Whales

Explore the story of how our biggest specimen was moved to its current home. 

Discover the journey of our largest specimen and what science and storytelling have revealed about Hope’s life.

Antarctica is renowned for its icy landscapes – but has become one of the fastest warming places on Earth.

Some whales don’t have teeth – so how do they catch their dinner?

Protecting a little bit more of the ocean could lead to big changes for whales.

A select group of toothed whales may have doubled their lifespan to become better grandparents.

The cacophony in the oceans is preventing whales from making themselves heard.

A jawbone fragment overlooked for more than 100 years was once part of a nine-metre-long ancient whale.

It’s said that you are what you eat – and that’s certainly true of toothed whales.

Almost half of marine mammals around the UK are being poisoned by banned chemicals.

Around the world, over 3,600 whales and dolphins are being kept in captivity.

A new study demonstrates the extraordinary ability of whales to develop new ways of feeding.

Fossils found in Peru are redefining the history of whale evolution.

Get to know the Arctic’s most friendly faced white whales.

Whales started becoming big early in their evolution – and kept going for millions of years.

Ancient Norwegian and Greek literature may have described trap feeding as much as 2,000 years before it was first observed in 2011.

The Yangtze finless porpoise has faced habitat loss and a reduced range as a result of sand mining, but a suspension of the practice offers hope that they could recover. 

The study could help in predicting how species will respond to the rapidly changing environment.

Sometimes reminding ourselves of a conservation failure can be just as important as celebrating our successes.

Scientists and conservationists are continuing to investigate this phenomenon, with the exact reasons remaining unclear.

A beluga whale has been spotted heading towards Paris, thousands of miles from its natural habitat.

The ability of dolphins and toothed whales to echolocate is shaped before they're even born.

Loud sound bursts throwing cetaceans out of balance and risk their health, amid growing concern over the impacts of anthropogenic noise pollution. 

We now know how whales evolved from furry, four-legged critters to giants of the ocean.

There are fewer than 10 vaquita left in the world, but it's still possible to save the species.

While it could provide a useful stopgap, there is no guarantee the technique, or whales, will ever fully restore what has been lost.

It is the oldest quadrupedal whale from the Americas.

The biggest threat to marine life in Britain isn't plastic bottles - it's fishing gear.

Museum experts catch us up on some of the latest natural history news.

Whales had more cortisol in their bodies while the global whaling industry was at its peak.

The Museum is scanning its collection of whale specimens so that the data is easier to handle and accessible to researchers around the world.

Marine mammal expert Richard Sabin takes us through what scientists know – and don’t know – about narwhals, also known as unicorns of the sea.

Discover how in death, whales can sustain life for decades.

A series of perfectly-preserved humpback whale foetuses reveal how whales grow before they're born.

The ocean offers a range of dining options. 

Early ancestors of the ocean's biggest animals once walked on land. Follow their extraordinary journey from shore to sea. 

Research on communities of killer whales reveals there might be more to menopause than simply old age. 

Find out where ambergris, also known as floating gold, really comes from.

What happens to stranded whales? And how can they be useful for research?

Rare drone footage could prove vital for research into the meals of the largest animals on the planet.

See the skeleton of the Thames whale ten years after it caused a stir by swimming up London's river.

Why do whales sing? Scientists have only just begun to decipher the meaning of these underwater melodies.

Beaked whales can dive 2,000 metres below the ocean's surface. Why and how do they do it?

Discover how whales were at the heart of the original proposal for a museum of natural history in Britain.

Museum scientist Rebecca Lyal shares her experiences studying whale and dolphin strandings along the British coast.

One man forever changed the way curators showcase their largest and most eye-catching specimens – including blue whales.