pandemic is extremely dire, and the heartbreak and disruption it has caused and will continue to cause cannot be glossed over. Even so, some wondrous things are happening in the natural world that perhaps can provide some measure of cheer. As humans temporarily abandon field, forest, stream
Read moreIn mid-July, the Trump administration finalized its overhaul of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), enacting new regulations that weaken this key environmental law. Unprecedented in significance and scope, these changes undermine informed agency decision-making, reduce transparency, and limit critical public involvement. Moreover, they fundamentally erode the purpose and intent of NEPA by denying the
Read moreThe COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions in place to prevent its spread have had a profound impact on the environment, in positive and negative ways: Greenhouse gases have declined sharply amid reduced industrial output. Commercial fishing and shipping vessels have remained in port, giving marine life a welcome respite. Conversely, food shortages, financial instability, and
Read moreIn an unprecedented statement, 361 cetacean scientists, including AWI’s Dr. Naomi Rose, have signed an open letter expressing grave concern about the risk of extinction of many species and populations of cetaceans due to entanglement in fishing gear, chemical and noise pollution, loss of habitat and prey, climate change, and ship strikes. The letter warns
Read moreThe Wider Caribbean Region has lost a wonderful conservation champion. Paul Hoetjes of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, died in November after a short illness. AWI was fortunate to have worked with Paul over the past two decades, after being introduced to him by Col. Milton Kaufmann , another environmental champion for the region. We fondly remember
Read moreScientists from NOAA Fisheries have identified a new species of baleen whale in the Gulf of Mexico. The new species, previously thought to be a subspecies of the Bryde’s whale, has been named Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei) in honor of Dale Rice, who enjoyed a distinguished 60-year career in marine mammal science. Rice, who passed
Read moreAlabama is known for many things, including beautiful Gulf Coast beaches, the US Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, steel, peanuts, the music of Muscle Shoals, and college football. It is also home to one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. In Saving America’s Amazon: The Threat to Our Nation’s Most Biodiverse River System,
Read moreMore Florida manatees have died this year than in any previous year since records began. The cause is primarily starvation due to loss of seagrass beds, according to state officials. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported 841 manatee deaths between January 1 and July 2, which already exceeds the previous record set in
Read moreA commission under the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) released a report yesterday confirming that Mexico’s unwillingness to enforce its own wildlife protection, trade, and fisheries laws...
In this op-ed for the Tampa Bay Times, Dr. Naomi Rose, AWI’s senior scientist in marine mammal biology, discusses the challenges in caring for orcas...
The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and an international coalition of animal protection and environmental groups are calling on Yahoo! Japan and its parent company, the...
Japan and Norway resumed slaughtering whales this month, while Iceland’s only fin whaling company has decided that it will not hunt this summer, citing a...
