How whales survived the Ice Age

Recent research into ancient mammalian species has identified DNA that shows how bowhead whales survived the last Ice Age when compared to larger cold-adapted mammals such as mammoths.

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First Sighting of Rare Whale

The rare spade-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon traversii) has been seen for the first time on a New Zealand beach. The species was previously only known from bones from incomplete skulls that scientists had found over 140 year period, in 1872, 1950 and 1986. This new sighting occurred after a mother and her male calf were washed up and stranded on the beach.

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A unicorn whale?

You would probably recognise them by their distinctive appearance, but how much do you know about the toothed whale, the narwhal? It turns out researchers are also vague about the specifics of a narwhal’s life and how it may change as a result of global warming.  

The WWF are trying to establish how Arctic melting is affecting ice – associated species such as the narwhal. Dr. Peter Ewins of WWF-Canada and his team tagged nine individuals in August of this year to try and establish how the elusive narwhal would cope with shrinking sea ice. Dr. Ewins is waiting on the results of their movement patterns to compare with anecdotal evidence of local Inuit’s to try and initiate a successful conservation plan. This is because narwhals are classed as near threatened by the IUCN, with their population at only approximately 50,000 - 80,000 individuals due to hunting practices for their meat and tusk.

Their long, helical tusk was thought to have initiated the fairytales of unicorns and who could blame anyone for being inspired by this mysterious species! The tusks originate from their left canine tooth and males can have tusks that reach up to 3m in length and in 1 out of 500 males, two are produced! Females also possess a tusk, but it is shorter and is not helical in shape. It is thought the tusk has evolved via sexual selection in a similar process to that of the peacock and its feathers. In addition to this, you may have thought the tusk could be used to break through ice patches enabling the narwhal to migrate with ease. However, it is thought the tusk is only used as a visual display to others as they are very rarely observed using their tusk in aggressive behavior.

They are the preyed upon by polar bears, orca and of course, humans, which further depletes their population. In addition to this, narwhals have a highly specialized diet (and therefore restricted) possibly hampering the recovery of their population in the future. When the results from this study are published it will provide greater knowledge to the scientific community when the time comes for a conservation plan for this unique species.

Haley Dolton  

Time to chill out with Sir Attenborough

Photo courtesy of Ashley Coates

That’s right, David is back on our screens on the 26th of this month to bring us another stunning wildlife series; Frozen Planet. Little snippets of this series have been released to the media and general public over the past few days and it looks to be just as cool as the locations it's set in! A few species have already made an appearance in wildlife news recently such as crafty killer whales and thieving penguins. To get us all in the mood for the new series, here is a mini food chain detailing why some species make good predators and why some make tasty prey!

Polar bears are one of the apex predators within this food chain. Males are very large and can reach up to 350 – 680 kg and 7.9 – 9.8 ft. in length, with females measuring half that length. Because of their large size, it makes it possible for them to smash into ice dens of seals and tear into prey easily. This is assisted by shorter claws on their feet and their extremely large paws, which can measure approximately 30cm across! Their keen sense of smell also helps them when hunting prey. Polar bears are able detect unburied seals from nearly 1 mile away and buried seals under 3 ft. of snow!

Killer whales are another apex predator that drift in and out of the icy waters surrounding Antarctica and the Artic. They have a varied diet depending on which subspecies they are and their geographical location. Killer whales make excellent predators due to their high intelligence and ability to work as a team. Just recently, new images of killer whales working together to knock a seal off of an ice float have been released. A team of killer whales will rush towards an ice float causing a wave to appear that is powerful enough to knock an unsuspecting seal into the mouth of another member of their pod. They work together like this in many clever hunting situations displaying team work that some think is reinforced by their own ‘culture.’

Weddell seals are the preferred prey of apex predators as they are not as aggressive as crabeater and leopard seals, so the chance of injury by them is not as likely. Weddell seals measure between 8.2 - 11.5 ft. long and can weigh between 400 – 600kg. They are insulated with a thick layer of blubber which not only keeps them warm, but also attracts predators.  Their energy rich blubber is vital for them to stay alive because food is so hard to come by. The weddell seal does have a few tricks for avoiding gaping jaws, which are also used when hunting for their own prey. They can dive to depths of approximately 2,300 ft. and can hold their breath for around 80 minutes! That’s a very long time to play hider or seeker!  

The Frozen Planet team filmed the Adélie penguin stealing stones from neighbour’s nests to put in their own. Unfortunately for them, penguins make a tasty snack for seals and killer whales (but without the wrapper and bad joke – if you exclude that one!) Penguins may make up the bulk of a predators diet perhaps due to their sheer numbers, making them easier to locate. In the Ross Sea region of Antarctica, there are currently around 5 million Adélie penguins! This may make them an attractive option for many in such a harsh environment.

With these species featured (and I’m sure a lot more) together with the great camerawork from the BBC, I know what I will be doing on Wednesday nights!  

By Haley Dolton

IUCN releases new book on Marine Protected Areas

As avid readers of Science Club will know, we have written a number of articles on the health of the planet’s marine ecosystems, fish stocks and the future of whaling. This week, we continue on this theme with the news of IUCN publishing a book that calls for increased efforts to protect the world’s oceans and biodiversity.

The new book highlights the need for greater protection of the world’s oceans with only 1.3% listed as Marine Protected Areas. On a more positive note, more protected areas are currently being created which means good news for larger marine mammals with bigger habitats.

