Spotted dolphins, Little Bahama Bank, July 09/G.K.Wallace, ginisnaturenews.com

Three wild baby dolphins are rescued, and many more die. One captive dolphin becomes pregnant, another reaches a milestone birthday, and another passes away. Japan stops whaling for a while at least, whales and dolphins make a comeback in cleaned-up waters in two parts of the world, dolphins help rescue a dog from a Florida waterway, and whale watchers save a whale in the Sea of Cortez.

Spotted dolphins, Little Bahama Bank, July 09/G.K.Wallace, ginisnaturenews.com

Catch up with these and other headlines, see beautiful images of dolphins and whales, watch videos and audio slideshows and reap the benefit of one photographer’s encounters with one beautiful species in this first edition of GNN’s Dolphin & Whale News Digest.

Spotted dolphins, Little Bahama Bank, July 09/G.K.Wallace, ginisnaturenews.com

There’s too much news for one roundup, always will be, so expect more soon — along with a separate series on the life stories of SeaWorld’s killer whales. In the meantime, feel free to browse the entries in this roundup’s five categories: SeaWorld, Dolphins & Whales in Captivity, Dolphins & Whales in the Wild, Dogs & Dolphins and Best for Last.

Bottlenose dolphin, Little Bahama Bank, July 2010/G.K. Wallace, ginisnaturenews.com

Whatever you do, be sure to check out Best for Last: Whale Watchers Save a Whale. It’s a true story, it’s amazing, the images and video are wonderful, and it will leave you feeling all good and happy inside. Huge thanks to Amanda Dargan and Steve Zeitlin of City Lore for sharing it.

Brasington family & friends watch the humpback whale they helped free, Loreto, Baja CA, Sea of Cortez, Feb 14, 2011/Brasington family, 3brasingtonsandvan.blogspot.com

For the record: DWND opposes keeping dolphins and whales in captivity except for rescue and rehab purposes and as the only viable option for captive-born and long-captive animals who couldn’t survive in the wild. It will report captive marine mammal news out of concern for these animals and respect for people’s right to form their own opinions about the practice. It asks only that while reading these stories and watching these video reports, people who love dolphins and whales keep a few things in mind:

The captive display industry doesn’t use the term “captive” or “in captivity” anymore. The preferred euphemism is “in human care.” Watch for it.

The industry argues that marine mammals live as long in captivity as they do in the wild and isn’t above fudging facts to support this claim. Check them.

Captive animals are shipped around a lot to replace dead ones and promote breeding. This is stressful to them, not the holiday it’s called in a story below.

Industry spokespeople don’t like to discuss mortality rates. You can find some of this information at cetabase.com.

SeaWorld

Dawn Brancheau and unidentified killer whale, SeaWorld Orlando, undated/PRLog, prlog.org

1. Dawn Brancheau’s Family Marks First Anniversary of Her Death

On February 24, 2010, a captive killer whale (orca) named Tilikum — captured off Iceland in 1983 and now the biggest orca in captivity — grabbed and killed 40-year-old senior killer whale trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando. Read how her family is faring and honoring her memory here and here.

2. SeaWorld Wants to Put Trainers Back in the Water with Killer Whales

The day Tilikum killed Brancheau, SeaWorld pulled all killer whale trainers out of the water, stripping shows of the in-water stunts and interactions audiences love. Now, SeaWorld wants trainers to get back in the pool. Read more here. Learn about the new safety features SeaWorld says will prevent another killing here. Read what critics think of SeaWorld’s plans here.

3. SeaWorld Protests Fines, Wants Closed-Door Hearing, Critics Object

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined SeaWorld Orlando for worker-safety violations after Tilikum’s attack. SeaWorld is fighting the fines but doesn’t want the public or press in the hearing room when it discusses private business. Read OSHA’s report here. Read about the April 25 hearing here. Learn some of the facts SeaWorld wants to keep private  here.

Dolphins & Whales in Captivity

Nellie, 58, the oldest dolphin in captivity, Marineland of Florida, St. Augustine, undated/13 News, Central Florida News, cfnews13.com

1. Nellie, the Captive-Born Bottlenose, Turns 58

Nellie was born at Marineland of Florida in St. Augustine, where the first captive Bottlenose went on display in 1938. Her parents came from the wild. She turned 58 on February 27, making her the oldest Bottlenose in captivity. Read about how Marineland celebrated her birthday here. Learn more about Nellie and her birthday party here and here.

2. April, the Captured Bottlenose, Dies at Age 44

Born in the wild and captured at around age 3, April moved with her daugher Allie from Illinois’ Brookfield Zoo to the Minnesota Zoo in 2008 to replenish the Minnesota Zoo’s stock after 3 dolphins died. Learn more about April here and here. See more images of her here.

3. Tique, the Captured Pacific White-Sided, is Pregnant

Captured at around age 3 and now 26, Tique (TEE-kay) and another female were shipped from Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium to the Miami Seaquarium in 2008 to breed with the Seaquarium’s male. They’re back now, and Tique is expecting. Read more and learn about the outcome of her two previous pregnancies here.

4. Taz, the Rescued Baby Bottlenose, Will Go to the Indianapolis Zoo

Six-month-old Taz was found on a sandbar on Florida’s Sanibel Island on January 13 and taken to Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota for round-the-clock care. Now he’s moving to the Indianapolis Zoo to join a group of four adult females, two younger females and one younger male. Read more about Taz and where he’s going here, here and here.

