The coral reef at Jan Thiel-Sorsaka in Curaçao is healthy, highly developed and of an exce
The coral reef at Jan Thiel-Sorsaka in Curaçao is healthy, highly developed and of an exceptional beauty. Magnificent stands of endangered Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and Staghorn Coral (A. cervicornis, with some of the Elkhorn corals not 10 ft from the rocky shore. Large mountaineous star corals and forests of soft corals. A conservation zone, but under threat of a large hotel development plan, with the government intending to overturn the conservation status. Take a look at what will surely be lost if these plans are not stopped. This is part 1, continued in part 2.
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Added: 2 weeks ago
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The Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre commenced land based research two week
The Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre commenced land based research two weeks ago at Cape Byron lighthouse. Marine Science students & volunteers,
under the guidance of researcher Daniel Burns, have sighted approximately 1,400 whales during the 14 day study period. This is a record number of whales observed since research at the Cape began in 1981, when less than 10 whales were sighted in the same study period.
http://www.scu.edu.au/research/whales/index.php/11
The population of this group of whales, the Antarctic Area V whales, was estimated to be between 45,000 and 60,000 before whaling commenced. When whaling ceased in Australia because of the lack of whales, there were an estimated 150 individuals remaining. We published a collaborative paper on the Antarctic Area V population in 2005. Using Photo-Identification 'mark re-capture' techniques we estimated the recovering population to be approximately 7,000. The population could now be around 10,000.
So we can feel a sense of pride as humans, that we have allowed the East Coast Australian Humpback Whale population to begin its recovery. People from all nations visit the Cape at this time of year to greet the whales as they pass. They breach occasionally, very probably to get a better view of the lighthouse. Cape Byron is a very important landmark for the whales on their migration north, being the most easterly point on the continent.
This is Migaloo the White Whale's Songline from 1998, the fourth in the Songline Series, here is the first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IF9StwXcjQE
The song is clearly audible through the hull of the research vessel. Depending on the proximity of the singer, the song is also audible standing on the deck. The sound pressure level of their song is reduced significantly once it passes into the air. Whales speak to each other constantly. The cadence and syncopation of their normal conversations are much different from that of their songs. They often make sounds above water through their blow holes.
Because water is denser than air it is a much better conduit for sound. If a singer is close you can here him in much the same way standing on the deck as our recordings sound on YouTube. Of course the moment you enter the water, which we don't because it is illegal and unnecessary, the sound is felt at it's full sound pressure level, the equivalent of a jack hammer or loud rock concert.
We are working on several papers related to whale 'language'. The term 'language' in relation to Humpback Whales is not yet accepted by the scientific community so we are careful about using it. Although we firmly believe that whales of all species have highly evolved languages.
Three researchers in Hawaii, two computer engineers and a marine biologist, have created a computer application to asses the entropy of whale sounds (loss of energy from a system in this case sound frequency) and have compared them to a range of human languages. They have concluded that Humpback sounds are equivalent to human languages. They used the recordings of Dr. Roger and Katy Payne, made in the 1970s, who were the first scientists to recognize that the unique sounds made by Humpback Whales were in fact conscious, complex evolving songs.
Hominis universus oceanus - Human as one with the Ocean
The Oceania Project's
19th Whale Research Expedition
August 2008:
http://oceania.org.au/expedition/expedition.html
DVDs & Downloads:
http://oceania.org.au/iwhales/portal/home.php?cat=297
Help protect Humpback Whales:
http://www.stopwhaling.com.au
Your community can adopt a Humpback Whale:
http://www.stopwhaling.com.au/site/c.ouI0KeMXIvF/b.3263881/k .7A44/Adopt_a_Whale.htm
To celebrate the annual return of the Humpback Whales, sixty Australian communities are participating in the Humpback Icon Project. Each of these communities has adopted a known individual Humpback Whale from The Oceania Project's Fluke Catalogue:
http://www.stopwhaling.com.au/site/c.ouI0KeMXIvF/b.3263879/k .590F/Humpback_Icon_Project.htm
Established in 1988 by Trish & Wally Franklin, The Oceania Project is an independent, non-profit research organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of whales, dolphins and the oceans.
The first phase of a long-term study of the Australian Humpback Whales has been the major work of The Oceania Project.
This research continues to be made possible by individuals who participate in The Oceania Project's Internship Program. To date, more than 1,300 interns have joined the annual whale research expeditions.
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Added: 1 month ago
Views: 7,074
As part of our Dive into Earth Day activities this is Reef Check Australia's underwater pr
As part of our Dive into Earth Day activities this is Reef Check Australia's underwater promotional video featuring John Butler's "Ocean" and footage by Digital Dimensions. If you care about the future of these natural wonders please sign Reef Check's International Declaration of Reef Rights and join our global network who are committed to the conservation of our coral reefs!!! www.reefcheckaustralia.org
Divers: get trained as a volunteer
Snorkellers: Use our underwater guides
Reef lovers: donate or purchase merchandise
The Reef Needs You.....
