Dominican Republic is the forerunner in Eco-Friendly Tourism in the Caribbean.

Since 1962, the Dominican Republic (DR) has been dedicated to providing eco-friendly tourism by preserving sensitive inland and coastal eco-systems through partnerships with leaders like the Nature Conservancy, the United Nations and the Smithsonian.

Update: Biologists search for clues in death of Gervais' whale. NJ, USA

lauricedeephd writes "A 16-foot-long white metal trash bin served as an operating room for a dead whale Thursday, and the surgical tools were flensing knives longer than the forearms of their wielders.

Plastic lined the rusty floor to catch the blood and slices of blubber as biologists searched for clues in the organs, bones and brains of the Gervais' beaked whale that beached itself and died in Avalon on Wednesday."

Pollution Makes Oceans Noisier.

lauricedeephd writes "The ocean may soon begin to sound more like New York City to dolphins and whales.

As carbon dioxide levels rise and make the world's oceans warmer and more acidic, the increasing amounts of the gas could also make the seas noisier, especially in the soprano range, a new study suggests."

Beaked whales: Your questions answered

lauricedeephd writes "Environment correspondent Richard Black joined researchers on board the yacht Song of the Whale as they looked and listened for whales around the Canary Islands.

Here, Richard and the research team from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) answer your questions on beaked whales, which are probably the least understood large mammals on the planet, and what the team discovered during the week at sea. "

Exxon-led project faces Russian lawsuit over endangered whales.

lauricedeephd writes "Russian environmental groups launched Friday legal action against an oil and gas project led by US energy giant Exxon for threatening critically endangered whales in Russia's far east.

The Russian government last month gave the consortium the green light to construct a pipeline across a Sakhalin island lagoon that produces organisms on which the world's last 120 to 130 Western Gray Whales survive."

Informational: Dolphin Watch: Lingering at love at last. FL, USA

By ANN WEAVER
What’s a bigger cliché than curling up with a good book on a cloudy day? Cliché or not, we do this because it’s fun.

Besides, life looks different after we’ve been haunted by a book’s residual images and emotions. I love those hauntings.

Humpback whale stranded at Jurien Bay euthanised. Australia

About 3pm last Tuesday afternoon the Department of Environment and Conservation officers started the process to end the life of the stranded humpback whale.

Officers have been closely monitoring the 10-metre, 15-tonne juvenile humpback stranded in shallow waters at Booker Beach, one kilometer south of Jurien Bay, for the past six days.

Stranded pod of Belugas break free with high tide. AK, USA

Years ago, after seeing humpback whales, bears, glaciers, goats and even killer whales stalking sea lions on a flight over the Chugach and Prince William sound, a friend called it a National Geographic Experience. Since then we refer to our more exciting Alaska experiences as National Geographic experiences. Sunday, Sept. 28 was definitely a National Geographic Day in Turnagain Arm.

Driving up the Arm at about 2:30 p.m., spectators were greeted with an unusual activity out in the Arm—Cook Inlet Belugas stranded by the outgoing tide.

Massive Military Operation To Begin In Scotland.

lauricedeephd writes "A huge military exercise is due to take place over the coming weeks off the west coast of Scotland. Joint Warrior, the largest military exercise in Europe, will begin on the 6th of October for two weeks. The exercise will involve 29 naval ships, 4 submarines and sixty aircraft flying 100 missions a day.

Military exercises have been carried out for decades in this area."

Four Dimensional Homes in the Sea.

lauricedeephd writes "Marine Protected Areas for Whales and Dolphins

by Erich Hoyt, WDCS Senior Research Fellow and Global MPA Programme Leader

Whales need "homes" in the sea. This is what WDCS is saying as part of our Global Campaign for Marine Protected Areas. But what does that mean?"

Bottlenose dolphin live stranded in Conamara. Ireland

lauricedeephd writes "A bottlenose dolphin live stranded and died in Costello, Co Galway on Friday 3rd October. A post-mortem examination showed the dolphin had been sick for some time and in poor health.

A dolphin was observed on Friday morning swimming in a shallow inlet at the head of the bay at Costello near Rossaveal, Co Galway. Although the dolphin was reported as breaching in the morning, it live stranded on the mud. Members of the local Coastguard re-floated the dolphin with the assistance of a local RIB but the dolphin soon re-stranded. At lunchtime the IWDG were informed and assistance was requested. "

Fin whales now in Waterford. Ireland

lauricedeephd writes "Within minutes of starting my first October effort watch I came across a large number-approx 150-of common dolphins feeding underneath numerous seabirds. This activity was taking place at one of the traditional 'hot spots' 8k directly south of Ram Head. Having not seen a dolphin of any sort from Ardmore since June, it came as almost a shock to see so many animals at a time."

Update: Dolphin’s death draws attention, but no action. NJ, USA

Has the death of a dolphin from the pod visiting the Navesink River changed the National Fisheries Service’s (NFS) plan to “wait it out”?

Not according to its spokeswoman Teri Frady. “We are not intervening today,” she said.

Animal Planet Follows the Crew of Sea Shepherd in the new TV Series, Whale Wars.

Sea Shepherd is very excited to announce that on Friday, November 7th Animal Planet will premiere Whale Wars at 9 PM ET/PT in the US, and internationally in early 2009.

During Sea Shepherd’s Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign: Operation Migaloo in 2007/08, Animal Planet had a camera crew on board a campaign that saved the lives of nearly 500 whales, leaving the Japanese fleet with less then half of their quota and costing them tens of millions of dollars. This new seven-part, hour-long weekly series follows the crew of the Sea Shepherd vessel, Steve Irwin as they use non-violent direct action techniques that garner world wide media attention in an effort to shut down the illegal Japanese whaling fleet and enforce international conservation law.

Bush Taking Credit for Whale Rule He Delayed. USA

The long-awaited rule to protect the North Atlantic right whale is coming soon, according to President Bush himself. Speaking at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History on Friday, Bush briefly discussed the rule: "There are fewer than 400 North Atlantic Right Whales left in the world… And there are going to be new regulations that will be coming to be shortly that require ships to slow down as they approach seaports where these whales are likely to be."