To protect at least 30% of the world’s sea by 2030, to mend the damage humans have inflicted, and protect endangered and vulnerable species, was pledged by nearly every member country of the United Nations in December.
Among the list, is one of the least, understood and one of the largest in the ocean, Sperm Whales, living in the darkest depts of the ocean, and having a brain six times larger than ours.
National Geographic Explorer, Enric Sala traveled to Dominica, a Caribbean Island, where he is proposing protection for the hundreds of sperm whales living there.
Sala founded the Pristine Sea project in 2008, bringing together sea exploration, scientific research and public policy. He and his team working with 17 countries converted large parts of the ocean into marine protected areas.
This area is roughly twice the size of India. He indicated to preserve these magnificent creatures in Dominica, would protect them from their greatest enemies. Plastic trash, noise pollution and ship strikes.
According to the international union of conservation of nature, plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris, as 14 million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean each year.
Sala said, a steady decline of the population of sperm whales over the last 20 years, is mainly caused by human threats. Not only affecting the whales in Dominic, but also all around the world.
Reducing this threat, hopefully will help the whales’ numbers to bounce back, failing which, population will probably continue declining.
Whale watching is an important part of tourism, and something that needs to be protected. Dominica is open to the idea of creating greater protections for the whales.
Male whales roam mostly alone, swimming thousand if miles away. Caribbean whales have been found as far as Norway, living solitary lives and often growing to a size of two school buses, returning only to mate in tropical waters.
Salsa informed, these whales have never attacked humans, they may be curious especially the young ones. Losing such amazing creatures is not only a huge blow to nature but also the communities around them. When the whales are protected, the people will also be protected and resilient.
