Whales . . . Should Cruisers Care ?

[hpeer]

Made me think of this which I have posted before.

Adolescent beluga. He/she hung around for months. Would be in harbor about every other day.

There is now one hanging around another town, next bay over. Been there a couple of years last I heard. They have rescued it from nets at least twice.

Interactions such as ours change your feelings.

Newfoundland East coast.

[GordMay]

New summer measures coming to protect B.C.'s southern resident killer whales
The federal government is bringing back a list of seasonal measures to protect the endangered southern resident killer whales — and adding a few more.
More reporting about ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...ures-1.6440323

Killers: J pod on the brink ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcas...d-on-the-bring

“The Government of Canada outlines 2022 measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales’
➥ https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-c...er-whales.html

Overview of 2022 management measures to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales
➥ https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/...-eng.html#maps

ECHO Program projects and initiatives
➥ https://www.portvancouver.com/enviro...gram/projects/

[GordMay]

Only 10 vaquita porpoises survive, but species may not be doomed, scientists say
If they can escape death in poachers' nets, the endangered marine mammal is well poised to rebound, despite inbreeding.

The vaquita porpoise is the world’s smallest cetacean*, and the most endangered marine mammal. It has the smallest range of any whale, dolphin or porpoise, and only lives in a small 1,500 square-mile area in Mexico’s upper Gulf of California [Sea of Cortez], near the town of San Felipe.
Around 570 animals were recorded in 1999, and this fell to 10 animals in 2019.

The vaquita is widely thought to be on the verge of extinction, but a new scientific analysis [1] by a team of biologists, concludes the species remains relatively healthy and can survive, if the illegal use of 'gillnet' fishing ceases promptly.

More about ➥ https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0505143218.htm

[1] “The critically endangered vaquita is not doomed to extinction by inbreeding depression” ~ by Jacqueline A. Robinson et al
➥ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm1742

See also:
“Using genomics to fight extinction” ~ by Catherine E. Grueber & Paul Sunnucks
➥ https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abp9874

“Endangered vaquita remain genetically healthy even in low numbers” ~ NOAA 2020
➥ https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...1023123115.htm

* The Vaquita has a rounded head, and black patches around its mouth and eyes. It only measures up to five feet in size.
Illustration:

[GordMay]

Big ships are killing whale sharks

Tracking data [1], from endangered whale sharks (Rhincodon typus), suggest that the endangered gentle giants are being killed by large vessels. Researchers [1] tracked the movements of large vessels, such as tankers and cargo ships, and a total of 348 whale sharks, for seven years. Each month, more than 90% on average, of vessel traffic worldwide, overlapped with areas used by sharks. And sharks, whose tracking tags showed that they were sinking, and were therefore likely to be dead, tended to be on busy shipping routes.
“As a first step to address this crisis, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) could develop a global reporting scheme” for collisions, say the scientists*.

* More about: “Whale sharks: how we discovered what’s killing so many of the world’s largest fish” ➥ https://theconversation.com/whale-sh...st-fish-182531

[1] “Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world’s largest fish, the whale shark” ~ by Freya C. Womersley et al
➥ https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2117440119

[GordMay]

The return of a mother humpback whale [‘Big Mama’, BCY0324*] and calf to B.C. waters should be cause for celebration, but instead it’s causing dismay and concern, says Susie Washington-Smyth, for co-ordinator for the Southern Gulf Island Whale Sighting Network [1], which has more than 50 volunteer observers, on three different islands, tracking the distribution, frequency, and types of whales, frequenting the waters around Saturna, Pender and Mayne islands.

The network noted as many as eight vessels at a time, upwards of five hours a day, in the vicinity of the humpbacks, while in Boundary Pass earlier this week.

Voluntary guidelines [there’s no Canadian regulation against boats tailing whales all day, but Washington state has limits on the number of hours an endangered southern resident killer whale can be trailed by vessels, and only allows a maximum of three boats, at any given time] suggest whale watching boats only remain 30 minutes with whales. Most depart within the recommended time, but they are simply replaced by other boats.
Sunday through Tuesday, sighters observed violations, such as boats getting between the mother and calf, and breaches of minimum distance rules [staying at least 200 metres away from a humpback with a calf - in U.S. waters it’s only 100 metres from a humpback and calf].

