THE WHALE
Whales' scientific name
Name: Amanda Kenefick
FROM:http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bio99/bio99133.htm
http://www.google.com.ph/searchq=WHALE&hl=en&prmd=imvnsu&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_g46UJG8Ocz2mAX79IDAAw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=610
whale is fund in the whale santuacry?
Whale Sanctuaries
Establishment of the International Whaling Commission's sanctuaries
SANCTUARIES
Two Sanctuaries are currently designated by the International Whaling Commission, both of which prohibit commercial whaling. The first of these, the Indian Ocean Sanctuary, was established in 1979 and covers the whole of the Indian Ocean south to 55°S.
The second was adopted in 1994 and covers the waters of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica. The boundaries of both of the Sanctuaries can be seen on this map and their precise co-ordinates are recorded in the Schedule at paragraphs 7.(a) and 7.(b)
An additional proposal for a Sanctuary in the South Atlantic Ocean has been repeatedly submitted to the Commission in recent years. To date it has failed to achieve the three-quarters majority of votes needed to amend the Schedule and thus become designated by the IWC.
whale's habitat
Whale Habitat and Distribution
Whales live only in water, and tend to stay where it is warmer. This is why you will find them along the coasts during the winter months. They migrate to other regions so they can keep their body temperatures high enough. Some of the information about where whales are distributed though will be surprising to you. While many species of whales only reside in one area of these waters, killer whales are found all over the place. They are highly adaptable creatures.
Killer whales have been noted to be distributed out there all over the place. With the exception of humans, they are the most distributed when it comes to mammals around the world. Some people believe that killer whales are only found in the coastal areas though. This is because that is where they are the most easy to see with your own eyes. However, with the research and the technology offered today we are able to accurately say that they are found everywhere.
Whales are found in both fresh water and salt water areas as well. Some people believe they only exist in the oceans but that isn’t correct. They also don’t believe that these mammals will reside where it is very cold. Most of the larger giant whales do live in areas that are cold. This includes the artic. It is the larger ones that are here due to the volume of blubber they have to help with their body temperatures.
You will find that there are subdivisions of these whale habitats in the Artic. If you only see one of them though you may assume that those are the behaviors of all in the area. This is why there is plenty of confusion out there about such aspects of where whales live. You will find that some of them live off shore where there isn’t any ice. They go deep enough into the waters as that will offer them more warmth than the areas that are dense and have ice on the top.
Killer whales on the other hand though love the waters close to the shore with layers of ice on them. They can be found in both Antarctica and the Arctic. You will notice during the migration season that whales will be found in many more locations. Along the coastal regions of Oregon, California, Texas, and Florida are the ones most people flock to for such observations.
If you are interested in observing certain types of whales, you can conduct some research online. As you are able to identify where they live, you will be able to see them and their natural habitat. If they live deep in the waters though you may have to settle for watching them during the migration process.
Researchers that track the whale habitat and distribution though have found some changes that worry them. Many of these whales are leaving their natural habitat. This is due to climate changes from global warming, humans being in their natural locations in boats, military operations, and even the fact that their food sources are becoming scarce in some areas.
With the numbers of some of the species of whales at very low numbers, everything is being done to keep them in a natural habitat. Efforts are also in place to help with the regulation of their distribution. Even those in captivity are given a location to reside that is very common to what they would have on the outside. This is done to help reduce stress levels. It is also done in an effort to hopefully one day release some of them back into the wild.
whale's reproduction
Whale Reproduction
The first step for having a Calf
Male whales are mature between 7 and 10 years of age. They have a cavity that their genitals remain in during resting and swimming so there isn’t a great deal that is known about them in great deal. For females maturity occurs about 5 to 7 years of age. A female that is mature will generally have a new calf every 2 or 3 years.
