In January 2006 a juvenile female Northern Bottlenose whale was discovered swimming in the River Thames. It was the first time the species had been seen in the Thames since records began in 1913.

The Thames whale

The whale was 5 metres (16 ft) long and weighed about 7 tonnes (15,400 lb).

Average length of Northern Bottlenose whale

Newborn : 3.6m (11.9ft)

Adult female: 6.9-8.7m (22.8-28.7ft)

Adult male: 7.5-9.8m (24.7-32.3ft)

Habitat of the Bottlenose whale

The normal habitat of the Northern Bottlenosed whales is in north Atlantic off Norway and the Barents Sea and off northern Britain and Ireland in the summer.

Diet of the Bottlenose whale

They feed on squid.

Links

More information on the Northern Bottlenose Whale – Arkive
www.arkive.org/northern-bottlenose-whale/hyperoodon-ampullatus/info.html

Pictorial guide to the River Thames from source to sea
Follow Winnine the Pooh’s trip down the Thames

London’s Famous River

On this day also …….

Makar Sankranti / Lohri (Hindu) Harvest Festival
Sankranti means to go from one place to another place (to change direction). The time when the sun changes direction from one constellation (of the zodiac) to another is known as Sankranti.

It is celebrated in mid-winter and marks the transition of the sun from the Sagittarius to Capricorn during the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.

People take dips in rivers and worship the Sun God especially in the holy Ganges river. The dip is said to purify the self and bestow "punya". Special puja is offered as a thanksgiving for good harvest.

Links

Multifaith Calendar