* “Big Mama” was first sighted in these waters in 1997, and was the first Humpback to be spotted in the Juan De Fuca strait, in almost 100 years. Up until a ban, in 1965, Humpback Whales were very scarce, in the North Pacific because of whaling. Since 2003 she has been seen consistently throughout PNW waters, and has brought at least six calves with her, over the years.
Big Mama was again spotted Monday, May 2/22, with her calf, in Boundary Pass, after crossing the Pacific from winter breeding grounds in Hawaii. Her last calf, “Pop-Tart”, was born in 2016, and named for his or her fondness of playfully popping up out of the water.
Last year, a record 21 humpback whale calves were sighted throughout the Salish Sea.
More about Big Mama ➥ https://www.pacificwhalewatchassociation.com/media

[1] Southern Gulf Island Whale Sighting Network [SIMRES] ➥ https://simres.ca/projects/sgi-whale-sighting-network/

Pacific Whale Watch Association [PWWA]
A community of ecotourism professionals [whale watching tours, in Washington State, and British Columbia.
➥ https://www.pacificwhalewatchassociation.com/

“2022 management measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales” ~ Fisheries and Oceans Canada [DFO]
➥ https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/...s-ers-eng.html
DFO 24 Hr Marine Mammal incident hotline: 1-800-465-4336

Southern Resident Killer Whale: Species at Risk recovery
➥ https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/gul...s-species/srkw

[GordMay]

Mysterious 16ft Whale With Tiny Flippers Washes Up Dead on California Coast*

Scientists believe it's a type of beaked whale [there are at least 22 species of beaked whales], an elusive deep water [3,300 - 10,000 feet deep] species, that is rarely seen in the wild. Sometimes referred to as giant bottlenose whales, they resemble dolphins, but they have tiny flippers and long rows of tusk-like teeth.

More ➥ https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/artic...h-17182197.php

If any members of the public find a dead animal washed up on the shores of Mendocino County, report them to Noyo Center’s Stranding Coordinator, Sarah Grimes at (707)-813-7925.
If a live marine mammal in distress is located, contact the Marine Mammal Center at (415)-289-SEAL.


Noyo Center for Marine Science ➥ https://noyocenter.org/

* At Mendocino County’s Jug Handel State Natural Reserve, near Fort Bragg, 3.5 hours north of San Francisco.

[GordMay]

Underwater rescue: Spanish divers free whale trapped in illegal fishing net

The weakened whale had been spotted by a ship about five kilometres off the eastern coast of Mallorca, prompting Palma de Mallorca's Aquarium marine rescue centre into action.
They discovered the whale completely trapped in the red fishing net so it could not even open its mouth.
After initial attempts to cut the net from a boat failed, divers from Albatros and Skualo diving centres joined the effort and plunged into the sea to remove the mesh with their knives in a daring 45-minute operation.
Drift nets are nicknamed "walls of death" for the quantity of other sea life they catch in addition to the fish they are set to capture. They were banned by the United Nations 30 years ago.

Video ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2036322883897/



A 12-metre-long humpback whale is seen entangled in an illegal drift net near Cala Millor beach, on the Balearic island of Mallorca, Spain, on May 20.

[GordMay]

Researchers confirm new J pod calf to be female
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...male-1.6469274

Video ➥

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le9ttEy3Wwc

➥https://youtu.be/Le9ttEy3Wwc


The sex of the newest calf [“J59"], born [likely in late February] in the waters off British Columbia, to a critically endangered pod of killer whales, has been determined - she’s a girl.
The Centre for Whale Research says having another female is good news for the just over 70 southern resident orcas, because populations within the species' three pods, J, K, and L, [of almost exclusively salmon-eating orcas off the northwest coast] are "largely limited by the number of reproductively aged females."


Mom J37 with baby J59

[GordMay]

Whale [Orca] adrift in Seine to be euthanized after failed rescue bid
The 4-metre (13-foot) orca, identified as a male, was first spotted at the mouth of the Seine, on May 16, between the port of Le Havre, and the town of Honfleur, in Normandy, before it swam dozens of miles upstream, to reach west of the city of Rouen.
The local prefecture tried, on Saturday, to guide the whale back to the sea, with a drone, while emitting orca sounds.
But the whale responded "erratically" and "incoherently" to the sound stimuli, the prefecture of the Seine maritime area said in a statement. Sound recording of the whale captured what they said was akin to distress calls by the animal.
Scientists reviewed pictures and data from the intervention and concluded that the animal was suffering from mucormycosis, or black fungus, a disease seen in whales in North America, but that had not been observed in Europe yet.
The disease seemed very advanced in this case, and was probably causing the whale major suffering.
"In these conditions, the expert group [including the French office for biodiversity (OFB) as well as the Sea Shepherd NGO] concluded unanimously that the only possible solution was to euthanise the animal to end his suffering and, also, to carry out advanced analysis of the disease it is carrying," the prefecture added.
Reuters reporting ➥ https://www.reuters.com/world/europe...id-2022-05-29/

[Retirement home]

Originally Posted by Maren

The only question you asked was if you were naïve. My guess though is you probably didn’t intend us to answer that.

