Antarctic News Archive - Living organisms and fossils

A collection of older (2004-2005) news items that relate to living organisms and fossils in Antarctica, the Southern Ocean and the Sub-antarctic islands. All links will take you to sites outside of the PRISM site. Use your back button to return.

Return to Archive Topic List

December, 2005

December 8, 2005 - Fisheries Minister Reduces Allowable Sea-Lion Kill - Scoop
The Fisheries Minister of New Zealand has reduced the acceptable number of New Zealand sea lions that can be killed by trawlers fishing for squid. The number was reduced by nearly 20 percent because technology is available to reduce sea lions accidentally caught and because the sea lion population in the area is declining.
December 03, 2005 - Coolest Birds On Earth - Daily Record (Scotland)
A Scottish zoo keeper talks about her work filming Gentoo and Rockhopper penguins on Weddell Island.

November, 2005

November 21, 2005 - Evolutionary Discoveries In Penguin Study - Scoop (Massey University)
Scientists from Massy University, New Zealand have found that the movement of icebergs has caused dramatic environmental changes that have contributed to microevolution among colonies of Adelie penguins. Similar story from New Zealand Herald.
November 9, 2005 - Japan To Double Usual Whale Kill - ENN
A fleet of Japanese whaling ships left for the seas of Antarctica amid protests Tuesday, aiming to kill 850 minke whales -- almost double last year's catch -- and expand the hunt to fin whales for the first time.
November 4, 2005 - Pirates Use "Flag-Hopping" To Plunder World's Fish Stocks - The Independent
Fishing vessels who want to fish illegally for fish such as the protected Antarctic toothfish, often use "flags of convenience" . They purchase the flags online and register their vessels in areas with lax jurisdictions.

October, 2005

October 31, 2005 - Australia Uses New Methods To Protect Whales - ENN
Australia announced that it will be using satellite and DNA technology to track whales and study stock distribution.
October 25, 2005 - Canberra Eyes Jail For Fish Poachers - Australian
Australia has pledged a tougher approach to illegal fishing, including jailing foreign fishermen caught in its waters and suing "flag of convenience" nations.
October 19, 2005 - Antarctic Species Feel The Warmth - BBC
The ocean near the Antarctic peninsula has warmed more than one degree since the 1960s, and the sea animals there may be at risk. Scientists predict changes in populations in response to even this small temperature shift.
October 19, 2005 - Seafloor Creatures Destroyed By Ice Action During Ice Ages - TerraDaily
Scientists studying the seafloor near Antarctica say that whole communities of marine animals were wiped out during the ice ages. The animals died when the ice sheeets scoured the sea floor or by starvation due to breaks in the food chain caused by permanent ice cover.

September, 2005

September 28, 2005 - Charges Laid Against Toothfish Crew - The Australian
The crew of a Cambodian-flagged fishing vessel has been charged by the Australian government with poaching of Patagonian toothfish in sub-Antarctic waters.
September 5, 2005 - Hesperides To Set Sail To Study Life On Antarctic Ocean Floor - TerraDaily
A group of researchers will be working for its second season in the Bellinghausen Sea to study biodiversity in the sea and in the sediment of the ocean floor. This research will use a trawler net and a 50cm X 50cm box-corer for their study.

August, 2005

August 25, 2005 - USF Chemists Find Potential Wonder Drug In Antarctica - Newswise
University of South Florida chemists have derived a chemical from Antarctic "sea squirts" (Synoicum adareanum) that seems to be effective against melanoma cells. Similar story with photo from UAB In Antarctica website.
August 19, 2005 - Hopes Injured Seal Will Return To Natural Habitat - ABC (Australia)
A leopard sea,l that had been attacked by sharks, has been rehabilitated and released from an Australian refuge.
August 18, 2005 - "Unique" Sighting of Fin Whales - BBC
Fin whales which are born in Antarctica, have been sighted in record numbers off the west Wales coast. This was probably due to huge schools of mackerel and herring in the area.
August 9, 2005 - Freeze-dried Mats of Microbes Awaken in Antarctica Streambed - Science Daily
An experiment in a dry Antarctic stream channel in the McMurdo Dry Valleys has shown that a carpet of freeze-dried microbes that lay dormant for two decades sprang to life one day after water was diverted into it, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder researcher.
August 9, 2005 - Census To Measure Antarctic Marine Life - ABC (Australia)
The Australian Antarctic Division is set to begin coordinating the biggest marine life survey ever conducted in Antarctica. It will involve over 30 countries and 200 scientists during summer of 2007-2008.
August 2, 2005 - Bacteria Found At Bottom Of Near-Freezing Waters - International
Scientists have found a vast community of bacteria and clams on the ocean floor where the Larson B. Ice Shelf collapsed in 2002.

