West coast orca spotted off Scotland's east coast

Orca seen off Peterhead normally live off west coast of Scotland

September 2013. There has been a confirmed sighting of the West Coast Community of killer whales off Peterhead - the first time members of this small and highly unique population have been reported off the east coast of Scotland. 

The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) have been monitoring the movements of this group since the early 1990's, with sightings recorded predominantly in the Hebrides but also off Ireland and Wales. However, HWDT can now expand the range of these apex predators with a confirmed sighting of at least three individuals off eastern Scotland.

John Coe - Well known Orca

The video footage, captured by local man Ian Nash, clearly shows the male John Coe - who has a very distinctive notch in his dorsal fin - along with one other male and at least one female present. This distinctive notch allowed Sanna Kuningas, of the Sea Mammal Research Unit, to recognise the male as part of the West Coast Community and alerted HWDT and Dr Andy Foote, who has extensively studied orca populations in the north east Atlantic as part of the North Atlantic Killer Whale ID (NAKID) project.

Just 9 whales

The West Coast Community are a unique group of orca in the north east Atlantic. The entire population is comprised of just 5 males and 4 females and no calves have ever been recorded in the two decades HWDT have been monitoring the group. Following research conducted by Dr Andy Foote, it was confirmed that the West Coast Community never interact with other populations of the north east Atlantic and are actually morphologically different; having different eye patch orientation to other populations found in the north east Atlantic.

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Fishermen help clear lobster 'carnage' on east coast

Wednesday, April 03, 2013

By Danny Longhorn

A TEAM of 25 fishermen has come to the rescue of about 450 lobsters washed up on an east coast beach.

East Yorkshire's coastal wildlife has taken a battering with the cold temperatures and strong easterly winds.

Thousands of shellfish, fish and even a porpoise were found washed up along a one-mile stretch between Barmston and Fraisthorpe – the majority of which had starved to death.

RSPB volunteers have also picked up 200 dead puffins in the last ten days and now fear the population could have decreased by 10 per cent.

Jo Ackes, secretary at the Independent Shell Fishermens' Cooperative in Bridlington, said more than 25 fishermen tried to save as many of the shellfish as possible.

She said: "It was carnage on the beach with thousands of different animals.

"There was everything from a variety of fish and crabs, lobsters and even seabirds and a porpoise.

"We tried to save as many as possible and take them to our tanks. It was mainly some of the lobsters that had survived as they are a bit stronger.

"The reason (for them being there) was a combination of factors with the sea being unseasonably cold and the lobsters being quite lethargic and not getting enough food. They have also been battered by the easterly winds and huge tides."

In the end, about 450 lobsters were released off the coast yesterday morning about six miles out to sea.

Jo said: "It is difficult to say what impact it will have.

Read more: http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Fishermen-help-clear-lobster-carnage-east-coast/story-18595831-detail/story.html#ixzz2PW4qeIJX

Rare albino whale puts on a show off Australian coast - via Chad Arment

It may seem straight out of Moby Dick, but a rare white whale is thrilling Australians off the eastern coast.

The albino humpback has been nicknamed "Migaloo" by researchers who track his movements.

Albino whales are rare and Migaloo is the only documented all-white humpback adult, according to Peter Harrison, director of marine ecology research at Southern Cross University in Australia.

Migaloo was first seen in 1991 when he was a juvenile, Harrison says, and researchers believe he is now in his 20s.

The humpbacks are on their annual migration from their breeding grounds along the Great Barrier Reef back to feed in the Antarctic.

Photos: Albinos of the wild kingdom

"Everyone here is quite excited," says Oskar Peterson, who runs a website that tracks sightings of white whales around the globe. "We see him almost every year now, but it's still front page news when he turns up."

Migaloo is expected to pass by Cape Byron, the easternmost point in Australia, in the coming hours after passing by Surfer's Paradise, Peterson says. Spotters of the whale share sightings at his website

Continued:  http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/27/world/australia-rare-whale/index.html