Females often have many partners during the mating season so it is highly likely that she will conceive. Since she will only have one baby and then nurse it for a full year, the rate of reproduction is less than with many other forms of aquatic life. However, young whales tend to have a very good chance of surviving to their own maturity. The fact that the only predators that whales have are humans also helps with their survival rate.
A female that is mature will generally have
a new calf every 2 or 3 years.
The Courtship
Generally the pods of whales are relaxed and friendly in nature. However, when it is mating season the males will be competing for the females. As a result there can be a great deal of tension that develops within a pod during that period of time. They may battle each other for the right to mate with a given female. However, there is usually no real harm done to each other and death very rarely occurs. The goal is to determine who is stronger as that whale will get the chance to mate first.
Female whales are very receptive to the courtship from the males during the mating season. They love the songs and the calls that they get. They also enjoy the touching that is very soft and even what many view as caressing during this period of time. However, after a male will mate with the female he is likely to go off and take care of other business. The females long for that type of interaction again which is why they are more willing to mate again and again with different males.
Mating
During this mating season you will also hear changes in the calls and communications among the whales. Part of that change has to do with the fact that there is so much stress involved in the group. The rest of it has to do with mating calls. You will often find that males will come to other pods for the chance to mate with their females. This definitely helps to reduce inbreeding among these mammals as well.
All whale calves are born live. As whales are mammals, calves grow inside their mothers. The calves are born with their fins emerging first. The offspring are born during the migration process in most instances. Since the gestation period ranges from 10 to 16 months, it will depend on the type of whale you are looking at. It will also depend on how far they migrate and what their migration time frame is.
The gestation period ranges from 10 to 16 months,
depending on the species of whale.
The size of a whale calf will depend on the species and the size of the mother. A general guideline is that the calf will be about 6% of the body weight of the mother. This can mean some of the larger offspring such as those from Blue Whales will be bigger at birth than other whales will be when they are fully mature.
While whales don’t reproduce early in life, the often live a very long and healthy life. Research shows that whales can have a life span between 20 and 60 years. That is significantly longer than most other forms of aquatic life out there. They are classified as mammals based upon how they reproduce, the fact that they have live young, and the mother’s nurse the babies.
Why Are Many Whales Endangered?
Whalers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, 1880
Whales have been an important part of peoples’ lives for thousands of years. They provide meat, fat, oil, leather, tools, and other materials for making useful, needed things. Unfortunately, human activity has caused many whale populations to plummet. Out of the 11 species of great whales, seven are listed as endangered or vulnerable in Canada (for a complete list of species at risk in Canada, go tohttp://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/Species/English/SearchRequest.cfm orhttp://www.cosewic.gc.ca).
Reasons Why Whales Are Endangered
Entanglement
Whales are susceptible to entanglement in commercialfishing gear. This can slow whales down, weakening them, and can prohibit themfrom feeding leading to eventual starvation and death. that are reported to be in trouble. The North Pacific Right whale off the US East Coast is especially vulnerable to entanglement.In some areas, networks are set up to disentangle whalesCommercial WhalingCommercial whaling began in the 1800's and nearly drove some whale species to extinction. Some species have still not recovered from being hunted and are currently listed as endangered. Although commercial whaling is not the biggest threat facing whales today, it still exists.whale species to extinction. Some species have still not recovered from being hunted and are currently listed as endangered. Although commercial whaling is not the biggest threat facing whales today, it still exists. some nations are still hunting there, killing more than 1,000 whales each year despite it being illegal.Commercial whaling began in the 1800's and nearly drove someIn the Southern Ocean, despite being a whale sanctuary,
Although not the threat it once was, whales are still hunted commercially by some countries.Ship Strikes
Whale habitat and migration corridors overlap with areas of heavy ship traffic. Cargo ships, cruise ships, and tankers are almost always lethal when they strike a whale. In some areas, reduced speeds have been implemented where interaction between ship traffic and whales is most likely to occur.
