whales

A beloved beluga whale with a mysterious past was found dead in the waters of Norway over the weekend. Admirers are paying tribute as authorities investigate.

The marine mammals have been "attacking" sailboats since 2020. But those encounters are becoming more frequent, and some say the orcas' tactics are evolving.

Hvaldimir unexpectedly headed south after several years in Norway, fueling concerns and efforts to bring him to safety. Experts say his story shines a light on how humans treat animals in general.

As many as 70 of the endangered whales were seen feeding off the Massachusetts coast on Friday. Fewer than 350 North Atlantic right whales exist in the world.

The whales beached themselves on the Chatham Islands, about 500 miles east of New Zealand's main islands. None of the whales could be refloated and all either died naturally or were euthanized.

The whales were found stranded on the remote west coast of Australia's island state of Tasmania. A marine biologist said the dead animals would be tested for toxins that might explain the disaster.

A stranded whale pod on Tasmania's west coast appears to be pilot whales and at least half are presumed to still be alive, local government officials said Wednesday.

A veterinarian said that during the rescue operation, the dangerously thin white mammal began to have breathing difficulties, and so experts decided to humanely euthanize the creature.

Entanglement in fishing gear is one of the two biggest threats to declining species of whales, along with collisions with ships.

Scientists have gotten the best estimates yet of exactly how much baleen whales, the largest animals on the planet, can consume in one day. Their caloric intake is mind-boggling.