Recent News

Dolphin causes a stir at Somerset Long Bay
Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A dolphin that was spotted yesterday at Somerset Long Bay may have been stranded. US marine mammal biologist Trevor Spradlin said the situation was similar to what he’s seen in the US, where dolphins have recently been found along the coast of Virginia up to New York.


Venti Anni takes off in Tour de Turtles race
Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Crowds gathered at Clearwater Beach this morning when Venti Anni, a juvenile green sea turtle, was released as a part of the Tour de Turtles Race on the Rock.


Officials respond, dolphin very close to shore
Monday, August 12, 2013

A lone dolphin was spotted very close to shore in the West End today [Aug 12], and the Marine Police were called to the scene after receiving reports of what appeared to be a distressed marine mammal at Somerset Long Bay.


Longtail chicks might not be abandoned, but beware just in case
Friday, August 09, 2013

The Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) is calling for the public to look out for stranded Longtail chicks as the birds prepare for their first flights.


Going to be on the water this Cup Match? Spare a moment of thought for the Island's turtles
Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Boating season is underway and local conservationists are urging the public to think green this Cup Match weekend — green sea turtles, that is.



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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.”