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KILLER QUAKE STRIKES AGAIN:   Kills Two Killer Whales in the Same Area  As noted in the news clip above, shock waves from a seaquake off Cape Beal on the west coast of Vancouver Island killed 5 baleen whales in June 1946 ( link ). The big deal back in those days was that the fishermen were towing all 5 whales 500 miles to a rendering station on the East Coast of Queen Charlotte Island. It was their lucky day. What's so different about 2016? Today when whales are killed by seaquakes off Vancouver Island, the authorities deny that these events can even scare them; killing them is out of the question. Isn't that strange? Why would they recognize that seaquakes could kill whales in 1946 but deny it today? The reason is very simple. Shock waves from seaquakes cause barosinusitis (sinus barotrauma that can easily kill marine mammals and fish outright). This is the exact same injury caused by high-powered sonars, oil industry air cannons, and underwater explosives. I
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WHY DO WHALES EAT PLASTIC? We have been bombarded lately with news that the stomachs of the sperm whales recently beached in the North Sea were full of plastic.  It happens quite often. The question is why? It's important because if we understand why whales eat plastic before they beach, then we will know the answer to the centuries-old mystery of whale whales mass strand. Hint #1:  Healthy deep-diving whales can tell the difference between a nice juicy squid and plastic garbage floating on the surface by using a high-frequency echolocation and identification system similar to our ultrasonic medical imaging only 1,000 times better. Dolphins have even been known to use biosonar to tell the difference between pennies minted 50 years ago and the ones minted today based simply on the acoustic reflectivity of the extra copper in the older coins. Dolphins can even use their biosonar to tell when a female is a few months pregnant. The amazing visualization system of toothed wh