Special Thanks to the John Bulter Trio who generously who gifted this sound track and the Australasian Natural History Unit who donated the stunning visuals..... Sit back relax and enjoy
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Added: 1 year ago
Views: 19,995
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The Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre commenced land based research two week
The Southern Cross University Whale Research Centre commenced land based research two weeks ago at Cape Byron lighthouse. Marine Science students & volunteers,
under the guidance of researcher Daniel Burns, have sighted approximately 1,400 whales during the 14 day study period. This is a record number of whales observed since research at the Cape began in 1981, when less than 10 whales were sighted in the same study period.
http://www.scu.edu.au/research/whales/index.php/11
The population of this group of whales, the Antarctic Area V whales, was estimated to be between 45,000 and 60,000 before whaling commenced. When whaling ceased in Australia because of the lack of whales, there were an estimated 150 individuals remaining. We published a collaborative paper on the Antarctic Area V population in 2005. Using Photo-Identification 'mark re-capture' techniques we estimated the recovering population to be approximately 7,000. The population could now be around 10,000.
So we can feel a sense of pride as humans, that we have allowed the East Coast Australian Humpback Whale population to begin its recovery. People from all nations visit the Cape at this time of year to greet the whales as they pass. They breach occasionally, very probably to get a better view of the lighthouse. Cape Byron is a very important landmark for the whales on their migration north, being the most easterly point on the continent.
We present to you the voice of Migaloo, the White Whale. We thought it appropriate that Migaloo be granted the opportunity to speak before the meeting of the International Whaling Commission. As speakers are allowed only a few minutes to present their case, we extracted only the most poignant statements from our 1998 recording of Migaloo's two hour discourse. 'Migaloo' means 'White Fella'. He was named by Australian Aboriginal Elders.
The images are highlights from close extended pod encounters between 1998 and 2007. For images of Migaloo, please view the encounter as narrated by our intern Dave Williams:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vEj9gYZChw
''One of the great thrills of my life was hearing and feeling Migaloo's voice pass through my body as he swam past The Oceania Project's research vessel on October 2, 1998.''
~Dave Williams
The sound pressure level of the whale's song is equivalent to that of a jet engine. It is speculated that the whale's song if unimpeded by land-masses could circle the globe and return to its source. Divers in close range of a singer have told us that their whole bodies vibrate with the frequencies.
The Oceania Project's
19th Whale Research Expedition
August 2008:
http://oceania.org.au/expedition/expedition.html
DVDs & Downloads:
http://oceania.org.au/iwhales/portal/home.php?cat=297
Your community can adopt a Humpback Whale:
http://www.stopwhaling.com.au/site/c.ouI0KeMXIvF/b.3263881/k .7A44/Adopt_a_Whale.htm
To celebrate the annual return of the Humpback Whales, sixty Australian communities are participating in the Humpback Icon Project. Each of these communities has adopted a known individual Humpback Whale from The Oceania Project's Fluke Catalogue:
http://www.stopwhaling.com.au/site/c.ouI0KeMXIvF/b.3263883/k .BDDF/Project_Background.htm
Established in 1988 by Trish & Wally Franklin, The Oceania Project is an independent, non-profit research organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of whales, dolphins and the oceans.
The first phase of a long-term study of the Australian Humpback Whales has been the major work of The Oceania Project.
This research continues to be made possible by individuals who participate in The Oceania Project's Internship Program. To date, more than 1,300 interns have joined the annual whale research expeditions.
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Added: 1 month ago
Views: 12,740
Global warming could do more than just melt polar ice. It could change our maps, and disp
Global warming could do more than just melt polar ice. It could change our maps, and displace people from cities and tropical islands.
See all National Geographic videos:
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/?source=4001
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Added: 1 year ago
Views: 121,571
The alternative to the longstanding American food policy of "cheap and lots" is to eat loc
The alternative to the longstanding American food policy of "cheap and lots" is to eat locally, eat seasonally and eat organic. Filmmaker Bonnie Bucqueroux and her dog Schmoopsie look at the sustainable agriculture movement, including a visit to Michigan State University's Student Organic Farm, where Dr. John Biernbaum discusses the options people have to grow their own food or to buy from local growers.
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Added: 1 year ago
Views: 12,957
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An educationnal movie about the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Thx to Dennis, Greg, Gre
An educationnal movie about the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Thx to Dennis, Greg, Gretchen, Rachel, Heather, Samantha, Marc P., Victor and the mississippi.
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Added: 1 year ago
Views: 2,040
The Shifting Baselines Flix Contest is a forum for amateur and up-and-coming filmmakers to
The Shifting Baselines Flix Contest is a forum for amateur and up-and-coming filmmakers to have their voices heard.... and win cash prizes. These are the Ten Finalists!! The contest ended March 1st, 2007. The contest comes at a time when ninety percent of large fish in the oceans have been consumed, coral reefs everywhere are dying from coral bleaching, and large lifeless regions called "dead zones" expand every year. Check out all the videos and learn more about the issues at shiftingbaselines.org
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Added: 1 year ago
Views: 473
The legendary broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough was long unsure about the
The legendary broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough was long unsure about the causes of the observed climate warming. In his documentary, The Truth About Climate Change, he sheds doubt and explains what convinced him.
Climate models based on purely natural processes such as solar activity and volcanic eruptions fail to explain the observed change in Earth's climate in the latter part of the 20th century. Models factoring in the human impact, that is, the increase of carbon dioxide in the athmosphere, depict the transpired warming accurately, however.
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Added: 1 year ago
Views: 75,841
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