Whales and Wiener Dogs

…whatever the hell that is. I don’t think it’s dog any badgers in it.

And that’s probably why this storied has a happy ending.

Translation from Chinese (I think): “Not all traditions deserve to be preserved. Put an end to whaling in Japan.”

New from the world of whales:

• Another list (with pictures) of graphic and/or disturbing environmentalist press campaigns (Trendhunter)
• J2, a killer whale in Puget Sound is over 100 years old…that’s almost 4 “Kurt Cobain’s” (Seattle PI)
• It took 9.5 months and 12,849 updates to Tweet Moby Dick, now…on to Alice in Winderland (Publicdomain Twitter)
• “Scientists have documented the first known migration of blue whales from the coast of California to areas off British Columbia and the Gulf of Alaska since the end of commercial whaling in 1965.” (Del Mar Times)
• New paper from the NOAA shows that the Soviet Union killed more than 200,000 whales illegally between 1947 and 1973. It also says the Soviets are responsible for the extinction of eastern Pacific right whale populations. (Discovery)
• Aussie government cuts $300,000 Special Envoy on Whaling job (News.com.au)
• Scientists use both ancient and modern methods to determine that in the past there were more fish and whales than there are now (Guardian)

Giant Cephalopod

• The largest known species of octopus has not eight arms, but seven.
• The Dana Octopus Squid attacks prey with blinding flashes of light emitted from its arms.
• The colossal squid’s esophagus runs through its brain, and if it tries to swallow something too big, it will die.
• Females are larger than males, some as long as 46 feet
• Colossal Squid arms and tentacles are equipped with sharp hooks: some swiveling, others three-pointed
• They can have eyes more than 16 inches across - the largest in the animal kingdom.
• Much of what scientists know about giant cephalopods comes from examining beaks found in sperm whale stomachs.

Answers after the jump. Continue reading True Or False: Giant Cephalopods (Squid and Octopus)

Very Small Whale Shark

Scientists believe the smallest known wild example of the biggest fish in the world has been found tethered to a stick in the mud in the Philippines.

Fact: Whale sharks are not whales.

There are albino turtles, but thankfully, not very many:

Photos: Ho/AFP/Getty Images

At last, no free...

A female California two-spotted octopus, like the one shown above, disassembled a valve at the top of her tank, releasing 200 gallons of water into nearby exhibits and offices.

Octopuses are proven problem solvers, but whether or not they should be classified as “intelligent beings” is up for debate. They have short, solitary lives while some longstanding criteria for animal intelligence are learning over time from social activities and interactions.