Many large whales are in danger from entanglement and ship strikes.Climate Change
Climate change has a multitude of effects on the oceans which can have adverse impacts on marine mammals. Most large whale species depend on krill, a small shrimp-like crustacean, and fish as prey.As ocean temperatures rise from climate change, prey populations can be affected. Climate change also affects ocean currents altering prey distribution, feeding grounds and migratory pathways of whales.Pollution/Toxins
Pollution from human activities results in substances like PCB's, heavy metals, and pesticides being present in the environment. These toxins build up, or bioaccumulate, in the tissues of organisms and increase as organisms move up the food chain.Organisms at the top of the food chain, such as orcas, are affected the most and carry the highest loads of toxins in their bodies. Over time these toxins can cause immune and reproductive disorders as well as chronic disease and death.Other threats include the ingestion of marine debris, oil and gas development, disturbance by recreational watercraft, and noise pollution.
http://www.seethewild.org/66/whale-threats.html
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Sea Shepherd's Mission Statement
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The Current Fleet
Brigitte Bardot (formerly Gojira)
• Length: 35-meters (115-feet) • Vessel Type: stabilized, monohull trimaran •
Max Speed: 24 knots • First Expedition: 1998 successful circumnavigation in
74 days, beating the previous record of 84 days held by the USS Triton, a nuclear
-powered submarine [Note: In 2008, the 60-day world record was set by the
Earthrace, which later become Sea Shepherd’s vessel the Ady Gil] • Former
Job: South African-based charter vessel • First Sea Shepherd Expedition:
Operation No Compromise • SSCS Name: Brigitte Bardot (formerlly Gojira)M/Y Bob Barker
On January 5, 2010, another Sea Shepherd anti-
whaling ship arrived in the Southern Ocean to join
the 2009-2010 Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign, 3
Operation Waltzing Matilda unexpected and right
on time: theBob Barker. Thanks to a $5,000,000
contribution from American television personality and
icon Bob Barker, Sea Shepherd was able to quietly
purchase and refit the former Norwegian whaler in
Africa. The ice-strengthened, fast, chaser boat
quietly departed from Mauritius on December 18th
to join up with the Sea Shepherd ships Steve Irwin
and Ady Gil in the Southern Ocean. Barker has also
funded the cost of a helicopter that will accompany
the societys ships. The aircraft is named The Nancy Burnet after the president of United Activists
for Animal Rights, an organization Barker also supports. This new helicopter will participate in future
campaigns. "I'm delighted to be able to help the
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in its mission to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife
in the worlds oceans," said Barker. "There
is lot of talk about preserving our ecosystems and species, but this is one organization that puts these
words into action."
M/Y Steve Irwin
On December 5, 2007 just before the 2007-2008
Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign: Operation
Migaloo began to defend the whales of the Southern
Oceans, the Sea Shepherd vessel M/Y Robert Hunter
was officially re-named the Steve Irwin in honor of the
late Australian conservationist. The name
change was announced at a press conference by
Irwin's widow Terri Irwin and Captain Paul Watson
at the Melbourne Docklands just prior to the
ship's departure to the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.Sea Shepherd is proud to partner with Terri Irwin for this name change as she and Steve have been world
renowned for their conservation work. At the
press conference, Terri stated that Steve would have been extremely honored to be acknowledged in this
way as he shared Sea Shepherd's passion
for saving whales. "Whales have always been in Steve's heart and in 2006 he was investigating the
possibility of joining the Sea Shepherd on part of
its journey to defend these beautiful animals," Terri said.The objective of Sea Shepherd's Antarctic whale campaigns is to intervene against illegal whaling actions
by the Japanese whaling fleet. The
2007-2008 Operation Migaloo campaign was very successful and the whalers only got about ½ their
quota, due to the Steve Irwin's intervention.
