Whales and Dolphins in Danger
In 2007, a film called “The Cove” was released revealing the savage hunt of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. In 2013, “Blackfish” was released, revealing the monstrosities of keeping killer whales captive at SeaWorld. Both films received award nominations and massive media attention for their call to action and revelation of the endangerments of marine mammals. However, there are so many more dangers to whales and dolphins than just dolphin slaughter, or circus shows at SeaWorld. This paper will cover the threats to these marine mammals, and why the world should care about their endangerment. Some of these factors that threaten and harm whales and dolphins are bycatch, pollution, captivity, and hunting. The world should …show more content…
Even whales, large ones included, are not exempt from bycatch. They may even be more prone to it, possibly due to their large size and slow movement. Whales, specifically the species right whales of the North Atlantic, do not die right away, as they are more difficult to kill. Right whales “may carry fishing gear for months or years, before succumbing to infection or starvation (Read)”. This is typical of bycatch, where animals are not even put out of their misery after being struck, but rather left to die in prolonged pain. Even if the whale is killed after being struck, it can be sold for consumption, which is also a controversial issue and illegal in parts of the …show more content…
Both serve as ecological indicators of the ocean. If a whale or a dolphin has a certain disease, illness, or injury, it signals that something is wrong in the ocean, whether it is pollution, runoff, illegal activity, or climate change. Both also provide valuable ecosystem services. Dolphins are at the top of the food chain, and can be considered a keystone species, especially since they tend to feed on sick or injured fish, therefore cleaning up the ocean and for us, keeping the sick fish from getting into our food; essentially, dolphins are like decomposers, cleaning up the ocean. Whales serve as nutrient recyclers; they act as both predators to a wide range of fish, but can also be prey to other killer whales. After their death, even, they provide nutrients for other organisms. Whales store a lot of carbon in their bodies so in death they serve as both food and as a home to other creatures. Dolphins and whales’ roles in their ecosystems are of course of utmost importance. Amazingly, they also rival humans in intelligence, specifically
In 2007, a film called “The Cove” was released revealing the savage hunt of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. In 2013, “Blackfish” was released, revealing the monstrosities of keeping killer whales captive at SeaWorld. Both films received award nominations and massive media attention for their call to action and revelation of the endangerments of marine mammals. However, there are so many more dangers to whales and dolphins than just dolphin slaughter, or circus shows at SeaWorld. This paper will cover the threats to these marine mammals, and why the world should care about their endangerment. Some of these factors that threaten and harm whales and dolphins are bycatch, pollution, captivity, and hunting. The world should …show more content…
Even whales, large ones included, are not exempt from bycatch. They may even be more prone to it, possibly due to their large size and slow movement. Whales, specifically the species right whales of the North Atlantic, do not die right away, as they are more difficult to kill. Right whales “may carry fishing gear for months or years, before succumbing to infection or starvation (Read)”. This is typical of bycatch, where animals are not even put out of their misery after being struck, but rather left to die in prolonged pain. Even if the whale is killed after being struck, it can be sold for consumption, which is also a controversial issue and illegal in parts of the …show more content…
Both serve as ecological indicators of the ocean. If a whale or a dolphin has a certain disease, illness, or injury, it signals that something is wrong in the ocean, whether it is pollution, runoff, illegal activity, or climate change. Both also provide valuable ecosystem services. Dolphins are at the top of the food chain, and can be considered a keystone species, especially since they tend to feed on sick or injured fish, therefore cleaning up the ocean and for us, keeping the sick fish from getting into our food; essentially, dolphins are like decomposers, cleaning up the ocean. Whales serve as nutrient recyclers; they act as both predators to a wide range of fish, but can also be prey to other killer whales. After their death, even, they provide nutrients for other organisms. Whales store a lot of carbon in their bodies so in death they serve as both food and as a home to other creatures. Dolphins and whales’ roles in their ecosystems are of course of utmost importance. Amazingly, they also rival humans in intelligence, specifically