Save the Blue Whale

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the Blue whale needs your help

By: Alexa Signore

About Blue whales:

The Blue whale, scientifically known as Balaenoptera musculus, is a cosmopolitan species of baleen whale found in all oceans except the Arctic. In comparison to other balaenopterid whales the dorsal fin of the Blue whale is proportionately smaller and is set far back, closer to the tail flukes than to the middle of the body. They possess a mottled gray color pattern which appears light blue when seen through the water. The Blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth, with adults growing up to 33 meters long and weighing up to 200 tons! The believed average lifespan is 80-90 years, reaching sexual maturity at 5-10 years old, and reproducing about every 2-3 years. Not only is this gentle giant the largest creature on the planet, it's also one of the loudest. It's low-frequency sounds can be heard from hundreds, or even thousands of miles away. Blue whales typically travel alone or in groups of 2-3, but it's likely that even when spotted alone they may be communicating with another whale. It is assumed that Blue whale distribution is largely dependent on food requirements and that populations are seasonally migratory. Poleward movements in the Springtime allows the whales to take advantage of high plankton production in the summer. Movement toward the lower latitudes of the Subtropics in the fall allows them to reduce their energy expenditure while fasting and reproduce in warmer waters.

Population changes:

The total population of Blue whales has been depleted by 70%. The main cause for the near extinction of Blue whales can be attributed to direct exploitation; whale hunting. About 360,000 whales were killed in the 20th century in the Antarctic alone. The chart below shows the population trends.

	southern hemisphere	North Pacific	North Atlantic
pre-whaling	~175,000	~4,900	~1,300
current	~2,000	~2,500	~500

Despite this disheartening information, there is hope for recovery. The current population trend shows that Blue whale populations are increasing. 

Major Threats to Blue whales: 

The main reason that Blue whales were almost entirely wiped is due to commercial whaling, which is what caused them to be listed as endangered. Starting in the 1700s, whaling became a profitable business and Blue whales were targeted for their large amounts of blubber and their body parts. The blubber and body parts were sold to suppliers that used them for making various materials such as oil, food, and clothing. The International Whaling Commission granted worldwide protection of Blue whales in 1966, however they continued to be caught illegally until the last recorded catches occurred in 1978 off Spain. Blue whale populations in our world's oceans are now only a fraction of what they once were pre-whaling.

 Although the main threat causing Blue whales to be listed was commercial whaling, and Blue whale populations have been on the rise since being protected under the Endangered Species Act, they still face some other possible threats. The most obvious potential indirect threats are collisions with vessels, entanglement with fishing gear, reduced zooplankton due to habitat degradation, areas degraded by chemical pollution, and disturbance by acoustic pollution from ships. There is also the potential of the long term threat of climate change. According to the IUCN Red List, it is expected that during this century there will be a huge reduction in the extent of sea ice in the Antarctic. We can't be sure of the implications of this for blue whale, however it is still an issue that warrants monitoring.

example of bycatch

a blue whale hit by a ship in a busy shipping lane while asleep

Addressing the Problem

In 1970 the Blue whale was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act which became the Endangered Species Act in 1973 and is listed as "depleted" throughout its range under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Through knowledge of what the main threats to the Blue whale's continued existence are, a recovery plan was implemented July of 1998 in aims to ensure that these great creatures roam our oceans for centuries to come. The key recommended actions of the proposed recovery plan are:

"1) determine population structures of blue whales
2) estimate population size & monitor trends in abundance
3) identify & protect essential habitats
4) minimize or eliminate human-caused injury & mortality
5) coordinate state, federal, & international actions to implement recovery efforts
6) determine & minimize any detrimental effects of directed vessel & aircraft interactions
7) maximize efforts to acquire scientific information from dead, stranded & entangled animals"

Check out this video showcasing these amazing creatures!

How I plan to Help and How You Can Join Me:

I've researched a few easy ways that I can help, and encourage you all to join me. We can all support efforts to improve fishing gear by only buying seafood that is MSC certified to help reduce marine bycatch which is killing whales and other marine life. Donate any amount of money to a conservation organization like the World Wildlife Fund, and also raise awareness about the possible effects of global warming on Blue whales and other marine life. Along with this I've started to make lifestyle changes that will reduce my contribution to global warming by significantly reducing my carbon footprint. Calculate your carbon footprint for free here to see where you may be able to cut back yours.

To learn more check out these helpful sights :

http://www.savethewhales.org/blue.html

http://www.climate.org/topics/ecosystems/whales-endangered-climate-change.html

Works cited:

"Blue Whale." WWF -. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.

"Support the." Balaenoptera Musculus (Blue Whale, Pygmy Blue Whale, Sibbold's Rorqual, Sulphur-bottom Whale). N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.

By, Prepared, Randall R. Reeves, Phillip J. Clapham,, Robert L. Brownell, Jr., And Gregory K. Silber, and For The. RECOVERY PLAN FOR THE BLUE WHALE (n.d.): n. pag. Web.

"STW - Blue Whale." STW - Blue Whale. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.

"Blue Whale - Endangered Species Listing." Blue Whale. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015