The Steve Irwin is currently in Australia under going preparations for the next Antarctic Whale Defense
Campaign."Steve Irwin's life demonstrated how one person can make a significant difference in the world," said
Watson. "Steve wanted to come to Antarctica with
us to defend the whales and now he is able to join us in spirit with his name emblazoned on the
fastest and most powerful whale protection ship in
the world." To see pictures of the Steve Irwin in action during the Operation Migaloo campaign, click here.The ship, formerly known as the M/Y Robert Hunter was originally named after Canadian Robert
Hunter, who along with President and Founder of Sea
Shepherd Captain Paul Watson was a co-founder of the Greenpeace Foundation. Bob Hunter died
in May 2005, and at his funeral, Captain Watson
pledged to name an ocean conversation ship in his honor. That dream came to pass with the
purchase of the M/Y Robert Hunter, a 53-meter, former
Scottish Fisheries Protection Service vessel.Carrying on her father's activist genes, Robert Hunter's daughter Emily Hunter joined the ship's
crew for Operation Leviathan; Sea Shepherd's 2006-7
campaign to stop the Japanese whaling fleets' illegal slaughter of over a thousand whales in
Antarctica. The Robert Hunter has the long-range
capability and fast speed needed to locate and keep up with the whalers. The new ship joined the
Society's flagship Farley Mowat in the Ross Sea
of Antarctica with over 60 international volunteer crewmembers, a helicopter, and numerous
smaller vessels."Bob and I were in the very first inflatable that blocked the harpoons of the whalers in 1975," said
Captain Watson. "He was my shipmate from 1971
onward with Greenpeace and later joined me on many Sea Shepherd campaigns. With this ship
, he was by my side once again in spirit continuing
to defend whales. The Operation Leviathan campaign succeeded in stopping the Japanese
whaling fleet from getting their self-appointed quota
of whales. To see photos and read more about the Operation Leviathan campaign click here.
Small Vessels and Watercraft
Many other small vessels and watercraft
serve Sea Shepherd on the frontlines, defending the
animals. These smallcraft are launched from ourbigger vessels, and have the speed and
maneuverability to keep up with and intercept whaling and fishing vessels.
Regardless of the hull type,
every vessel flying the Sea Shepherd colors will continue to strike fear and trepidation in the hearts of those
who engage in illegal whaling,fishing, and other destructive marine activities.Donated Vessels in Service
Sirenian / Yoshka
.
This former U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat, built in 1955,
was purchased by Sea Shepherd in 1991. She had
powerful new engines installed in
1979 and can catch just about anything on the water.In service with Sea Shepherd, she went up against
Japanese pirate driftnetters and played a leading role
in the efforts to protect gray whales
from being hunted off Neah Bay, WA. In the fall of 1999,
during a stand-off with whale hunt advocates, the Sirenian was sabotaged while in
port in Seattle.Recovered and fully overhauled, she left Seattle at the end of November 2000 for guard duty in the Galapagos
National Park (GNP). Sea
Shepherd entered into a five-year contract with the GNP to provide our fast boat as an enforcement patrol
vessel. During that time, the
Sirenian intervened against hundreds of illegal activities and seized numerous poaching vessels. These
actions prevented the slaughter
of thousands of sharks and other marine species. The Sirenian became an indispensable part of the
Marine Reserve, and therefore,
in October 2005, Captain Paul Watson signed a new agreement with the director of the GNP to keep the
ship in the Galapagos on a
permanent basis. Sea Shepherd donated the vessel to the GNP so that she could carry on her important
enforcement duties. The ship
will continue to display the Sea Shepherd logo and Sea Shepherd continues to play a vital role in its activities.In 2006, the ship was renamed "Yoshka" and underwent an overhaul. The Yoshka is crewed by Galapagos
National Park rangers and
works in partnership with other vessels such as Guadalupe River, the Sierra Negra and several other
smaller boats to protect the GNP
from illegal fishing activities.Whales Forever
This former British seismic research ship,
built in 1970, waspurchased in 1994 thanks to a contribution
from EuropaischesTierhilfswerk, a German animal protection
organization.The M/Y Whales Forever, registered as a
yacht under the flag of
Belize, is 187-feet long and weighs 774 tons.
