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Students get virtual lessons on ocean conservation
Friday, April 09, 2021

Students have been able to participate virtually in a programme teaching them about ocean conservation and how to be confident in the water.


“Kids On The Reef” Programme Held Virtually
Monday, April 05, 2021

Bermuda Zoological Society’s Kids On The Reef [KOTR] programme — sponsored by AXA XL — was held virtually due to the Island under lockdown last spring due to the Covid-19 pandemic.


Tributes to Eric Clee, former president of the Bermuda Zoological Society
Tuesday, March 30, 2021

A founding member and former president of the Bermuda Zoological Society who steered the finances of the Aquarium has died at 92.


Teachers skills boost from Bermuda Zoological Society
Monday, February 22, 2021

Teachers went back to school as part of a two-day professional development workshop designed to boost skills.


Workshop For Middle School Science Teachers
Monday, February 22, 2021

A two-day teacher professional development workshop for middle school science teachers was held on 8th and 9th February. Sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the workshop was facilitated by Dr. Stephanie Toro of Academic Independence Coaching, assisted by Bermuda Zoological Society [BZS] staff and materials from the BZS GASS programmes.



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Pod of ten whales seen offshore
Royal Gazette
Saturday, April 07, 2018


Kevin Smith, Social Media Editor
Published Apr 7, 2018 at 8:00 am (Updated Apr 6, 2018 at 11:53 pm)
 


Two film-makers spotted a massive pod of whales off the coast of Bermuda.

Conor Outerbridge and Adam Johnson were out on the water to film humpback whales for their company when they came across the ten-strong group two miles off South West Breaker.

Mr Outerbridge told The Royal Gazette: “This is the first time I’ve seen ten whales at once. They do travel in a pod of ten, but I’ve just never seen it.

“In Bermuda, you always see a pod of two or three or like four if you’re lucky. Normally they’re spread out; normally you don’t see pods of ten whales.”

Mr Outerbridge, a professional photographer and videographer, has filmed whales five times.

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A humpback about two miles off shore (Photograph by Conor Outerbridge)

The two were shooting video for their company, Marooned Clothing, a range with an environmental twist which also aims “to promote the protection of the ocean and cleaning up trash around Bermuda”.

Co-founder Mr Johnson said: “The whole concept is starting something in Bermuda, mainly promoting ocean awareness and to get the younger generation interested in protecting the ocean.”

However, Andrew Stevenson, who has been studying whales in Bermuda for 12 years, said a pod of ten humpback whales in these waters was not unusual.

Mr Stevenson, principal investigator for the Humpback Whale Project, which is backed by the Bermuda Zoological Society, said: “I see groups of 16, 14, seven, eight, nine.”

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The pod of humpbacks about two miles off shore (Photograph by Conor Outerbridge)

“Yesterday was the biggest, there must have 25 whales and they’re closely packed together.”

He explained that whales in these groupings are “usually a female with a bunch of males competing for her attention” which are known as “rowdy groups”.

He added: “Sometimes it’s pretty relaxed, and sometimes, like yesterday, it’s very heated.It’s a lot of shoving and pushing and barging and hitting.

“It’s a competitive group, they’re trying to vie for the attention of the female but I’m not really sure why they’re doing it at this time of the year because it’s too late for the female to breed.”