| Whale hunting? Exactly what research are they | | | | and delicate; all living organisms depend on the other |
| doing? | | | | for existence. |
| Japan has stated they are doing Whale research in | | | | Is the Whale Population Increasing in Numbers? |
| killing these poor creatures. Well, what exactly are | | | | The humpback whale has been moved from |
| they researching? What journals have come out of | | | | "Vulnerable" to "Least Concern" on the 2008 |
| Japan on Whales? What new theories do they have | | | | International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) |
| to offer? Why are we kept in the dark? | | | | Red List. It is estimated that there are 40,000 |
| Antarctic Paradox: Delicate Balance of the Marine | | | | mature individuals and there are good reports for the |
| Ecosystem | | | | current breeding season in the Southern hemisphere. |
| During the early 20th century, the blue whale | | | | But now, scientists have also found hundreds of |
| population was nearly decimated due to overhunting. | | | | baby whales in a bay on the north west of Australia, |
| As a result, the near-eradication led to a paradoxical | | | | which is thought to be one of the world’s |
| fall-off in krill. Krill are tiny, shrimp-like creatures that | | | | biggest humpback whale nursery grounds. The |
| blue whales and other sea creatures depend on for | | | | commercially important large whales have for the |
| food. If the blue whales were nearly decimated, then | | | | most part responded well under protection. The |
| why didn’t the krill population, the whales’ | | | | southern right whale is also now listed as having a |
| food source, explode? Research discovered that | | | | low risk of extinction. Several other whales, such as |
| whales maintained a very productive, cyclic | | | | the blue and sei whales, are also growing in number, |
| ecosystem. The whales’ excrement contains iron | | | | but are still listed as endangered. In all, nearly a |
| in which the algae on the water’s surface needs | | | | quarter of the 86 cetacean species assessed, |
| for existence. In return, the krill feeds on the algae | | | | including whales, dolphins and porpoises, are |
| and then the whales and other sea creatures feed | | | | considered threatened, with nine species listed as |
| on the krill. As a result, if the whales disappear, there | | | | Endangered or Critically Endangered. It is believed that |
| would be no algae for the krill to feed on thus the | | | | this is most likely underestimating the situation as |
| decline of the krill population. This paradox, called the | | | | there is not enough data to classify 44 of the |
| Antarctic Paradox, illustrates clearly how ecosystems, | | | | species. |
| in this case the marine ecosystem, are very sensitive | | | | |