Sea Mammals
The Sperm Whale's Deadly Call
Scientists have discovered that the massive mammal uses elaborate buzzes, clicks and squeaks that spell doom for the animal's prey
December 2011 |
By Eric Wagner
Otters: The Picky Eaters of the Pacific
Could the California sea otters' peculiar dietary habits be impeding their resurgence?
September 2011 |
By Jess Righthand
Luna: A Whale to Watch
The true story of a lonely orca leaps from printed page to silver screen, with a boost from new technology
August 2011 |
By Michael Parfit
Understanding Orca Culture
Researchers have found a variety of complex, learned behaviors that differ from pod to pod
August 2011 |
By Lisa Stiffler
Whale Watching in Newfoundland
Once a home base for commercial whalers, the Canadian province is now a popular locale for spotting the massive creatures
July 28, 2011 |
By T.A. Frail
How Did Whales Evolve?
Originally mistaken for dinosaur fossils, whale bones uncovered in recent years have told us much about the behemoth sea creatures
December 01, 2010 |
By Brian Switek
Famous Animal Gravesites Around the World
It's not just Kentucky Derby winners that are buried with great honor
April 28, 2010 |
By Robin T. Reid
In Search of the Mysterious Narwhal
Ballerina turned biologist Kristin Laidre gives her all to study the elusive, deep-diving, ice-loving whale known as the "unicorn of the sea"
May 2009 |
By Abigail Tucker
True to Form
An exact replica represents a particular North Atlantic whale
September 2008 |
By Owen Edwards
Befriending Luna the Killer Whale
How a popular Smithsonian story about a stranded orca led to a new documentary about humanity’s link to wild animals
April 14, 2008 |
By Kenneth R. Fletcher
Return of the Beasts
Elephant seals descend on California beaches for breeding season
March 17, 2008 |
By Andrew Curry
Big Love
In a mating ritual, male humpback whales leap, splash and fight. But researchers ask: just what does a female whale want?
February 2008 |
By Virginia Morell
A Puzzle In the Pribilofs
On the remote Alaskan archipelago, scientists and Aleuts are trying to find the causes of a worrisome decline in fur seals
March 2005 |
By Doug O'Harra
Whale of a Tale
When Luna, a people-loving orca, chose Vancouver Island's Nootka Sound for his home, he set in motion a drama of leviathan proportions
November 2004 |
By Michael Parfit
Fury Over a Gentle Giant
Floridians raise a ruckus over manatees as biologists weigh prospects for the endangered species' survival
February 2004 |
By Craig Pittman
Thar They Blow!
Gentle giants? New research suggests that male sperm whales may butt heads over females
August 2002 |
By Kevin Roderick
Incident at Big Pine Key
A pod of dolphins stranded in the Florida Keys reignites an emotional debate over how much human "help" the sea mammals can tolerate
July 2002 |
By Claudia Glenn Dowling
A Glimmer of Hope in The Sunset
Wayne Sentman on the extremely endangered Hawaiian monk seal.
September 01, 2001 |
By Wayne Sentman