She has a range
of 15,000 miles and can carry 42 people. The
ship was severely
damaged in her engagement with the Norwegian Navy in 1994,
and the ship was sold in 1995, repairs being too expensive.More history and her epic battle with the Norwegian Navy... MORE
R/V Farley Mowat
In August 1996, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society purchased a new long-range, ice-class, heavy-duty, conservation
enforcement ship in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Originally christened Sea Shepherd III,
she was re-named Ocean Warrior in 1999
to reflect thE
missions and campaigns that face her in
the new millennium.She was definitely up to
withstanding the ice floes of the Labrador
coast, the harsh unpredictable waters of Antarctica
and challenging any pirate whaler on the
high seas.The ship was built in 1956 as a
Norwegian
Fisheries research and enforcement ship.
At 54 meters (180 ft) in length and 657 tons(displacement), her one-inch thick riveted,
welded steel hull was built to withstand the violent
pounding of the storm-haunted North Sea.The ship's massive German-built diesel engine drives a variable pitch propeller that is protected
inside a Kort nozzle. This means 1400 horsepower, coupled with the swift maneuverability of
bridge control of he pitch.In 2002, after months of bureaucratic paper shuffling and payments of
extortionist demands by the Cayman Islands Bureau of Shipping, the Ocean Warrior was
re-registered in Canada. She was renamed the Farley Mowat after Sea Shepherd's International
Chair, Farley Mowat, Canadian author and animal welfare advocate.The Sea Shepherd flagship,
the R/V Farley Mowat officially began her career in the waters off Costa Rica appropriately
immersed in controversy over policing actions against illegal fishing activities. Afterwards, she
spent years defending whales and seals in the Antarctic and Canada before being seized in 2008
by the Canadian government.M/Y Ady Gil
At a fundraising event in Los Angeles on
Saturday, October 17th, 2009, the Sea
Shepherd Conservation
Society unveiled their newest ocean defense
vessel: the Ady Gil. The vessel, previously
known as the
Earthrace, is a fast, futuristic looking trimaran
that recently set the world record for global
circumnavigation.
The vessel renaming reflects the ship’s
benefactor, Ady Gil, who helped acquire the
vessel.Due to its speed capabilities, up to 50 knots,
Captain Paul Watson (Sea Shepherd
President and Founder
) will use the Ady Gil to intercept and physically block the harpoon ships from illegally
slaughtering whales.Captain Watson said before Operation Waltzing Matilda, “We’re very excited that the
Ady Gil will be joining
the Steve Irwin in Antarctica this campaign. With these two ships, we will mount the most
ambitious and
aggressive effort to date to obstruct the slaughter of the whales in the Southern Ocean.”Says Chuck Swift, Deputy CEO in charge of ship’s operations, “The Ady Gil gives us the
speed necessary
to catch and stay with the Japanese whaling fleet. We are very optimistic that with these
two ships, and
some other surprises, we will shut down whaling in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary.”During the 2009-2010 Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign, Operation Waltzing Matilda, on
January 5, 2010,
in an unprovoked attack captured on film, the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru No. 2
deliberately rammed
and caused catastrophic damage to the Sea Shepherd trimaran Ady Gil. The vessel was
cut in two. Six crew
crewmembers, four from New Zealand, one from Australia, and one from the Netherlands
were immediately
rescued by the crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker. None of the crew Ady Gil crew
were injured.
January 8, 2010 at 17:20 (GMT) the Bob Barker reported the last known position of the Ad
y Gil to the
Australian Rescue Coordination Center (ARCC). This report was made because the Ady
Gil - which was
going to be towed to a nearby base - was sinking.at battle
the japanesse whaling fleet
Nisshin Maru
Yushin maru no.2
Yushin maruno.3
MV Shōnan Maru 2
