What Is a UME?
Although the acronym “UME” sounds rather benign like it could be a new term of technical jargon, it really refers to something very sad. UME stands for “Unusual Mortality Event.” As defined by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a UME…
Do You Hear What I Hear?
This blog article was written by a guest writer, Jessica Wenclawiak. On March 15, 2000, scientists Ken Balcomb and Diane Claridge walked along the beach in the North Bahamas and quickly became involved in a disturbing event: 17 marine animals,…
Rescue crew helps stranded dolphins. Credit: International Fund for Animal Welfare
Sick and Stranded: The Story of Cetacean Morbillivirus
Do dolphins get measles? Not exactly, but the disease that’s been ravaging whale and dolphin populations worldwide, called cetacean morbillivirus (CMV), is in the same family of viruses (Paramyxoviridae) that causes measles in humans. Morbillivirus has strains that affect non-cetacean…
Chill Out, Hot Stuff!
Dogs pant, lizards bask in the sun, polar bears have a thick coat of translucent fur and humans sweat. All of these are different strategies used to regulate body temperature. Thermoregulation is the process that the panting dog, the basking…