Ugly scenes have unfolded at Queensland's Sea World theme park where animal activists ambushed a dolphin show - and then clashed with angry onlookers.

Hundreds more whales have swam into shore at the site of an earlier stranding at Farewell Spit as the tide came in, sending volunteers scrambling.

• COMMENT

Growing up in Pakistan, my favourite show was Flipper. Living in a city a thousand kilometres from the nearest ocean, it was the most I knew about our beautiful dolphin friends.

SeaWorld San Diego is ending its long-running killer whale show after years of outcry and falling attendance prompted it to renounce theatrical orca displays.

Tilikum, the killer whale featured in the documentary "Blackfish" that made the case against keeping orcas in captivity died on Friday, SeaWorld officials said.

Australia's federal fisheries authority is exploring an ambitious plan to stream live footage from fishing vessels in a bid to improve its ability to respond to controversial reports that nets are killing endangered marine animals.

Migaloo to lose police escort when he enters NSW waters.

Another whale has been caught in a shark net off the Gold Coast, with rescue teams on the way in an attempt to rescue the calf.

A photographer who captured spectacular photos of orcas hunting humpback whale calves off WA's northern coast has described the scenes as "intense" and "distressing" - but ultimately just part of nature at work.

A rare southern right whale albino calf has been spotted off the south-west coast of WA.

Two dozen pilot whales have died after beaching themselves on the Baja California Peninsula despite efforts to move them into deeper waters, Mexico's navy says.

Japan's whaling fleet returned on Thursday from its Antarctic hunt after a year-long suspension with a take of more than 300 whales, including pregnant females.

As the focus of the 2013 documentary Blackfish, Tilikum - affectionately called "Tili" - has been at once regarded as a victim of captivity and a maker of tragedy. Now it's been announced that the tale of Tili may be coming to a slow and quiet end.

A PhD student is collecting whale "blow" to understand population increases.

A sixth sperm whale has died on a British beach, the latest of nearly 30 to have become stranded in shallow waters of the North Sea over the past month.

After two beluga deaths at SeaWorld, San Antonio, questions are being raised after death of an orca on Monday.

• Exclusive

Australia is considering dragging Japan back to the international court in an attempt to halt whaling.

Britain has taken a stand beside Australia against renewed Japanese whaling, as it sends a naval fisheries patrol to the Antarctic.

The Turnbull government appears to have been caught out by Japan's whalers - pinning hopes on diplomacy to halt them, just as the fleet's departure for the Antarctic was announced.

Japan has finally confirmed it will commence whaling in the Antarctic this summer, despite the weight of court decisions and scientific opinion against it.

Japan's whalers have been fined $1 million over their hunt in the Australian Antarctic whale sanctuary, on the eve of ministerial talks between the two countries.

They grow up to 12 metres long and have a distinctive pattern, but until now scientists had never seen the elusive Omura's whale in the wild.

Japan has moved suddenly to fence itself off from any future challenge to its Antarctic whaling in the International Court of Justice.

A young humpback whale has swum off into the sunset with its mother after being freed from a web of nylon rope off the NSW south coast.

Whale calf entangled in fishing net off Narooma free

Rescuers could attach floating buoys to a humpback whale calf trapped in a fishing net to prevent it diving.

A legal case is being revived against Japanese whaling in Australian Antarctic waters, with a claim the whalers stand in contempt of the Federal Court.

Earlybird whale watchers in Eden have been rewarded with astounding acrobatic displays in the bay.

He's one of Australia's most deeply experienced, best credentialled diplomats – and he has just weeks to try to persuade Japan not go to whaling in the Antarctic again.

Learning the local slang can be a challenge for humans when fitting into a new neighbourhood, but it seems the same can be said for sperm whales.