Observing winter processes during the extended cold season is crucial not only for understanding polar and global coupled Earth system but also for enhancing capability of year-round prediction, especially in the context of Arctic amplification and the drastic decrease in sea ice extent and thickness at both poles. However, harsh environmental conditions and logistical challenges have left polar winter Earth system processes s...

The Asia region harbors exceptional chondrichthyan (shark, ray, and chimaera) diversity but faces intense fishing pressure. The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) process provides a collaborative, evidence-based framework to identify critical habitats and inform spatial management. We assessed ISRAs across the Bay of Bengal, Southeast Asia, and the Northwest Pacific to characterize their extent, ecological significance, and...

In the Southern Hemisphere and northern Indian Ocean, there are at least five populations of pygmy blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda , residing in the Northwest Indian Ocean (NWIO, Oman), central Indian Ocean (CIO, Sri Lanka), Southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO, Madagascar to Subantarctic), Southeast Indian Ocean (SEIO, Australia to Indonesia), and Southwest Pacific Ocean (SWPO, New Zealand). Each population produces a d...