What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
A new study out of the United Kingdom is pointing to collisions with large marine vessels as a possible reason for the years-long decline in whale shark populations.
Marine biologists from the Marine Biological Association and University of Southampton led the study, started in 2019 and published earlier this month in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which tracked the movements of ships and whale sharks around the world.
The researchers said lethal collisions are vastly underestimated and that their work shows more than 90 per cent of whale shark movements overlapped with global fleets of cargo, tanker, passenger and fishing vessels.
The team satellite-tracked the movements of 348 individual whale sharks, tagged between 2005 and 2019 in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, and mapped out their various "hotspots."
The researchers submitted the data to the Global Shark Movement Project, which is led by the Marine Biological Association.
"The maritime shipping industry that allows us to source a variety of everyday products from all over the world may be causing the decline of whale sharks, which are a hugely important species in our oceans," Freya Womersley, a University of Southampton PhD researcher who led the study as part of the Global Shark Movement Project, said in a press release.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species lists the whale shark as endangered.
Described as "slow-moving ocean giants," the researchers said whale sharks can grow up to 20 metres in length and help regulate plankton levels in the ocean by feeding on microscopic zooplankton.
The researchers said whale shark numbers have been falling in recent years in many locations. However, the reasons why are not entirely clear.
Since whale sharks spend a large amount of time in surface water and gather in coastal regions, experts thought collisions with ships could be causing "substantial" deaths.
The study suggests that whale shark tag transmissions ended more often in busy shipping lanes than expected, even after ruling out technical failure.
Of the 61 tracked tags that stopped transmitting on busy routes, more than 85 per cent were unrelated to random technical failure, the study said.
The researchers suggest this is likely due to whale sharks being struck and killed, and sinking to the ocean floor.
"Incredibly, some of the tags recording depth as well as location showed whale sharks moving into shipping lanes and then sinking slowly to the seafloor hundreds of metres below, which is the 'smoking gun' of a lethal ship strike," said Prof. David Sims, Global Shark Movement Project founder and senior research fellow at the Marine Biological Association and University of Southampton.
"It is sad to think that many deaths of these incredible animals have occurred globally due to ships without us even knowing to take preventative measures."
The research team said there are currently no international regulations to protect whale sharks against ship collisions, and that this "hidden mortality" may be occurring with other marine megafauna.
"Collectively we need to put time and energy into developing strategies to protect this endangered species from commercial shipping now, before it is too late," Womersley said, "so that the largest fish on Earth can withstand threats that are predicted to intensify in future, such as changing ocean climates."
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.