Latest news with #seal
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Science
- Perth Now
Sea ice loss risks more icebergs, threatens wildlife
The oceans around Antarctica have been trending warmer leading to more ice loss. (HANDOUT/AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC DIVISION) The oceans around Antarctica have been trending warmer leading to more ice loss. (HANDOUT/AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC DIVISION) Credit: AAP Extreme sea ice loss in Antarctica over the past few years is leading to higher ocean temperatures, more icebergs and habitat dangers for penguins. The oceans surrounding the southern continent have already been trending warmer than average and researchers say the ongoing loss of sea ice is contributing as dark water absorbs more sunlight without a reflective frozen barrier. Species like the Crabeater seal and Adelie penguin rely on sea ice for habitat, with the latter reliant on large chunks during their "catastrophic moult" period when they need to stay dry for weeks at a time. Less sea ice will make it harder for the penguins to find a suitable spot to shed their feathers, leaving them more exposed to predators. Tougher conditions for ships supplying Antarctic missions are also a problem with low ice coverage, the international study led by Australian Antarctic Program Partnership researchers has found. Really low summer sea ice is also associated with more icebergs breaking away from the coastline. Years with the least summer sea ice have produced more than twice as many icebergs as the years with the most summer sea ice. Lead author of the study, the AAPP's Edward Doddridge, said up until about 2015, sea ice was around average or even a bit above. "But since 2016 it has been consistently low, and the last few years have been extraordinarily low," he said during a media briefing. The wide-ranging study into the consequences of sea ice loss lands as uncertainty clouds the future of global climate science under the Trump administration. Dr Doddridge said the US Department of Defense planned to stop sharing its global sea ice coverage satellite data with the international community. The uncertainty was "deeply concerning", the sea ice scientist said, but other country's satellites would continue to supply some information. Other Australian-based climate researchers have been alert to risks hanging over earth observation data and climate modelling, given the US has traditionally played a major role. Christian Jakob, director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, was worried about the growing possibility of losing access to the satellite data that was key to global cloud coverage research. Cloud cover shrinkage is thought to be contributing to unexpectedly fast warming. "If those satellites were not renewed, if there were no successors to these satellite missions, then some of the information we have will disappear," Professor Jakob told AAP. Research into the impacts of sea ice loss highlights a number of knowledge gaps but report co-author Will Hobbs, also from the University of Tasmania's AAPP, said the findings supported a rapid transition to net zero. "Climate projections indicate that continued greenhouse gas emissions will accelerate the changes in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean that we're already seeing, and exacerbate the far-reaching negative impacts of sea-ice loss," Dr Hobbs said.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Baby seal spotted at Oka Beach north of Montreal
A wayward baby seal found its way to Oka Beach north of Montreal and met up with a dog out for a walk. (Courtesy: Marc Neron) Seal meet dog; a baby pup found its way to Oka Beach north of Montreal What appeared to be a baby harbour seal was spotted a long way from home on Monday on the shores of Oka Beach, about 40 minutes north of Montreal. Marc Néron told Noovo Info that he was walking along the beach with his dog when he saw an animal in the water. The young, curious pup approached Néron's dog. 'It's as if he asked my dog for help,' Néron said. Néron said the Wildlife Ministry was contacted and is aware of the animal's presence. It is far from the first time a seal has been spotted this far south. In recent years, Spa clients at Bota Bota in Montreal's Old Port noticed one in November 2023, and a wayward seal surprised some boys fishing in Kahnawake on Montreal's South Shore in August 2022. With reporting from Noovo Info.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Fisherman's 'crazy' footage of unusual moment in Aussie bay: 'Loch Ness monster'
Footage of a speedy creature cruising around an Aussie bay last week was impressive enough to stun even a seasoned fisherman, with the animal dubbed the 'Loch Ness Monster' for not quite breaking the water surface and revealing itself to those on land. Jayden Gane works on fish farms based in Tasmania's south and told Yahoo News he witnesses marine life almost every day in the bay near his family's holiday home. However, he admits the animal's sheer speed was "pretty crazy" to see up close. "I was just coming out of the shack and getting into the car and [I saw] a bit of commotion going on. Down here at Southport, there's always something different in the bay," he said, explaining he regularly catches sight of whales and dolphins. "You quite often see stingrays in the shallows speeding as well, scooting about and making a bit of a splash. So it was just sort of, look out, what do we got today?" Gane told Yahoo he was surprised to glance up and see the animal — later revealed to be a seal — moving so fast so close to the shore. He said it appeared to be frantically hunting its next meal. "In that final little last turn [in the video] that he does, you can actually see a few fish sort of break the surface trying to get into the shallower water again... so I knew he was feeding," he said, describing the moment as "unusual". Jayden explained seals often cause trouble for commercial and recreational fisherman alike as they hang on their coattails to snatch away catches for themselves. "They're really, really quite cheeky, almost like a dog. They're pretty much a water dog," he said, noting they frequently visit his workplace. "Fishing-wise, seals are a bit of the worst enemy because they take your fish... they move quite quickly." It's believed the seal in the video is an Australian fur seal — with the animals capable of cruising along at a speed of 9 km/h, and even faster during short bursts. This is twice as fast as an Olympic swimmer, according to Philip Island Nature parks. 😲 Excited tourists watch 'nature documentary' unfold as predator hunts off coast 🧐 Photographer captures remarkable underwater sight 👀 Whale accused of 'mugging' tourists off Aussie coast Not only can the seal species outcompete our fastest swimmers, but they can also scoot quickly on land and outrun a human. Wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta confirmed to Yahoo the seal in the video is definitely "foraging" and said it's a great demonstration of the animal's speed. "The footage shows just how fast these marine mammals are in the water... fur seals are super fast in the water and can also easily outrun a human on land," she said. "It's always so wonderful to see marine life showing their natural behaviours, and in this case, it was all caught on camera. The footage demonstrates how fast these animals can move when chasing food." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Daily Mail
'Cruel' angler 'tries to hook wild seal' at Devon beauty spot
An angler has been slammed for allegedly trying to hook a wild seal at a Devon beauty spot. The woman fishing with a rod off the rocks was spotted appearing to snare the animal. Click above to watch the full video.
CTV News
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
This 16-year-old seal lion may be better at dancing than humans
Watch Sixteen-year-old dancing seal, Ronan, is teaching humans a few tricks about rhythm and beat predictions.