It seems you were asking if whales would attack humans as retribution for humans hunting them. That’s possible; there are times when it looks so, however, it’s also likely to be a form of Anthropomorhism.

People whom eat healthy generally accept wealthy. Eg health is wealth.
Mind wind?

Whales are evolving hunting tactics due to burdening nature of land animal access to ocean schools.

Such new style of hunting is a smaller meal from much smaller schools. Internet shows whales trapping habits.

Retribution for hunting them? Maybe.
Pissed of and ill thoughted becoming I'll let them know we need food too? Maybe.

At local we have small dolphin pod. Kayaking easy to use vessel for collection of rubbish. Met one of the Green Peace seamen whilst walking the rocks picking up plastics; he was doing same. We chatted. Basically same say, about glad to see an extra set of hands. Abit of exercise, relaxing, stretching. If more did that ocean health would enable more schools to establish. Really is simple.
Dolphins see this too. They've protected me before. I can't see beneath but sense is scent. Beautiful when a hunting shark is near because body gets free focus from mass of concentrated schools. Dolphins formed a circle and swam until I shore that darn wind made me feel cold.
If we want to help protect our beautiful singing and dancing whales I believe we need to pick up our rubbish and reduce our birth rates as humans.

Homos are so gay, happy this happy that. 600 million years ago homoerectus fathered our 150 million year old ancestors homosapian. We blended with Neanderthals and today we are often shell fish building a barrier such as perfume and golden jewels to pretend we can port tack on draft call rather than just be real and share a beautiful part of a much larger world than just planet earth.

Love from whales; more breathtaking than a man that admires cloth arguments with wind

[GordMay]

10 Interesting Facts About Pilot Whales
Pilot whales are long, slender, and relatively small whales from the dolphin family Delphinidae. Their Latin name Globicephala (meaning "round head" or "globe head") is fitting since one of their most obvious identifying characteristics is their bulb-like head. Another important identifying feature is their small mouth, which slants up toward their eyes, giving the appearance that the pilot whale is always smiling.

1. There Are Two Subspecies: Short-finned and Long-finned
2. They Are the Second Largest Animal in the Dolphin Family
3. Their Calves Are Born Six Feet Long
4. They Eat Up to 70 Pounds Each Day
5. They Are Very Intelligent and Easily Trained
6. They Are Social Creatures
7. They Are Known for Mass Strandings
8. They Are Considered the Cheetahs of the Deep
9. They Travel in Both Hemispheres
10. They Are Often Killed for Meat, Fertilizer, and Oil

More about ➥ https://owlcation.com/stem/10-Facts-about-Pilot-Whales

[ImaginaryNumber]

New Zealand: Whale may have caused boat flip that killed five

Five people have died in New Zealand after a birdwatching boat capsized, possibly after colliding with a whale.

Eleven people, mostly from the birdwatching group, were onboard when the boat capsized on Saturday in Goose Bay near the town of Kaikōura.

[hpeer]

I suspect humbacks take little heed of our presence. There have been a couple of videos of them landing on boats after a breech. I enjoy them but they do worry me. No ill intent, just oblivious to our presence, during a breech.

[Manateeman]

11 people on a 28 foot boat. See anything that might have to do with stability ?
This was a modified vee hull. Outboard powered. Not a catamaran but a monohull. A number of people move to one side to see something or get a photo and water comes over the rail and people start sliding on the wet deck. Panic. Overloading. These two conditions have killed more people in boats than whales including whalers killed hunting whales. They knew sperm whales can be very aggressive. There is a beautiful painting in the New Bedford Whaling Museum of a sperm whale biting a whale boat in two and killing sailors in the water with his tale. Sperm whales are not the whales you want to go looking for in a small open boat. The survivors will provide the details as to what happened. We would not be surprised if a sperm whale attacked them for no reason at all nor would we be surprised if whales did not contact the boat at all.
This is just a sad story.
The manatee crew and Captain Mark

[TrentePieds]

Manatee said " A number of people move to one side to see something or get a photo and water comes over the rail and people start sliding on the wet deck. Panic. Overloading. These two conditions have killed more people in boats than whales including whalers killed hunting whales."

Spot on Mantatee:-)! That same scenario is precisely what sank Leviathan II of the west cost of Vancouver Island a coupla years ago.

The long and the short of it is that no matter how competent is the skipper - Leviathan's skipper WAS competent - you can't control the lubbers once they spot a whale!

TrentePieds