The calf was transported over 800 miles to safety—without becoming a snack. The post Orphaned walrus calf rescued from nearby polar bears in Alaska appeared first on Popular Science.

**Paleontologists have described a new genus and species of early bird from the Late Jurassic Zhenghe Fauna of southeastern China. The bird was flightless, had the teeth and killer toe claw of a small predatory dinosaur.** Life reconstruction of _Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis_. Image credit: Chung-Tat Cheung. _Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis_ lived in what is now China around 150 million years ago (Late Jurassic epoch). The new species comes from the Zhenghe Fauna, a recently recognized collection of Jurassic fossils that has yielded some of the oldest birds, such as _Baminornis_ and _Zhengheornis_. “When we examined _Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis_ , we were struck by its extraordinary mix of features,” said Dr. Min Wang, a paleontologist with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The holotype specimen of _Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis_ was found in the Nanyuan Formation near Yangyuan village, China’s Fujian province. The animal had bird-like hips and hind limbs, but also closely packed, serrated teeth and a hyperextensible second toe tipped with a sickle-shaped claw. Those are traits typical of deinonychosaurs, the group of predatory dinosaurs that includes the dromaeosaurids and troodontids. “It possesses bird-like pelvic and hind limb structures yet retains the specialized predatory foot and teeth of a small meat-eating dinosaur,” Dr. Wang said. “It shows us that early bird evolution was far more complicated than we previously realized.” Evolutionary analyses placed _Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis_ among the earliest branches of the bird lineage, just beyond the famous _Archaeopteryx_ , long considered the icon of early birds. Its forelimbs were markedly short, a condition common in non-bird theropods, and its limb proportions resembled those of ground-dwelling birds. “The results consistently placed _Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis_ firmly within Avialae (a group containing modern birds and their closest extinct relatives), just crownward of _Archaeopteryx_ and as a sister taxon to _Zhengheornis_ ,” said Dr. Zhonghe Zhou, also from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team’s paper appears in the journal _Nature_. _____ L. Xu _et al_. 2026. Jurassic flightless bird reveals early ecological diversity of avialans. _Nature_ 658, 690-697; doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10972-z

A new species of dinosaur—a long-clawed predator the size of a large tiger—has been discovered by a UCL-led team from a fossil found on the Isle of Wight. The dinosaur, described in a new paper in the journal Royal Society Open Science, belongs to a group of agile, two-legged carnivores called megaraptorans and is the first of this group to be found in Europe.

Whale drama is explored in Book of Jonah, Pinocchio, and now Whalefall.

Some travelers take the scenic route. Others step on the gas and head straight for the destination. New research suggests southern right whales do much the same when crossing the Southern Ocean.