July, 2005

July 22, 2005 - Hobart New Base For Antarctic Birds' Protection - ABC
A memorandum of understanding has been signed which makes Hobart the base for the protection of the albatross and petrel.
July 8, 2005 - Review of March Of the Penguins - RogerEbert
Roger Ebert reviews the Warner Independent Films movie, March of the Penguins, which illustrates the hard life of Emperor penguins - the only bird to lay eggs in the Antarctic winter. He rates it at 3.5 stars as do the viewers. You can view trailers of the movie at this site.

June, 2005

June 27, 2005 - New Way to Gauge Whales' Age - The Australian
The Australian scientists are well on the way to developing a non-invasive and non-lethal method of taking skin samples from humpback whales to determine their age.
June 24, 2005 - Japan's Whaling Negotiator Draws Raves - Las Vegas Sun
Japan did not win many battles at the IWC meeting where it sought to end the moratorium on commercial whale fishing, but all involved had praise for Japan's negotiator and said he was a skilled advocate for Japan's point of view. Similar story telling Japan's point of view on the IWC meeting at Terra Daily.
June 23, 2005 - Whale Burger Joins Fast-Food Offerings In Japan - USA Today
A fast food chain in northern Japan began offering a whale burger on Thursday, even as anti-whaling nations urged Japan to cut back on its catch at an international conference on whaling.
June 20, 2005 - Japan To Double Whale Hunt - The Australian
Japan has submitted a research plan that more than doubles its previous quota of minke whales and extends the hunt to other whales that are on the endangered species list.

May, 2005

May 23, 2005 - It's Not Research - Japan's Whale Slaughter Is Commercial - The Australian
Since 1991 whale watchers have spotted Migaloo, possibly the world's only pure white humpback whale, off the Queensland coast each year during its annual migration.But there are real fears that Migaloo's life - along with many other humpback,minke and fin whales - is in danger.(Similar story from TheWashington Times)
May 16, 2005 - Nations To Protest Over Japan Whaling - Sky News
New Zealand, Great Britain and the United States will make a protest to the Japanese government over the annual whale hunt in Antarctic waters. Japan contends it is research, while others believe it to be thinly disguised commercial fishing.
May 15, 2005 - NZ To Fight Whale Slaughter - News 24
New Zealand is considering taking Japan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its plans to hunt endangered humpback whales in Antarctic waters.
May 14, 2005 - Piracy Risk Raised Over Whales - Weekend Australian
Australia could be accused of piracy if it tried to stop Japanese whaling boats in Antarctic waters, federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock said today.
May 9, 2005 - Illegal Fishing Vessels Spotted - Australian
Three vessels, believed to be illegally fishing for the endangered Patagonian toothfish, have been spotted in the Southern Ocean and are being watched by Australian Fisheries and Customs officials.

April, 2005

April 15, 2005 - New Zealand to Protest Japan's Bigger Whale Kill Plan... - ENN
New Zealand rejected Japan's proposal to conduct a broader research program on whales. Their proposal would have led to the deaths of 800 whales per year. Currently they kill about 400 per year in this research.
April 1, 2005 - Japan Plans To Extend Whaling - Las Vegas Sun
Japan has announced that it plans to extend its whaling research program in the Southern Ocean, which opponents say is commercial whaling in disguise. This year's hunt ended 440 minke whales killed for research purposes.

