The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), Nantucket’s Science Center, will hold its annual animal “Release Day” this Saturday, September 2 from 10 am to 1 pm at the MMA Aquarium located at 28 Washington Street, Nantucket. Admission is free and the public is invited to this event. This free event […]
Tag: marine life
Hump(b)ACKs
~ by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station ~ One of the many luxuries that Nantucket visitors can experience is the chance to see a humpback whale, and just a few weeks ago we had one cavorting very close to the island in the shallow […]
The Grey Grampus or Risso’s Dolphin
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay – Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Over the past few weeks, a deceased Risso’s Dolphin has been seen off Madaket as its sad corpse is returned to the shoreline by incoming waves. At least three people have emailed or texted me […]
Strange Visitors – Giant Oarfish
• by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay, Director, University of Massachusetts Nantucket Field Station • Two photos accompany this article and they may look like an elaborate gimmick or hoax but they are photos taken by Tyler Bradbury and Mike Strazzula of a giant oar fish that washed up on Nantucket […]
Dangerous Beauties – Jellyfish
by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay Managing Director UMass Boston Nantucket Field Station As the summer temperatures warm up our harbor and offshore waters, floating translucent creatures begin to crowd our shores and become a concern for swimmers. Unfortunately, as ocean waters warm world-wide and we continue to over-fish or endanger […]
The Boy Who Cried “Shark!” – Fin Sighting 101
by Dr. Sarah D. Oktay Managing Director UMass Boston Nantucket Field Station It is never an easy thing to try to identify a marine creature from the five percent of their body that sticks out above the water. Unfortunately, the recent New England paranoia over great white sharks coupled with […]