http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/mediterranean-whales-bear-the-brunt-of-industrys-historic-toxins/
Species Description
The fin whale, or finback whale (Balaenoptera physalus), is the second largest mammal in the world, after the blue whale. A fin whale is typically 65 to 80 feet in length, and can weigh almost 80 tons. Unfortunately, these animals are endangered.
Fin whales are nicknamed “razorback” whales after a ridge on their back behind their dorsal fins. They can swim the fastest of all large whales at 30 mph, giving them the nickname “greyhound of the seas”.
Fin whales are nicknamed “razorback” whales after a ridge on their back behind their dorsal fins. They can swim the fastest of all large whales at 30 mph, giving them the nickname “greyhound of the seas”.
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/fin-whale
Interestingly, fin whales have lower jaws that are two different colors: white on the right side and black on the left side. It is thought that fin whales frighten fish into denser schools by circling them with their white side, so that they can more easily catch the fish.
Population and Habitat
There are an estimated 50,000 to 90,000 finback whales today. These whales live in the ocean habitat. They can be found in the Gulf of California, in the Coral Triangle, and in the Arctic. Fin whales migrate closer to the equator during the winter months for breeding and giving birth. In the summer months, they migrate to the colder areas of the Arctic and Antarctic for feeding. Fin whales have a lifespan of 80 to 90 years. | http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=40 |
Role in Ecosystem
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/fin-whale | Fin whales are at the top of the marine food chain. Because of this, they are important to the overall health of the ocean. By eating large amounts of fish and krill, they keep those populations in check. After the whales die, their carcasses provide food for animals on the ocean floor. Large communities of parasites (like barnacles, lice, and worms) use fin whales as their hosts. |
Cause of Decline
Commercial whaling has caused much of their decline. Fin whales are hunted for their oil, baleen, and blubber. Between 1904 and 1979, almost 750,000 fin whales were killed in the southern hemisphere. Today, fin whales are rarely seen in the southern hemisphere. Even when they are not hunted directly, fin whales can be killed in boating incidents and from getting caught in fishing gear. | http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/fin_whale/ |
Pollution and climate change also have led to the decline of fin whales. Climate change has caused a reduction in Antarctic krill, a primary food source for whales in the southern hemisphere. Pollutants build up in their bodies, and can cause health and reproductive issues.
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/fin_whale/ | Another threat to fin whales is military sonar and seismic surveys. Because fin whales use low frequency sounds to communicate, these can interfere with mating. Although I was unable to find cascading effects of the decline of fin whales, these animals are necessary for the stability of their marine ecosystem. As more and more fin whales die, the tourism industry is also adversely affected. |
Conservation Efforts
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) regulates whaling and threats to whales, including shipping, climate change, and bycatch. There are currently whale sanctuaries in the Antarctic and Indian Oceans, where all commercial whaling is prohibited.
The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan was implemented by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Fisheries Service in order to prevent whales from being caught in fishing gear. This plan places restrictions on the placement and type of fishing gear, performs research on whale populations and behavior, and trains responders to disentangle whales from fishing gear and debris.
What You Can Do to Help
Only buy seafood that is MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified. This seafood is obtained from sustainable fisheries, which support efforts to improve fishing gear. This reduces the incidence of bycatch, which kills fin whales. Share this information with your friends, family, and strangers on social media! The more that people are aware of threats to these amazing creatures, the closer we will come to protecting them! | http://veganistan.org/2015/06/action-tell-st-kitts-nevis-to-save-whales/ |
You can also donate to organizations like the World Wildlife Fund, which acts to protect endangered species.
Sources
http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/Protected/whaletrp/
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/fin_whale/
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/fin-whale
http://www.seashepherd.org/lightbox_pages/fin_whale.php?iframe
http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=89
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=40
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Balaenoptera_physalus/
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/fin_whale/
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/fin-whale
http://www.seashepherd.org/lightbox_pages/fin_whale.php?iframe
http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=89
http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=40
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Balaenoptera_physalus/