Scientists are concerned about a high number of whale deaths along the northwest coast of North America in recent months. At least 30 dead whales have been recorded off the Gulf of Alaska since May, which is more than triple the normal rate, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. At the current time, scientists are not certain what is to blame for the die off. The theory presently is that the large algae bloom is to blame, although only one tissue sample supports this.

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The Sydney Morning Herald reports that International Whaling Commission has reported (pdf) that the Japanese whaling fleet killed 333 Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) during last summer’s hunt. 122 of the whales killed were pregnant and 114 were immature. Japan justified the killings by claiming that they needed lethal sampling methods in order to sample age, size and stomach contents. (Image credit: Australian Customs and Border Protection Service)

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Captain Dave Anderson has posted a 5-minute video, shot with a DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter equipped with a GoPro HERO3 Black camera, that features a super pod of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) stampeding off Dana Point, California, three gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) migrating together down the coast off San Clemente, California and close-ups of a newborn humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf.

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