Oceans

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    Endangered Species 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Endangered Species 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Quick Key Facts The Endangered Species Act To understand what “endangered species” means, it’s important to unpack the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which followed the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the first piece of federal endangered species legislation. Enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1973, the ESA states that the federal government has a […]

    Heavy Metals and Other Toxins Found in Stranded Whales and Dolphins

    Heavy Metals and Other Toxins Found in Stranded Whales and Dolphins

    A new study has detected heavy metals and other toxins in whales and dolphins that became stranded in Florida and Georgia over a 15-year timeframe. Researchers analyzed tissue and fecal samples of 90 odontocetes (toothed whales), spanning nine different species, that had stranded in Florida and Georgia from 2007 to 2021. In total, the team […]

    Coral Reefs 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Coral Reefs 101: Everything You Need to Know

    Quick Key Facts What Are ‘Coral Reefs’? Coral reefs consist of hundreds of thousands of coral polyps — marine animal invertebrates with hard calcium carbonate exoskeletons. Different species grow to form a variety of measurements and shapes — from the size of a pinhead to as large as a foot in diameter. Coral colonies are […]