March, 2005

March 31, 2005 - Scientists Compile Protist Handbook - ABC
A comprehensive guide to Antarctic protists, tiny marine organisms that play a key role in carbon dioxide exchange, has been published by the Australian Antarctic Division. Photos of several different Antarctic protists can be seen at The Antarctic Protist Classication website.
March 4, 2005 - Australia Powerless Against Remote Toothfish Raiders - Planet Ark
The fact that boats fishing for the protected Patagonian toothfish in Australian waters are flagged to countries that are not a part of an international pact to protect the fish leaves Australia unable to legally take any action. (Similar story from The Australian)

January, 2005

January 24, 2005 - Study Reveals Albatrosses' Flying Patterns - IOL
Scientists studying the albatross have shown that the birds fly from their breeding grounds in the sub-Antarctic to the south-west Indian ocean. The study is being done to try to reduce loss of these sea-birds to long-line fishing.
January 19, 2005 - B-15A Iceberg's Close Encounter Monitored by Envisat - SpaceDaily
Iceberg B-15A is on a collision course with a floating pier of ice known as the Drygalski ice tongue and its progress is being monitored by Envisat radar. It appears to have slowed dramatically, which may mean that the seabed around the Drygalski ice tongue is shallow. (Jan 21 update by Yahoo!)
January 10, 2005 - Polar Explorers Climb Peak of Antarctica - China Daily
A Chinese team has been successful in their bid to climb the north Peak of Dome A. Dome A is the highest icecap in Antarctica at 4,083 meters above sea level. (See earlier story from CISTC; see January 19 article with photo from SpaceDaily)
January 9, 2005 - Russian Aircraft Fails To Leave South Pole ... - Novosti
Bad weather for the past six days at McMurdo has grounded a Russian air expedition that had restored a An-3T aircraft. (See earlier story from State and Power; Photo of aircraft at Ulster Aviation )

December, 2004

December 24, 2004 - Penguins Escape Huge Earthquake - BBC
A quake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale hits the Macquarie Islands, but it appears that the King penguins there escaped disaster. (more about the quake at News24)
December 14, 2004 - Penguins Face Starvation Threat - BBC
A huge iceberg blocks adult penguins' access to food for their chicks threatening the survival of thousands of chicks on Cape Royds.
December 11, 2004 - Scientists Study Antarctic Life - BBC
A German-led expedition is studying life forms that live in and on ice to determine how life might evolve on frozen planets. (Read Dr. Thomas' journals as the expedition progresses and see earlier story on the expedition)


