Once our oceans were full of giants of the deep. What happened to them? Have you ever wondered what is the largest animal that has ever graced our vast oceans? What is the largest mammal? Better yet, do you know what is the largest living creature that has ever breathed on our planet? The answer is the blue whale.
Scientists and oceanographers are constantly conducting research on the blue whale in an attempt to help the survival of this magnificent creature that experts now estimate to number fewer than 10,000. To do this, researchers are doing their best to uncover unanswered questions. like where these blue whales are born. Why would they want to know this?
There are nine different populations of blue whales in the world. The eastern North Pacific blue whale population, estimated at just over 2,000, is found off the coast of California and migrates from north to south and back each year. The best way to protect them is to find out where they go, where they breed, and learn what they will encounter along the way.
Most of the time, blue whales swim far from shore and only surface for brief periods, usually only for a few seconds at a time. However, in late summer, many of these creatures gather to feed. The researchers then have the opportunity to label them. They can then track them during the winter migration south with satellite tags.
The researchers intend to place the tag around the dorsal fin so that the satellite can hear it every time it surfaces. When the animal surfaces to breathe, the tag sends the location coordinates to the satellite and then to the computer. The data will help analysts track the migratory route of each whale.
These scientists also use a crossbow to retrieve small samples of skin and fat. DNA analysis will reveal the sex of each animal. Each whale genetic ID is stored in an international database.
The researchers record the life histories of the whales and take photographs to identify the markings. It is possible to identify a blue whale using a concept similar to a fingerprint. While whales appear blue underwater, their skin is gray out of the water. They are born with distinct markings on their backs. These dorsal patterns never change.
The researcher identifies individual whales and then compares them to known animals in his photographic database. Natural markings allow them to identify individuals. Scientists have been collecting tags on these whales since 1986 and use this information to estimate population size and track their movements.
The reason for tracking their movements is that some of the densest areas that blue whales use and return each summer to feed intersect with areas of increasing shipping traffic. These ships are not only becoming more numerous but also bigger and faster as they deliver more and more goods to the world’s ports.
This is the recipe for disaster for blue whales and their calves. Besides sharks and Japanese and Norwegian whaling, ship strikes pose the biggest threats to the baby blue whale. The research offers the best hope for new shipping routes that will give blue whales the space they need.