Patricio Bernal, Coordinator of the Western Gray Whale Conservation Project says, “To safeguard critical ocean ecosystems and highly mobile species, we need to set aside more untouched ocean wilderness areas in the high seas”. Without effective protection this vast area of ocean, which accounts for approximately 64% of the ocean’s surface, will continuously be exploited.

“At least 300,000 whales and dolphins a year end up dead in fishing nets alone, as so-called by-catch,” says Erich Hoyt, author, member of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission’s Cetacean Specialist Group and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas. Mr Hoyt also claims that the condition of whales has seriously deteriorated over the years as the health of their habitat declines.  

The new publication obviously comes at a critical time for cetaceans with much debate currently in full swing over the future of whaling, be it legal or for scientific research. The new book is a key resource in the bid to help manage protected areas and promote marine conservation.

Furthermore, the book is also useful in the promotion of whale watching and marine ecotourism, outlining the best locations to find the 87 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises in 125 countries worldwide.

By Holly Alsop

The future of killer whales in doubt

A new study has found that killer whales, also known as orcas, may be facing greater threats than previously thought. However, their cosmopolitan distribution, predatory nature and deep sea lifestyle have so far restricted accurate population size estimates.    

The research suggests that killer whale populations are facing pressures from an invisible substance that has been building since the Second World War, at a time when industries were extensively using chemical flame retardants such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

Killer whales feed on a variety of different organisms such as fish, seals, sharks and even juvenile whales. Despite their position as an apex predator at the top of the food chain, they are extremely vulnerable to changes in their prey. The main concerns to killer whale health stem from their prey being polluted by PCBs either by absorbing it from the water or by consuming polluted prey themselves.

According to Alex Rogers, a Professor in Conservation Biology at the University of Oxford, UK, studies have identified high levels of flame retardant chemicals in killer whales from both the Southern Hemisphere and Northern Hemisphere but particularly places such as Canada and the Arctic. Killer whales located near heavily populated areas and industrialised nations are most at risk from the effects of flame retardants such as PCBs.

Although PCBs were banned in the 1970's, their effects are still being observed. Dr Paul Jepson from the Zoological Society of London puts this down to PCBs being insoluble in water, only dissolving and accumulating in fatty tissues. This is a considerable issue for female cetaceans such as killer whales who feed their young for up to a year on high fat milk. It has been estimated that lactation in whales and dolphins transfers around ninety percent of the mothers PCBs especially into the first calf. Other effects of PCBs range from interference with thyroid function and vitamin A metabolism, to impairment of neurological and immune functions.

Despite the fact that PCBs have been identified as toxic it is still difficult to determine the actual cause of killer whale death and whether there are any pollutants in their bodies. Consequently, Marine Biologist Dr Ingrid Visser, has been studying a 200 strong population of killer whales around New Zealand which is under threat. This research hopes to reveal information on their behaviour and health which can be implemented in to a long term conservation strategy for the species. This study is vitally important as it will provide evidence on the extent of the PCB problem and whether killer whale populations are in decline.    

By Anthony Kubale

The declining viability of whaling

An Icelandic whaling association has recently stated that in a new kind of ‘cultural tourism’ they will be offering experience days aboard a whaling vessel. Attendees will travel to whale rich hunting destinations in order to view the majestic animals up close. They will set up and fire harpoons and whilst no whales will be slaughtered during the day trips, tourists will then be given the chance to dine on whale flesh with the captain.

The managing director of the association says that he sees this as “whale watching with whale hunters”, an interesting turn of phrase at a time when recreational whale watching is documented to be attracting up to 13 million people a year, collectively paying around US$2.1 billion for the experience. It has to be asked whether this may be a feeble attempt to generate funds in a dying industry.

In February of this year, Japanese Antarctic whaling fleets were forced by environmental activists Sea Shepherd, to abandon their seasonal hunt almost 2 months early. Less than 10% of their quota was caught. This is one of two significant blows to the Japanese whaling industry with the tragic tsunami in March obliterating some vital parts of its infrastructure. Furthermore increasing international pressures, relentless activism and waning demand means that the future of whaling is clearly in peril, yet debate over rights still continue.

In 1986, The International Whaling Committee (IWC) enforced a moratorium for the abolition of commercial whaling amongst its member countries. Further to this in 1994 an area of the southern ocean 50 million kilometres squared was declared a sanctuary for the ocean giants. This satisfied many but sparked great discontent in others and there have been continuous attempts to revoke the ban.

As the IWC is a volunteer organisation where all decisions are subject to vote, there is much unrest due to serious allegations that certain pro-whaling countries such as Iceland, are using financial pressures to influence outcomes.

The end of commercial whaling, along with the formation of the sanctuary has always been seen as a great victory for conservationists however it does not prevent the unregulated slaughter of these animals.

With this in mind, it may be time to question the current ban.  Legitimising the practice with tight, specific, management plans and dedicated education strategies could circumvent many problems. Not to mention providing the option to remove any species considered to be at risk from the allowable catch lists. The industry appears to be struggling but this does not mean that all will give up and now could be an opportunity to reach some sort of realistic, sustainable compromise.

Japan generally leads the way in the propagation of whaling and with this there may be some hope. Despite many traditionalists wishing to return to the oceans later this year, government officials are beginning to recognise that their line between legal scientific whaling and illegal commercial whaling is blurry at best.

After 20 years of research, thousands of tonnes of unsold whale meat, along with a mounting deficit, the Japanese are finally considering the financial implications of perpetuating this industry. With Iceland now apparently clutching at straws with their latest offer perhaps a hiatus is on the horizon.

By Jenna Barry