Blue Whale
Booming Business
Blue whales, along with many other cetacean species, are regarded highly when it comes to spiritual and aesthetic value. Whale-watching has become an important part of ecotourism in recent years. In 2008, Japan’s economy benefited from $22 million created from the whale-watching industry (Mulvaney, 2013). Countries around the world are seeing the same outcomes from the growing whale-watching business. Some National Marine Sanctuary programs are seeing 1.2 million visitors yearly (The Economic Contributions of Whale-watching to Regional Economies, 2015). During 2013, whale-watching generated $2 billion and attracted over 13 million tourists globally (Whale-Watching a Booming Business, 2013). This industry is continuing to grow and reap greater benefits each year, as opposed to whaling, which Globally, we are seeing a substantial amount of money being brought into these communities and many people benefitting from this activity economically. It is projected that whale-watching could add 5,700 jobs and $400 million to our global economy (Whale-Watching a Booming Business, 2013).
The price of protecting the blue whale is less than allowing them to be killed. Currently, it costs more to hunt whales than it does to conserve them. Only a small amount of money can be earned from whaling, but conserving whales would provide economic benefits for years to come (Mulvaney, 2013). While the economy sees almost no benefit from whaling, whale-watching has shown great promises and many economic benefits. If we conserve blue whales, they will not become extinct. Whaling is an activity that that will die as soon as this species does. Whale-watching will benefit people everywhere as long as we protect blue whales. Overall, the cost of preserving the blue whale species will offer more positive outcomes than allowing them to be mercilessly hunted.
The Importance of Blue Whales to the Environment
Fun Fact, Blue Whale poop helps stimulate the growth of phytoplankton which helps to pull carbon out of the atmosphere and create healthier air and water for the animals of the earth. Information like this, and many other ecological benefits of large whales were unknown up until now. Due to the mass-extinction of large whales caused by commercial whaling up until the 1970’s, reliable scientific information about the graceful behemoths was unknown due to the lack of credible research and sightings (Howard, B, July 11, 2014). However, now that whale populations have begun to recover, scientists are able to study their behavior and biological functions to better understand their benefits for the oceans.
4 Reasons to Save the Blue Whale
Whales play an important role in stabilizing the aquatic food chain and reproduction of other species. If more whales were to die, it would cause an imbalance in the food web causing the ecology of environment to be destabilized (Blue Whale Facts, 2015).
Scientific studies of Cetaceans has given way to countless scientific breakthroughs into echolocation, aquatic environments, and marine biology (Blue Whale Facts, 2015).
Whale poop plays an integral role in stabilizing the offset of carbon in the atmosphere which creates a healthier atmosphere and aquatic environment for the earth (Blue Whale Facts, 2015).
Whale watching and other various spectating activities have brought in billions of dollars in revenue for coastal communities and provided the public basic information about the ecology, life-cycle, and preservation plans for the largest animal on earth (Blue Whale Facts, 2015).
1.
2.
3.
4.
Nutrient Cycling
On a local level, Blue Whales are transient animals and never stay in one area for too long. But this does not mean that they don't have a profound effect on the ecosystems that they pass through. One way in which Blue Whales and large whales in general benefit the ecosystem they reside in, is by cycling nutrients. A report by the University of Vermont, analyzed by National Geographic found that “when whales feed, often at great depths, and then return to the surface to breathe, they mix up the water column. That spreads nutrients and microorganisms through different marine zones, which can lead to feeding bonanzas for other creatures” (Howard, B, July 11, 2014). This cycling of nutrients is a crucial part of the whales’ role in the ecosystem because it can dive to depths of a 1000 feet, and due to its massive size can disturb a large amount of sediment and then move some of that sediment back to the surface when it returns to breathe. This sediment contains countless nutrients that, when released stimulate immense organic growth within the ecosystem. Overall, this “conveyor” belt of nutrient cycling is extremely beneficial for ecosystems, and, if lost would significantly lower the net primary productivity of the ecosystem (Howard, B, July 11, 2014).
Another way that Blue Whales act as conveyor belts for nutrients in the ocean is by transferring them thousands of miles along their migration routes. All of the nutrients that they gather in their northern, cold-water feeding grounds is stored and released when they migrate down south to have their calves. Even the whale placenta, which is extremely rich in nutrients, is eaten by the marine animals after the whale has had her calf. When whales die, their massive corpse sink to the bottom and serve as food for scavengers such as crabs and hagfish. During the University of Vermont's study, the lead researcher Joe Roman stated, “Because [humans] took out so many whales, there were probably extinctions in the deep sea before we knew those [scavenger] species existed” (Howard, B, July 11, 2014). This allows the conclusion to be made that, if whales were for some reason to die-back, or go extinct, there would be massive repercussions for the scavengers that feed on their corpses. This goes to show how necessary and important these animals are for the earth, making them that much more important to protect and save.
Stabilizing the Food Chain
The Blue Whale consumes 40 million krill per day. If the Blue Whale went extinct for example, and were to stop consuming krill, you can imagine the effect it would have on the food chain. When any animal goes extinct within a food web, it affects all species. And while it might seem like other species are benefiting from no longer having to compete with a predator, overtime the animals that no longer have a predator will overpopulate and potentially destroy the population of another species that it feeds on. So having the Blue Whale consume 40 million krill per day makes it one of the largest consumers of krill, and therefore a keystone species in keeping the balance of the habitats in which it feeds. The stability of the aquatic food web is extremely important to earth, and the Blue Whale is an invaluable aspect of that web and needs to be saved to keep our world healthy (Why are Whales so Important?, 2015).