5. Louie, the Lone Oil Spill Survivor, Arrives at His New Home

Two-year-old Louie was found covered in oil on a Louisiana beach last September. Cared for at the Audubon Aquatic Center in New Orleans, he became the only oil-spill strander to survive. Last month, he moved to the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, FL. Read more about Louie and see more pictures of him here and here.

6. Two-Month-Old Rescue Gets TLC at Clearwater Aquarium

This baby was found in December circling her mom’s body in waters near Titusville. She now shares a home with another rescue, Winter, the famous dolphin without a tail. Learn more about both dolphins here and here. Watch a “Today Show” segment about the new baby here. Join the “name the baby” contest here.

Dolphins & Whales in the Wild

Humpback whale in New York Harbor, April 09/Robert Sabo, New York Daily News, Getty, AOL News, aolnews.com

1. Dolphins Are Dying in the Gulf, and Nobody Really Knows Why

More than 80 dolphins have washed up dead along the Gulf of Mexico so far this year, half of them babies. Manatees are dying, too. Because of the spill? Cold water? Something else? Watch an AP video report on the crisis here. Read what experts think may be the cause here, here,  here,  here and here. Learn what’s being done  here and here.

2. Japan Halts Whaling, Blames Activists, Advocates Celebrate

Japan ended its annual Antarctic whale-killing season early last month, blaming  harassment by anti-whaling activist Paul Watson and his Sea Shepherd crew. Watch an AP video report here. Read more here,  here and here. Check out “Whale Wars,” the documentary series about Sea Shepherd’s anti-whaling campaign  here.

3. Dolphins, Whales & Seals Return to the Big Apple!

NYC ferry boat captain Tom Paladino used to see maybe 4 whales a year in local waters. Now that the water’s cleaner he sees so many whales, seals and dolphins he started running tours. Watch a video about Tom here. Read more about NYC’s marine mammal visitors here and here. Learn how conservationists hope to protect them  here.

4. Whoa! Scientists Discover that Some Orcas Like to Eat Sharks!

Three populations of killer whales inhabit the waters of the Pacific Northwest, each with its own diet. Residents eat fish. Transients eat sea lions and seals. And off-shores, scientists now know, eat sleeper sharks — and wear down their teeth in the process. Learn more here, here, here and here. See icky photos of dead orcas’  teeth here.

5. Experts Say Humpback’s Bent Spine Could Be Scoliosis

Gerry Charlebois, owner of Birds in Paradise Flight School, photographed this humpback off Kauai on February 7. People wondered if the whale had been hit by a ship, but an expert said no, the cause was more likely a chronic condition like Scoliosis. The whale hasn’t been seen since. Read more here , here, and here.

6. Conservation Pays in Xiamen, China — White Dolphins Come Back

They were once a common sight: large groups of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, a.k.a. Chinese White Dolphins, a.k.a. “giant pandas of the sea,” jumping off shore. Then came industry and pollution. Then came efforts to bring them back. Learn how Xiamen did it here. Learn more about this species here and here.

7. Pink River Dolphins Struggle to Survive in Brazil

The enchanting, endangered Amazon River Dolphin, a.k.a. Pink River Dolphin, a.k.a. Boto, is reportedly still being killed and chopped up into catfish bait in Brazil. Read the sad story here. Learn about this fascinating species and see images and videos here. See beautiful images from one photographer’s encounters with these dolphins here,  here and here.

Dolphins & Dogs

Ben the Labrador & Duggie the Dolphin, Tory Island, Ireland, image from July 08 BBC Countryfile "Tory Island dog swimming with dolphin"/BBC One, youtube.com

1. Splashing Dolphins Lead Humans to Dog Trapped in Canal

Turbo the Doberman vanished from his owner’s Marco Island FL canal-front property late Feb 20. The next day, down the canal, a couple saw two dolphins splashing insistently, came closer and found Turbo shivering on a sandbar. When they went in to help him, the dolphins left. Read more here, here and here. Watch a video report  here.

2. Dog and Wild Dolphin Become Swimming Buddies in Ireland

Ben, a Yellow Lab, dog-paddles out from a dock on Tory Island to swim with Duggie, a wild female dolphin, every chance he gets. Read the first local story about the duo here. Read a follow-up story, watch a charming BBC video and see other video footage here.

3. Dog with Good Sniffer Helps Scientists Study Killer Whales

Tucker, a Black Lab, hates being wet but enjoys helping orca researchers do their work. Scientists can tell a lot about how orcas are faring by collecting and analyzing their floating poop. Keen-nosed Tucker helps them find it. Watch the BBC audio slideshow “The Dog and the Whale” here.

Best for Last

Humpback whale nicknamed Valentina breaches after being freed from nets, Loreto, Baja CA, Sea of Cortez, Feb 14, 2011/Brasington family, 3brasingtonsandvan.blogspot.com

Whale Watchers Save a Whale in Sea of Cortez

Talk about a Valentine’s Day neither Humpback nor humans are likely to forget. George and Whitney Brasington and daughter Alayada were out whale-watching in Baja with tour-operator friends Heather and Michael Fishbach last Valentine’s Day when they came upon a Humpback horribly entangled in net. Click here to read their account, see their photos and watch their video of what followed. You will be extremely glad you did!

Thanks again to Amanda Dargan and Steve Zeitlin of City Lore for sharing this  story with us!

And a huge cheer for the Brasingtons and Fishbachs for saving Valentina, the Humpback whale!

Until next time!