The pacific electric ray can generate up to 45 volts of electricity to subdue prey or defend itself — that's roughly the output of three to four car batteries, all packed into one fish.
Oceana Canada
@oceanacanada.bsky.social
Save the oceans, feed the world. 🐠 Oceana Canada is an independent charity established to restore Canadian oceans to health & abundance.
NEW RESEARCH: Scientists have solved the mystery of how sperm whales sleep upright: they blow bubbles to adjust their buoyancy, allowing them to remain floating vertically. Learn more: https://oceanographicmagazine.com/news/sperm-whales-blow-bubbles-to-sleep-floating-vertically/
Sperm whales blow bubbles to sleep floating vertically
Until now, scientists haven’t understood how it was possible due to sperm whale's exceptionally buoyant heads
oceanographicmagazine.com
DID YOU KNOW: Canada was once the largest importer of shark fins outside Asia. In 2019, it became the first G20 country to ban the import and export of shark fins through an amendment to the Fisheries Act.
#WATCH Scientists document a porbeagle shark in the Laurentian Channel, Gulf of St. Lawrence. The porbeagle shark is often mistaken for a great white — and for good reason, since it's actually one of the great white's closest living relatives.
#GOODNEWS: Two humpback whales are swimming free after Fisheries and Oceans Canada responders successfully completed two separate disentanglement operations in a single day off Vancouver Island. Learn more: www.cp24.com/news/canada/...
Two humpback whales rescued in one day off Vancouver Island
Two humpback whales are swimming free after Fisheries and Oceans Canada responders completed two separate disentanglement operations in a single day off Vancouver Island.
cp24.com
Basking sharks and great white sharks are both known to swim near the ocean's surface with their dorsal fin visible, but there are a few key differences. Basking sharks have a broader, more rounded dorsal fin, while great whites have a more pointed fin that may appear jagged.
Greenland sharks, the longest-living vertebrates on Earth, were long thought to be visually impaired because parasites latch onto their eyes. However, a study published in @natcomms.nature.com this year revealed they are not blind after all, thanks to a DNA repair mechanism.
Happy Shark Week! Did you know that 28 different species of shark spend some or all of their time off Canada's coastlines? Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/sharks-rays/
WATCH: Flatfish like flounders and halibut swim vertically. Their unusual way of swimming isn't a flaw—it's a brilliant adaptation that helps them blend into the seafloor, making it easier to hide from predators and ambush unsuspecting prey. Learn more: oceana.ca/en/marine-li...
This year marked 40 years since the global moratorium on commercial whaling. Humpback whales have rebounded to over 80,000 but right whales remain endangered, threatened by entanglement and ship strikes. Join us to protect them from extinction: https://act.oceana.org/page/157585/action/1
Green sea turtle breeding season occurs in late spring and early summer. A few weeks after mating, females will lay about 100 eggs per clutch and nest several times over a few weeks. Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/marine-life/green-sea-turtle/
Capelin, sardines, sand lance, and mackerel feed the seabirds that keep our coasts thriving. When forage fish populations decline, the effects ripple through the entire ecosystem. Protect forage fish. Protect ocean life.
The Southern Resident orcas are the most at-risk population in Canada. In 1995, there were 98 individuals. As of July 2026, only 74 remain. Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/marine-life/orca/
WATCH: Scientists capture a longnose skate on camera in British Columbia. Often found partially buried in sand or silt, this bottom dweller is easily identified by its long, pointed snout. Learn more about the sharks and skates found in Canadian waters. https://oceana.ca/en/sharks-rays/
Oceana Canada is calling the federal government's decision to increase Atlantic mackerel and herring quotas an irresponsible move that will jeopardize stock recovery. Learn more: https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/nl-mackerel-herring-quotas
NL harvesters, conservationists take exception to increased mackerel and herring quotas
The province’s fisheries union wants to see a commercial fishery, while Oceana Canada calls the allocations irresponsible
saltwire.com
Single-use cups are used for minutes but can pollute our environment for generations. Tell the Canadian government you want a world with less harmful plastics and more refill and reuse solutions. https://act.oceana.org/page/190870/action/1?ea.tracking.id=twitter
Minister Thompson just tripled the mackerel bait quota — a decision that could set the recovery of this depleted stock back years . That's not a plan to rebuild. That's leaving recovery to chance. Tell the Minister to rebuild mackerel 👉 https://act.oceana.org/page/191335/action/1
Green sea turtles are what they eat! They're primarily herbivores, feasting on seagrasses and algae. Their diet gives their cartilage a greenish tint — not their shells — which is where their name comes from. Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/marine-life/green-sea-turtle/
#GOODNEWS: Two weeks ago, Banc-des-Américains Marine Protected Area received a Blue Park Award at the 11th Our Ocean Conference, recognizing it for meeting a globally accepted, science-based standard for effective ocean conservation. Learn more: marine-conservation.org/blueparks/20...
Atlantic puffins are remarkable birds — and their nesting sites are natural climate shelters. They nest in cool underground burrows or rocky crevices, where the soil helps protect eggs and chicks from temperature swings.
As heatwaves make headlines across Canada, another is unfolding in the Pacific Ocean. It's called "The Blob." Find out what this marine heatwave means for ocean wildlife, fisheries, and coastal communities in @oceana.bsky.social's new blog. usa.oceana.org/blog/how-mar...
Ocean Action Month may be coming to an end, but protecting our oceans is a year-round commitment. We've rounded up five simple ways you can help protect the ocean all year long. Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/2026/06/29/5-ways-canadians-can-help-protect-the-ocean/
Bamboo coral may look like a plant, but they are actually colonies of deep-sea animals. Some colonies are hundreds to thousands of years old and they defend themselves from predators like nudibranchs and sea stars using stinging tentacles.
Can you guess this iconic Atlantic seabird? Hint: It’s nicknamed the "parrot of the sea" and feeds on capelin, herring, and sand lance
A rare and endangered North Pacific right whale has been spotted in B.C. waters — and it's a juvenile. Researchers say the sighting is a positive sign for this critically small population of fewer than 50 whales. Learn more: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Researchers buzzing over rare whale seen in B.C. waters | CBC News
North Pacific right whales have only been spotted seven times in B.C.
cbc.ca
Northern shrimp, also known as northern prawns, begin their lives as males and later become females. They typically transition at around four to five years of age. Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/marine-life/northern-shrimp/
This Ocean Action Month, help protect right whales. Tell the Canadian government to fully implement the Whalesafe Fishing Gear Strategy to protect marine life from deadly entanglements. https://act.oceana.org/page/157585/action/
Plastic pollution is harming turtles through ingestion and entanglement. This World Sea Turtle Day, send a letter to your MP urging them to support stronger action to stop plastic pollution at the source https://act.oceana.org/page/190870/action/1
DID YOU KNOW: Lion’s mane jellyfish are the longest animal in the world? Their bodies and tentacles can grow up to 36.5 metres in length, rivaling blue whales, which can grow up to 33 metres long. Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/marine-life/lions-mane-jellyfish/
Meet the sea strawberry, a type of soft coral found in polar and temperate waters. Large clusters of sea strawberries, collectively known as "strawberry grounds," are important nursery and feeding habitats for lobsters, basket stars, and many other marine species.