The Compass: Why are orcas attacking sailboats? Plus, the strange saga of a "Russian spy whale" and how to whale watch responsibly.

This week, we dive beneath the waves to explore the world of whales.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌    ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  

 

SEE BELOW, CAN YOU GUESS THE RIGHT ANSWER? VIEW ONLINE

SEE BELOW, CAN YOU GUESS THE RIGHT ANSWER?

THE COMPASS

This week, we dive beneath the waves to explore the world of whales. See why orcas are coordinating attacks against sailboats, discover the strange saga of Hvaldimir the "Russian spy whale," and learn how you can whale watch responsibly. Plus, top stories you may have missed.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN SKERRY, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION This video captures a rarely seen sperm whale birth. It’s beautiful. The last scientific record of a sperm whale birth was 1986, without audio or video. New recordings of the whales’ behavior during the birth will give researchers new insight. A REMARKABLE EVENT

PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL NICKLEN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Vengeance—or playtime? Why orcas are coordinating attacks against sailboats The common denominator in dozens of incidents appears to be a mature female named White Gladis. WHY ARE THEY DOING IT?

GOOD READS

1. Where is Malaysian Airlines Flight 370? A simple barnacle could help lead us to the missing plane. 2. Extremely rare spotless giraffe born in U.S. zoo 3. Alcohol is killing more women than ever before 4. Today's 5-year-olds will likely live to 100. What will their lives be like?

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIO TAMA/GETTY IMAGES Dead whales are washing up on the East Coast. The reason remains a mystery. The recent whale deaths have fueled misinformation that offshore wind turbines are to blame, but scientists say it's not the true culprit. INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF DEATH

KNOWN TO DIVE TO GREAT DEPTHS IN SEARCH OF FOOD, HOW LONG CAN A SPERM WHALE HOLD ITS BREATH? A. 40 MINUTES B. 90 MINUTES C. 130 MINUTES CLICK TO SEE IF YOU'RE RIGHT!

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICH GERMAN The strange saga of Hvaldimir the ‘Russian spy whale’ Four years after he first appeared in Norwegian waters wearing a camera harness, the beluga whale is on the move—and may be in danger. A WHALE WITHOUT A POD

PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS P. PESCHAK, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION Whale watching is booming. Here’s how to do it responsibly. These tours are generally beneficial for whales, but they can also stress them out. Here’s how to ensure that your trip does more good than harm. WHAT YOU CAN DO

WHAT WILL WE EXPLORE NEXT? Be sure to check your inbox next week to find out.

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