Celebrating World Whale Day: Protect Blue Whales
The third Saturday of February is World Whale Day, a day to raise awareness about the importance of whales and how we can protect them. Whales play an important role in our ocean’s ecosystems. Whales help to regulate the food chain, support the growth and health of phytoplankton, and distribute nutrients throughout the ocean.
There are 40 species of whales, which are divided into two categories: the baleen and toothed. Baleen whales (including the blue, humpback, and bowhead whales) have fibrous plates in their mouths, which filter out plankton, krill, and crustaceans. Toothed whales (which include narwhales and belugas) have teeth and can eat squid or fish.
Of all the whales, the blue whale is the only one that takes the prize of being the largest whale and the largest animal ever known to exist. The blue whale has a maximum length of around 100 feet and a maximum weight of about 190 tons. Their tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant, and their heart as much as a car!
In addition to their size, they are also one of the loudest animals in the world. They emit a series of pulses, groans, and moans that, with the right oceanographic conditions, sounds emitted by blue whales can be heard by other whales up to 1,000 miles away.
Blue whales are found in all oceans except the Arctic Ocean. Notable areas for blue whale sightings include the waters off the coasts of California, Sri Lanka, Australia, Chile, Iceland, and Antarctica. In addition to sea temperatures and ocean currents, their distribution is driven by food availability, primarily in areas where krill, their main source of food, are concentrated. During their feeding season, they must eat two to three tons of krill daily.
Blue whales play an important part in the marine food chain and in maintaining the health of our oceans. Their iron-rich poop is an important source of nutrients in the marine food chain. This helps promote Southern Ocean productivity and the growth of phytoplankton and other microorganisms, boosting fishery yields.
Blue whale populations worldwide are dwindling in response to vessel strikes, entanglement in fishing gear such as traps, pots and nets, commercial whaling activities, and climate change. The total number of blue whales ranges from 10,000 to 25,000. At the start of the 20th century, the estimated global population of blue whales was between 250,000 and 350,000 individuals. Today, blue whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We must take action through events like World Whale Day to protect blue whale populations.
Protecting the blue whale not only on World Whale Day but every day is important to maintain a balanced and healthy marine ecosystem. The growth of phytoplankton increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Furthermore, their bodies will sink to the ocean floor when they die and sequester carbon for long periods. Blue whales are also culturally significant animals and serve as ambassadors for marine conservation.
There are many ways you can celebrate World Whale Day, which include:
- Learning more about whales by reading about them online or visiting a nature museum in your area.
- Applying international pressure to ban commercial whaling.
- Celebrate World Whale Day.
- Helping to preserve the ocean by conserving water, cutting out pollutants, shopping carefully and reducing excess weight.
- Watching a documentary about whales to gain insight into how you can contribute to making a safer place for them.
However, you choose to celebrate World Whale Day is one step towards protecting the blue whale, but also the other whales that roam out oceans and may be at risk due to human interferance and climate change.