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Home>Polar News>Antarctic News Archive
			Antarctic News Archive - Living organisms and fossils A collection of older (2004-2005) news items that relate to living organisms and fossils in Antarctica, the Southern Ocean and the Sub-antarctic islands. All links will take you to sites outside of the PRISM site. Use your back button to return. Return to Archive Topic List December, 2005 December 8, 2005 - Fisheries Minister Reduces Allowable Sea-Lion Kill - Scoop The Fisheries Minister of New Zealand has reduced the acceptable number of New Zealand sea lions that can be killed by trawlers fishing for squid. The number was reduced by nearly 20 percent because technology is available to reduce sea lions accidentally caught and because the sea lion population in the area is declining. December 03, 2005 - Coolest Birds On Earth - Daily Record (Scotland) A Scottish zoo keeper talks about her work filming Gentoo and Rockhopper penguins on Weddell Island. November, 2005 November 21, 2005 - Evolutionary Discoveries In Penguin Study - Scoop (Massey University) Scientists from Massy University, New Zealand have found that the movement of icebergs has caused dramatic environmental changes that have contributed to microevolution among colonies of Adelie penguins. Similar story from New Zealand Herald. November 9, 2005 - Japan To Double Usual Whale Kill - ENN A fleet of Japanese whaling ships left for the seas of Antarctica amid protests Tuesday, aiming to kill 850 minke whales -- almost double last year's catch -- and expand the hunt to fin whales for the first time. November 4, 2005 - Pirates Use "Flag-Hopping" To Plunder World's Fish Stocks - The Independent Fishing vessels who want to fish illegally for fish such as the protected Antarctic toothfish, often use "flags of convenience" . They purchase the flags online and register their vessels in areas with lax jurisdictions. October, 2005 October 31, 2005 - Australia Uses New Methods To Protect Whales - ENN Australia announced that it will be using satellite and DNA technology to track whales and study stock distribution. October 25, 2005 - Canberra Eyes Jail For Fish Poachers - Australian Australia has pledged a tougher approach to illegal fishing, including jailing foreign fishermen caught in its waters and suing "flag of convenience" nations. October 19, 2005 - Antarctic Species Feel The Warmth - BBC The ocean near the Antarctic peninsula has warmed more than one degree since the 1960s, and the sea animals there may be at risk. Scientists predict changes in populations in response to even this small temperature shift. October 19, 2005 - Seafloor Creatures Destroyed By Ice Action During Ice Ages - TerraDaily Scientists studying the seafloor near Antarctica say that whole communities of marine animals were wiped out during the ice ages. The animals died when the ice sheeets scoured the sea floor or by starvation due to breaks in the food chain caused by permanent ice cover. September, 2005 September 28, 2005 - Charges Laid Against Toothfish Crew - The Australian The crew of a Cambodian-flagged fishing vessel has been charged by the Australian government with poaching of Patagonian toothfish in sub-Antarctic waters. September 5, 2005 - Hesperides To Set Sail To Study Life On Antarctic Ocean Floor - TerraDaily A group of researchers will be working for its second season in the Bellinghausen Sea to study biodiversity in the sea and in the sediment of the ocean floor. This research will use a trawler net and a 50cm X 50cm box-corer for their study. August, 2005 August 25, 2005 - USF Chemists Find Potential Wonder Drug In Antarctica - Newswise University of South Florida chemists have derived a chemical from Antarctic "sea squirts" (Synoicum adareanum) that seems to be effective against melanoma cells. Similar story with photo from UAB In Antarctica website. August 19, 2005 - Hopes Injured Seal Will Return To Natural Habitat - ABC (Australia) A leopard sea,l that had been attacked by sharks, has been rehabilitated and released from an Australian refuge. August 18, 2005 - "Unique" Sighting of Fin Whales - BBC Fin whales which are born in Antarctica, have been sighted in record numbers off the west Wales coast. This was probably due to huge schools of mackerel and herring in the area. August 9, 2005 - Freeze-dried Mats of Microbes Awaken in Antarctica Streambed - Science Daily An experiment in a dry Antarctic stream channel in the McMurdo Dry Valleys has shown that a carpet of freeze-dried microbes that lay dormant for two decades sprang to life one day after water was diverted into it, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder researcher. August 9, 2005 - Census To Measure Antarctic Marine Life - ABC (Australia) The Australian Antarctic Division is set to begin coordinating the biggest marine life survey ever conducted in Antarctica. It will involve over 30 countries and 200 scientists during summer of 2007-2008. August 2, 2005 - Bacteria Found At Bottom Of Near-Freezing Waters - International Scientists have found a vast community of bacteria and clams on the ocean floor where the Larson B. Ice Shelf collapsed in 2002. July, 2005 July 22, 2005 - Hobart New Base For Antarctic Birds' Protection - ABC A memorandum of understanding has been signed which makes Hobart the base for the protection of the albatross and petrel. July 8, 2005 - Review of March Of the Penguins - RogerEbert Roger Ebert reviews the Warner Independent Films movie, March of the Penguins, which illustrates the hard life of Emperor penguins - the only bird to lay eggs in the Antarctic winter. He rates it at 3.5 stars as do the viewers. You can view trailers of the movie at this site. June, 2005 June 27, 2005 - New Way to Gauge Whales' Age - The Australian The