Global climate change versus the whales
Posted by Page (in Amsterdam)
 Small group of beluga whales swimming near ice. Photo by Robyn Angliss, NMML. Click for larger. |
These include deadly physical harm to whales and other cetaceans from ships and fishing nets, bioaccumulation of toxic pollutants in whales' systems, a cacophony of ocean noise such as military sonar, and, of course, climate change.
 Decline in Arctic sea ice over the last 20 years. (Click for larger.) |
The innocent-looking graph on the right is from a joint report issued by the World Wildlife Federation and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society today. The report is called "Whales in Hot Water -The Impact of A Changing Climate on Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises. That graph shows the dramatic decrease in Arctic sea ice over the past 20 years. With accelerating climate change comes faster loss of sea ice, and a subsequent loss of habitat for some whales, such as belugas and others that are permanent residents of the Arctic waters. Climate change also affects the salinity of ocean water (because of melting ice and increased rainfall), increase in ocean water acidity (from increasing atmospheric CO2), and a decrease in whales' food supply, such as krill.
Here are some excerpts from the joint WDCS/WWF press release. Obviously, some of the human-related dangers whales are facing now will only get worse if we don't slow down global warming:
Accelerating climate change adds significantly to disturbances from other human activities, such as chemical and noise pollution, collisions with ships and entanglement in fishing nets, which kills some 1,000 cetaceans every day....
And as sea ice cover decreases, there will be more human activities, such as commercial shipping, oil, gas and mining exploration and development as well as military activities, in previously untouched areas of the Arctic [example].
“This will result in much greater risks from oil and chemical spills, worse acoustic disturbance and more collisions between whales and ships,” said the lead author of the report, Wendy Elliott of WWF’s Global Species Programme.
And I believe the following really underscores the absolute urgency, the need for action:
Climate change could also be the nail in the coffin for the last 300 or so endangered North Atlantic right whales, as the survival of their calves has been directly related to the effects of climate variability on prey abundance.
So, you see, things really do go "beyond the harpoon". And saving the whales really does start at home, because even though a particular government may be against commercial whaling, they need to go the extra mile and do everything in their power to decrease carbon emissions and stop global warming. They need to pass laws on the local level, and participate in international discussions about creating marine sanctuaries where whales are safe to breed, thrive, and go about their lives without risking being blasted by sonar or killed by a ship's propeller.
And that's how the report ends, with a set of guidelines for governments, and recommendations to the IWC to include workshops and discussions on the impact of climate change on cetaceans at their meetings.
As for us activists, we too have to look beyond the harpoon. Ending commercial whaling is a wonderful goal, but it's really only the beginning of what we have to accomplish.
Keep up the good work, because we're not out of time... yet.
