marine mammal protection act

In this photo provided by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, swimmers swim after spinner dolphins in Honanau Bay, Hawaii, March 26, 2023. Hawaii authorities say they have referred 33 people to U.S. law enforcement after the group allegedly harassed a pod of wild dolphins in waters off the Big Island.

Environment
National

Authorities are investigating 33 swimmers for allegedly harassing dolphins in Hawaii

3:13am March 31, 2023

by Ayana Archie

The Marine Mammal Protection Act was amended in 2021 to prohibit people from being within 50 feet of spinner dolphins in Hawaii.

Snow and ice cover can camouflage seals, making it more difficult for scientists to estimate the animals' populations with accuracy.

National
Science

Gray Seals, Once Hunted, Are Thriving In New England

6:05pm June 14, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

Massachusetts once offered a bounty for grey seals. After conservation efforts, the New England population bounced back, and Google Earth images show more seals than scientists had previously counted.

A young manatee swims at a zoo in France in 2017.

National

Manatees Escape The Endangered List — But Maybe Too Soon

5:57pm March 31, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

It seems like quite a win for the marine mammal, which was nearly extinct just a few decades ago. But conservationists say the move could lead to repeal of protections the manatee needs to survive.