Australian scientists are well on the way to developing a non-invasive and non-lethal method of taking skin samples from humpback whales to determine their age. June 24, 2005 - Japan's Whaling Negotiator Draws Raves - Las Vegas Sun Japan did not win many battles at the IWC meeting where it sought to end the moratorium on commercial whale fishing, but all involved had praise for Japan's negotiator and said he was a skilled advocate for Japan's point of view. Similar story telling Japan's point of view on the IWC meeting at Terra Daily. June 23, 2005 - Whale Burger Joins Fast-Food Offerings In Japan - USA Today A fast food chain in northern Japan began offering a whale burger on Thursday, even as anti-whaling nations urged Japan to cut back on its catch at an international conference on whaling. June 20, 2005 - Japan To Double Whale Hunt - The Australian Japan has submitted a research plan that more than doubles its previous quota of minke whales and extends the hunt to other whales that are on the endangered species list. May, 2005 May 23, 2005 - It's Not Research - Japan's Whale Slaughter Is Commercial - The Australian Since 1991 whale watchers have spotted Migaloo, possibly the world's only pure white humpback whale, off the Queensland coast each year during its annual migration.But there are real fears that Migaloo's life - along with many other humpback,minke and fin whales - is in danger.(Similar story from TheWashington Times) May 16, 2005 - Nations To Protest Over Japan Whaling - Sky News New Zealand, Great Britain and the United States will make a protest to the Japanese government over the annual whale hunt in Antarctic waters. Japan contends it is research, while others believe it to be thinly disguised commercial fishing. May 15, 2005 - NZ To Fight Whale Slaughter - News 24 New Zealand is considering taking Japan to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its plans to hunt endangered humpback whales in Antarctic waters. May 14, 2005 - Piracy Risk Raised Over Whales - Weekend Australian Australia could be accused of piracy if it tried to stop Japanese whaling boats in Antarctic waters, federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock said today. May 9, 2005 - Illegal Fishing Vessels Spotted - Australian Three vessels, believed to be illegally fishing for the endangered Patagonian toothfish, have been spotted in the Southern Ocean and are being watched by Australian Fisheries and Customs officials. April, 2005 April 15, 2005 - New Zealand to Protest Japan's Bigger Whale Kill Plan... - ENN New Zealand rejected Japan's proposal to conduct a broader research program on whales. Their proposal would have led to the deaths of 800 whales per year. Currently they kill about 400 per year in this research. April 1, 2005 - Japan Plans To Extend Whaling - Las Vegas Sun Japan has announced that it plans to extend its whaling research program in the Southern Ocean, which opponents say is commercial whaling in disguise. This year's hunt ended 440 minke whales killed for research purposes. March, 2005 March 31, 2005 - Scientists Compile Protist Handbook - ABC A comprehensive guide to Antarctic protists, tiny marine organisms that play a key role in carbon dioxide exchange, has been published by the Australian Antarctic Division. Photos of several different Antarctic protists can be seen at The Antarctic Protist Classication website. March 4, 2005 - Australia Powerless Against Remote Toothfish Raiders - Planet Ark The fact that boats fishing for the protected Patagonian toothfish in Australian waters are flagged to countries that are not a part of an international pact to protect the fish leaves Australia unable to legally take any action. (Similar story from The Australian) January, 2005 January 24, 2005 - Study Reveals Albatrosses' Flying Patterns - IOL Scientists studying the albatross have shown that the birds fly from their breeding grounds in the sub-Antarctic to the south-west Indian ocean. The study is being done to try to reduce loss of these sea-birds to long-line fishing. January 19, 2005 - B-15A Iceberg's Close Encounter Monitored by Envisat - SpaceDaily Iceberg B-15A is on a collision course with a floating pier of ice known as the Drygalski ice tongue and its progress is being monitored by Envisat radar. It appears to have slowed dramatically, which may mean that the seabed around the Drygalski ice tongue is shallow. (Jan 21 update by Yahoo!) January 10, 2005 - Polar Explorers Climb Peak of Antarctica - China Daily A Chinese team has been successful in their bid to climb the north Peak of Dome A. Dome A is the highest icecap in Antarctica at 4,083 meters above sea level. (See earlier story from CISTC; see January 19 article with photo from SpaceDaily) January 9, 2005 - Russian Aircraft Fails To Leave South Pole ... - Novosti Bad weather for the past six days at McMurdo has grounded a Russian air expedition that had restored a An-3T aircraft. (See earlier story from State and Power; Photo of aircraft at Ulster Aviation ) December, 2004 December 24, 2004 - Penguins Escape Huge Earthquake - BBC A quake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale hits the Macquarie Islands, but it appears that the King penguins there escaped disaster. (more about the quake at News24) December 14, 2004 - Penguins Face Starvation Threat - BBC A huge iceberg blocks adult penguins' access to food for their chicks threatening the survival of thousands of chicks on Cape Royds. December 11, 2004 - Scientists Study Antarctic Life - BBC A German-led expedition is studying life forms that live in and on ice to determine how life might evolve on frozen planets. (Read Dr. Thomas' journals as the expedition progresses and see earlier story on the expedition)

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