The endangered Southern Resident killer whale population now sits at 76, showing it has grown by two, but more needs to be done long-term, according to a new report. As of July 1, 2026, there are 76 whales, according to the 2026 photographic census by the Center for Whale Research (CWR) in Friday Harbour’s San Juan Islands, WA. The 76 whales belong to three different pods: the L pod (34), the J pod (27) and the K pod (15), with the two additions belonging to the L and K pods, labelled as L130 and K47 respectively. Earlier this year, four calves were born during the census period, with only two surviving. “J64 survived for less than a month, while L129 was only photographed during a single encounter. Calves K47 (female, mother K43) and L130 (sex unknown, mother L91) both survived and appear to be in normal health. No other whales died during the survey period,” states the center’s report. > **READ PREVIOUS:** > > * **June 2026:‘We’re thrilled’: New endangered southern resident orca calf spotted** > * **December 2025:‘Very excited’: New orca calf believed to be born to endangered K-pod** > The latest increase marks the second consecutive year of population growth, though the numbers are still smaller than past years, and “previous periods of growth have been followed by even longer periods of decline,” says the CWR. According to the center, the Southern Resident population is reproducing at a slower rate than other killer whale populations. The map shows the main travelling areas of the Southern Resident killer whales (CWR). Michael Weiss, CWR research director, says the first step to supporting long-term population growth for the Southern Residents is to address the threats they’re facing. “In order for the southern residents to grow consistently, we need to address the threats they’re facing,” said Weiss. The report lists human-caused noise and disturbance, pollutants, and emphasizes a lack of large, fatty Chinook salmon, their primary prey, as key stressors to the endangered population. “Saving these whales means restoring Chinook salmon habitat, improving fisheries management, and addressing the sources of noise and toxicants in their environment. Doing these things is the only path towards more years of population growth,” states Weiss. ## **Historic peak of the Southern population** Among the three resident killer whale populations, including Alaska residents, Northern residents and Southern residents, the Southern are the smallest group. They travel in Pacific waters, mainly off B.C., Washington and Oregon, feeding on Chinook salmon most of the year, with some Coho and chum in the fall and winter, respectively. > **READ RELATED:** > > * **B.C. researchers discover fatal bacterial disease in wild salmon near Vancouver Island** > * **High Chinook salmon prices bring gainful returns to Nuu-chah-nulth fisheries** > With 29 different populations of Chinook salmon, only two are considered “not at risk” according to Nature Canada. Two are listed as “special concern,” seven “threatened”, 13 “endangered,” and the remaining five as “data deficient.” Commercial fishing, pollution and climate change are some of the key stressors for the Chinook salmon. Southern residents, comprising the J, K and L pods, first hit Canada’s endangered list in 2001 by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, and in 2005 in the U.S. under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The population has declined since 2005, according to NOAA. The Marine Mammal Commission of the U.S. estimates Southern residents may have numbered upwards of 200 prior to the 20th century. Since the first complete count in 1974, the peak population reached 96-98 in the mid 90s. > **RELATED:** > > * **Another southern resident killer whale spotted carrying dead calf** > * **New J Pod orca calf J64 presumed dead weeks after birth** > * **Researchers celebrate birth of new southern resident killer whale, death of another** > The three Southern pods follow the salmon runs, especially Chinook, which leads to frequent visits to the Salish Sea, feeding in the Strait of Georgia, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. Throughout the winter, the J pod stays closer inland, while K and L pods are often found further offshore at this time, according to the commission. Friday at Friday Harbour, the U.S. based research center is hosting an open house with active learning activities to mark Orca Recovery Day. Editorial Policies Report an Error Share an Opinion

Wildlife cameraman Dan Abbot is caught off guard by a humpback whale, a rare sight in Welsh waters.

A Sowerby's beaked whale is seen by passengers on a ferry.

Curtin University and Taronga Conservation Society Australia researchers have conducted the first hearing tests on Australian sea lions and long-nosed fur seals, revealing what sounds these marine mammals can hear and helping assess how human-made noise could affect them.

A new study of sperm whales highlights the need for ocean conservation that covers large areas—with boundaries redrawn as our climate changes. The research team, led by the University of Exeter, combined sperm whale surveys in the southwest Indian Ocean with predictions of how climate change will shift where the whales are found in the future.

New analysis of traces of radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing trapped in the teeth of stranded whales has helped scientists reconstruct their life stories.

Exclusive: Images show deep cuts and damage to tails and fins, as experts warn the migrating species often aren’t able to avoid a collision

Up to 15 rare pygmy killer whales have died in a stranding on Ninety Mile Beach in the Far North, eight years after the same species stranded there in 2018.

We investigate and campaign against environmental crime and abuse

Crew described terrifying encounter as they were woken up by “loud thud” as the 52ft vessel was struck

Where are the great marine animals of the Mediterranean, such as the fin whale, the sperm whale or the bottlenose dolphin? How does their distribution change over a few weeks? All indications suggest that these species shift between marine areas in a remarkably short time and over relatively small spatial scales. Some species, such as the striped dolphin, maintain a relatively stable presence in certain areas, while others, such as the fin whale, move and concentrate in different areas from one observation campaign to the next.

A landmark genetic study reveals Arabian Sea humpback whales as a uniquely isolated lineage, strengthening the case for a new subspecies.

A new open-access catalog of whale calls will help researchers and orca enthusiasts identify distinct killer whale populations, clans and family groups by their vocalizations alone.

Plesiosaurs swam into river deltas to vomit up shells and other indigestible elements of their marine meals, suggests new research published by Cambridge University Press. The behavior resembles that of today's fur seals and marine crocodiles.