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Happy Whale Shark Day!

cute-whale-shark-square

It’s International Whale Shark Day! These amazingly adorable, giant filter-feeding sharks are vulnerable around the world. Because they cruise along slowly not far beneath the ocean’s surface, they can be hit by ships and caught by fishing gear intended for other fish. In some countries, they’re deliberately caught for their meat. Supporting sustainable fishing (like getting rid of illegal nets and not taking too many fish) protects whale sharks along with hundreds of other vulnerable and endangered species.

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SCIENCE! Tiny fossil whale used teeth to filter feed

Chibi Fucaia buelli
Chibi fossil whale Fucaia buelli based on research paper by Marx, Tsai, and Fordyce

New fossils of a little 6-foot early baleen whale show that they used their pointy teeth and suction to eat. If you’re wondering what a baleen whale is doing with teeth, the answer is: evolution, my dear Watson! Read more about it on LiveScience or check out the original research paper.