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California Blue Whales Rebound From Whaling
vinces99 writes: The number of California blue whales has rebounded to near historical levels, according to new research (abstract) by the University of Washington, and while the number of blue whales struck by ships is likely above allowable U.S. limits, such strikes do not immediately threaten that recovery. This is the only population of blue whales known to have recovered from whaling – blue whales as a species having been hunted nearly to extinction. Blue whales – nearly 100 feet in length and weighing 190 tons as adults – are the largest animals on Earth and the heaviest ever, weighing more than twice as much as the largest known dinosaur, the Argentinosaurus. They are an icon of the conservation movement and many people want to minimize harm to them, according to Trevor Branch, UW assistant professor of aquatic and fishery sciences. California blue whales, most visible while feeding 20 to 30 miles off the California coast, range from the equator to the Gulf of Alaska. Today they number about 2,200, according to monitoring by other research groups, which is likely about 97 percent of the historical levels.
Wessels.
Its totally possible to make changes in human behavior to minimize or reverse destructive impacts on ecosystems. Obviously every scenario will be different but lets keep it up!
>> Those where (X) not (Y). Turn in your geek card
Syntax error in query expression.
As has already been pointed, out, 190 tons > 65 tons. The author of the summary could well have done his research today, and said "wow. This new article claims that the Dreadnoughtus schrani is roughly 65 tons. If only it had been 2 tons lighter, I could have claimed the blue whale to be 3 times the size of the largest dinosaur, rather than just "more than twice much".
Yes, it's the largest creature to ever walk on land, but that's only because no whale has ever walked on land.
Yes, it's the largest creature to ever walk on land, but that's only because no whale has ever walked on land.
Disclaimer: I have not done any research to substantiate this claim, and I realize it's impossible to prove a negative, but I'm fairly certain there are no documented cases of walking whales.
How about someone pointing out that your romantic notion of environmentalism changing American business is bogus.
American business gave up on whaling for economic reasons, because they could make more dollars elsewhere. Whaling declined in the US due to two major factors. The industrial revolution gave investors and workers more options than going to sea chasing whales, and petrochemical based products replaced whale based products.
Look at those who are most enthusiastic about whaling today. Its primarily people who think whales are tasty, or one of the few available local foods (very northern latitudes). Americans never developed a real taste for whale, which probably contributed more to the survival of whales species than every environmentalist video put together.
So while the videos were not necessarily propaganda, many did contain a somewhat accurate portrayal of whaling, they were not terribly important. Americans are not terribly sympathetic about the suffering of animals we think tasty, fortunately for whales we did not develop the taste.
But what about flying whales? (or should that be falling ones)... Another thing that got forgotten was the fact that against all probability a sperm whale had suddenly been called into existence several miles above the surface of an alien planet. And since this is not a naturally tenable position for a whale, this poor innocent creature had very little time to come to terms with its identity as a whale before it then had to come to terms with not being a whale any more.