Northern Territroy News

Happy Whale Citizen Science program

Why is it important to get to know whales as individuals? Ted Cheeseman, of Antarctic tour operators Cheeseman’s Ecology Safaris, says: “Like most large whale species, humpbacks were heavily exploited by whaling throughout their range, but happily most populations have rebounded since receiving protection in the 1970's. The primary method through which this recovery is being measured is photo-identification, where the sighting histories of individually-recognizable individuals are used to estimate …

Damsel fish’s secret communication channel reliant on reef experience

THE Ambon damsel (Pomacentrus amboinensis) have been found to need exposure to the natural environment to develop the ultraviolet (UV) facial markings reef fish use as a covert communication system to potentially avoid predators. Read more at Science Network Western Australia.

Key Australian research on the impact of climate change on Antarctic krill

One of Australia’s key research focuses is the impact climate change is having on the cornerstone of the Antarctic marine ecosystem — krill. They are the world’s most abundant crustacean and form the staple diet of many animals, including seals, whales, fish, squid, penguins and other seabirds. Any threat to krill is a threat to the entire marine system. Read the full article at The Mercury.

Warming Oceans Drive East Coast Fish to Cooler Waters

Young East Coast fish are making moves to cooler waters, and researchers say that could mean changes for regional stock assessments. Read more in Scientific American.

WA divers asked to upload manta ray snaps for science

A University of Queensland scientist is calling for volunteer divers to photograph the underside of manta rays in waters off the Western Australian coastline and upload them to Facebook as part of a research project.  Read more at UQ News.

Citizens track bees

The University of Sussex has launched The Buzz Club asking people in the UK to become citizen scientists and track insects in their gardens. The project aims to explore the decline in bee numbers. More info here.

WA fishers contribute to research

Western Australian recreational fishers continue to help scientists collect valuable information on species they catch...

I've got your back: Fish really do look after their mates

When it comes to helping each other out, it turns out that some fish are better at it than one might imagine. Read more in Science Daily.

King crabs threaten Antarctic ecosystem due to warming ocean

King crabs may soon become high-level predators in Antarctic marine ecosystems where they haven't played a role in tens of millions of years, according to a new study led by Florida Institute of Technology. Read more at EurekAlert.

Helping track how marine life reacts to climate change

The Redmap team recently published an article in The Conversation...