Rarely seen blue whale carcass washes ashore near beach

Associated Press – 9 hours ago

GOLD BEACH, Ore. (AP) — A 78-foot long dead blue whale weighing over 100 tons washed ashore this week north of Gold Beach.

The Register-Guard reports (http://goo.gl/G680ZQ ) researchers are working to harvest the skeleton of the marine mammal which is rarely seen in Oregon.

"We don't usually see blue whales this close in," said Calum Stevenson, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department ocean shores specialist. "They are not even on our radar for Whale Watch because they are so uncommon."

The emaciated whale was dead for about two weeks before it washed onto the sandy beach Monday 10 miles north of Gold Beach and about 70 miles south of Coos Bay.

Stevenson theorizes the whale could have become weakened by El Niño and the Pacific Decadal oscillation. Resulting ocean warming that can harm marine life upon which blue whales feed.

"The blubber layer was emaciated — 4 inches or less," Stevenson said, noting a healthy blue whale has blubber up to 12 inches. "It wasn't in great shape. It may have been weakened, and then attacked by the predators."

Continued …

Is this starved polar bear which died as ‘skin and bones’ the 'categorical proof' that climate change is wiping out the species?

• Experts found the carcass of a polar bear in Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean
• Lack of sea ice and seals forced the bear to search further afield for food
• Scientists claim climate change has reduced sea ice to record lows and is to blame for the death of this animal
• But some experts add that commercial trade in Canada is also to blame for falling polar bear numbers

The skin and bones of a male polar bear, that is believed to have starved to death, has been discovered washed up in Svalbard, in the Arctic Ocean. 

Experts claim low sea ice levels caused by climate change meant the bear couldn't hunt seals and this caused the bear to unsuccessfully search more than 150 miles for food. 

Climate change is said to have reduced sea ice in the Arctic region to record lows and is 'absolutely, categorically and without question' the reason why polar bears are dying out, according to one wildlife expert.

Dr Ian Stirling from Polar Bears International has studied polar bears in the region for the past 40 years. 

He told The Guardian that the way the bear was found, lying on its stomach, suggests that it starved to death and just dropped to the ground when it died.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2385930/Starved-polar-bear-dead-Norway-categorical-proof-climate-change-wiping-species-say-experts.html#ixzz2bTsUyO3c

Cemetery of giant creatures found in Central Africa

The remains belong to gigantic creatures that bear little resemblance to humans. Head of research group believes that they could be visitors from another planet who died as a result of a catastrophe.

According to the scientists, they were buried at least 500 years ago. At first, researchers thought that they came across the remains of ancient settlements, but no signs of human life have been found nearby.

Read on...

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Hmmmmmmmmm