Many whales, once thriving marine giants, are now hovering on the brink of extinction, an unfortunate fate largely driven by human activity. In years past, this travesty might make you think of global whaling issues, but today the shipping industry is the main threat to whales. The shipping industry is diminishing the whale population by accidental collisions with careless vessels. Around 20,000 whales are killed yearly due to intruding ships unknowingly striking these marine mammals.
The U.S. Administration Backing Down
The federal government has withdrawn a law proposed by the National Marine Fisheries Service around two years ago. The law would require vessels to sail at lower speeds in East Coast waters in an effort to salvage the remaining population of North Atlantic Right whales. According to APnews.com, “Federal authorities said there’s no way to implement the rules before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Monday.” Regrettably for the whales, President Trump’s main focus and support is geared toward marine industries and less on environmental conservation.
North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic Right whale is an endangered species whose future is in the hands of ship captains and fishermen venturing across the ocean. Over the centuries, these whales have been through many hardships. In the early 1890s, Commercial whalers hunted right whales to the edge of extinction. According to NOAA.gov, “They got their name from being the ‘right’ whales to hunt because they floated when they were killed.” Today, North Atlantic Right whales face extinction from fisherman entanglements and boat collisions with a population of less than 370 and only about 70 reproductive females.
North Atlantic Rights whales can be found in the North Pacific Ocean or Southern Hemisphere. They can live to be more than 100 years old, but NOAA.gov states that females only live for about 45 years while males live up to 65 years. Their shortened lifespans are a result of human-caused hazards rather than natural aging. Female whales that go through the stress from reproduction are more vulnerable than males to dying from fishing entanglements and boat collisions, making the population unbalanced with more males than females. Female Right whales can produce one calf at a time after a year-long pregnancy. NOAA.gov states, “Three years is considered a normal or healthy interval between right whale births. But now, on average, females are having calves every 6 to 10 years.” Biologists believe the longer gaps between birth are due to the stress females undergo during entanglements.
Why are Whales Important?
Whales’ positive impact on the environment and humanity is often overlooked. Billions of dollars are captured yearly from whale watching, a tourism activity that helps fund coastal communities and economies globally. Being the largest animal on earth, whales help stabilize marine ecosystems. After a whale dies a natural death, it becomes a food source for surrounding creatures for up to 50 years, and waste from the whale fertilizes marine ecosystems. These aquatic mammals help clean the air by providing nutrients to ocean plants that play a major role in converting carbon dioxide to oxygen.
According to Stopkillingwhales.com, “Whales have a symbiotic relationship with sea algae known as phytoplankton. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen as a waste product.” An estimated 50% to 85% of Earth’s oxygen is supplied by phytoplankton.
What can you do to help?
Through whales.org you can donate, adopt, and/or name a whale. When adopting a whale, you have one of two options to pick from. If you adopt a whale for one year for $60, you will receive a personalized adoption certificate, a photo of the adopted whale, and updates about the whale’s life. Another option would be to adopt for two years which comes with all of the original amenities but an included fee of $100. For $1,000, you will get to name a whale. Other ways you can contribute are volunteering to travel to help save oceans, shopping for gifts and merchandise on the website, hosting a fundraiser, donating cryptocurrency, and donating stocks.
https://apnews.com/article/whales-speed-deaths-shipping-6e7c82b82c258317cf085e23ee7b9222
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/10102023/vessel-strikes-on-whales-are-worsening-with-warming/
https://whalesafe.com/whales-matter/
https://adopt-us.whales.org/?srsltid=AfmBOorBkcbJXzzpZp-2H0x7CPzVoaupPfxPFuo_m0DHEx5h9JJ0d3sE
