Endangered Whales across North America - Hanya Awan

Many animals in the current situation rely on their ability to grow, fight and eat on what their body allows them to do. Animals act in various ways depending on their size, which can help or prevent them from predators reaching them at great and short distances. Wales, the largest living creature on Earth, has many features that make them one of the world’s most fascinating marine animals. From having a thick layer of fat that is also known as blubber, to being baleen, which allows them to have bristle-like structures in their mouths that strain food from the water. Scientists have been conducting research and several tests, to expand their knowledge on this strong, fierce and powerful creature. Unfortunately, many types of problems that are both affecting the human and animal environment, have been influencing a population decline in whales. Experts say that only 366 endangered North Atlantic whales remain, which results in an 8% population decline at the end of each year. However, this is not the first time that we are familiar with the whale population declining, in fact, the whale population has been impacted

ever since 2011. Within the past 10 years, overall, 30% of the whale population has declined.

The population decline not only has a great impact on the whales that cannot live successfully for a long period of time but also alter other living whales that face issues in reproduction, growth, and body strength. The population decline has placed a role on female reproduction and researchers discover that there are fewer than 100 breeding females alive and more than 86% of identified and confirmed whales have been entangled. One human contribution that plays a role is whaling, which is currently legal in countries that include Japan, Norway, Iceland and Faroe Islands. This alone is not only impacting whale reproduction but also impacting whales that are struggling to survive and adapt to location changes, as many countries still portray the act of whaling as something sacred and treasured. These whales are killed and used for industrial items

for common human use such as cosmetics, meals, lamp oil and lubricants. The beluga whale population, in Canada, has been declining ever since the beginning of 1979. From several autopsies and dissections, researchers have indicated high levels of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) and high levels of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) which were stored in the fatty tissues of mammals. Dead belugas found on the shore, ocean and that were killed from whaling had confirmed cases of bladder and liver cancer. This alone does not confirm the severity of the current whale situation in Canada, other diseases were discovered that are harmful and long-lasting. These diseases include hepatitis, splenic tumours, pneumonia, herpes, skin diseases, ulcers, and blood poisoning, all of which suggest conquering the immune system. These diseases and problems do not limit revolving around Canadian whales, but also countries such as the U.S. have been dealing with similar circumstances for many years. Toxicologists based in New York have completed research on elephant seals off North Carolina shores. Similar

to Canada’s discoveries, they have observed high levels of coplanar PCBs and skin diseases in this species. Along the west coast of the United States, dissections from dolphins also demonstrate high levels of PCBs and DDTs. Chemical pollution plays a huge role in maintaining the health of sea animals. The condition and level of water influence the health and well-being of whales, dolphins, and seals every day since substances such as oil, trash, and unknown liquids either find their way into oceans or are used for industrial purposes. To create a more significant change and impact, industry representatives which include high-ranked officials like government agencies and powerful organizations (including WWF) have gathered at the annual North Atlantic Whale Right Consortium meeting to discuss and coordinate great whale conservation progress in the US and Canada, in October 2021.

Works Cited

NOAA Fisheries. “North Atlantic Right Whale | NOAA Fisheries.” Noaa.gov, 2019,

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale.

“North Atlantic Right Whale Population Continues to Decline, Raising Alarms.” World Wildlife

Fund,

www.worldwildlife.org/stories/north-atlantic-right-whale-population-continues-to-decline

-raising-alarms. Accessed 6 Jan. 2022.

“Threatened and Endangered - Save the Whales.” Save the Whales, 2017,

savethewhales.org/threatened-and-endagered/.