Whales are the largest and smartest ocean creatures; they roam all the world's oceans and communicate through complex and mysterious sounds. Some whales are remarkably huge; the blue whale—the largest creature on Planet Earth—can exceed 30 meters in length and can weigh 200 kilograms. Whales belong to the Cetaceans infraorder, under the Mammalia Class; this infraorder includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. One common thing between these species is that they all need our help.
Industrial revolutions and human economic interests have posed serious threats to whales. Over half of the whale species were included on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in the late 20th century. These species include humpback whales, blue whales, and southern right whales. So, how do these threats impact the environment? How can we address them to preserve these invaluable supporters of the environment? Let us find out.
The Role of Whales in Protecting Planet Earth
Whales play a significant role in supporting marine ecosystems, combating climate change, as well as maintaining the atmosphere and ocean health. Their waste, rich in iron and nitrogen, provides nutrition for planktons that absorb 40% of the total CO2 amounts on the Planet.
Moreover, the body of each one of these giant marine mammals can store about 33 tons of CO2, which is 1500 times more than what a tree can absorb annually. The economic value of this service is estimated at a trillion US dollars. The carbon capture potential of whales is truly startling. They accumulate carbon in their massive bodies during their long lives, which can last up to 200 years. When they die, their bodies sink to the bottom of the ocean carrying along with them these man-made carbon emissions. In simple terms, we need more whales in the oceans. The more whales we have, the less CO2 in the atmosphere, and the healthier oceans and marine species get.
Why are Whales Declining in Number?
Researchers estimate that whales natural ability to capture carbon has decreased by nine million tons. This is due to several reasons; mainly due to commercial hunting practices that killed three-quarters of the whale populations by the end of the past century. Strikes by large ships can also be lethal to whales. The biggest threats to whales are incidental hunting and entanglement in huge fishing gear. They sometimes have to pull these heavy instruments for long distances, which consumes their energy, reduces the fat reserves needed for reproduction, and makes them more vulnerable to some diseases.
Moreover, the recurrent entanglement in fishing gear poses reproduction challenges to female whales. A study conducted on the North Atlantic right whale, published in the Current Biology journal, realized that getting snared in fishing nets leads to stunting their growth. This has resulted in their low birth rates in recent years since female whales need to have a proper weight for reproduction and nursing the calves. Even if smaller female whales succeeded in producing offspring, their calves are weaker and around one meter shorter than average, which means they have a lesser chance of survival.
Joshua Stewart, a marine researcher involved in the study, told The Guardian that he saw “pictures of 10-year-old whales that are the size of two-year-old whales", which proves these whales suffer poor growth.
Whale numbers are also declining due to the rapid changes in ocean and sea temperatures, which do not allow enough time for some whale populations to adapt. Ocean acidification, pollution, and scarce food resources also drive whales to take long journeys that carry more threats.
Protection Policies and Efforts
Since the late 20th century, many countries around the world are exerting vigorous efforts to protect whale species against extinction. These efforts have actually succeeded in crossing out some species from the list of endangered whales. Endeavors are still going on through lobbying governments and policymakers to take action, and raising awareness of the role whales play in restoring the health of the oceans and the Planet.
Programs of conservation organizations encourage developing financial mechanisms to promote the recovery of the world's whale population. This is achieved through supporting whale sanctuaries, whale monitoring, and tracking the data of natural growth and reproduction. Furthermore, governments are undertaking efforts to address the potential threats posed by large ships and fishing ports, and to impose severe penalties to ban killing or wounding whales.
On the personal level, we can make simple changes in our lives that would make a significant impact, such as reducing the amount of plastic we use daily, using the car less, or saving electricity. These simple behaviors can make big positive differences to the environment around us.
References
bostonglobe.com
euronews.com
imf.org
theswaddle.com
unep.org