Description

Source: IE

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context:

A recent incident occurred in Tasmania, Australia, where about 90 false killer whales from a group of 157 whales were stranded on a remote beach near Arthur River.
The authorities decided to euthanize the surviving whales due to complex conditions.
This highlights the issue of whale strandings and the factors behind them.

What is Whale Stranding?

Whale stranding occurs when whales, dolphins or other marine animals become stranded on land, usually on a beach.
While most cases involve a single animal, sometimes several animals become stranded together en masse.
Mass Strandings: These large-scale strandings have been happening for centuries.

Why Do Whale Strandings Happen?

The exact reasons for whale strandings are not fully understood, but several factors may contribute:

● Regions where the sea becomes shallow quickly, especially during tidal changes, are more likely to experience strandings.

● Sick or injured whales may become confused and end up stranded. A disease or injury can cause them to travel in unusual ways or prevent them from navigating properly.

● Human actions in the ocean, such as noise from ships or offshore drilling, can disturb whales. This has been identified as one of the possible reasons behind whale strandings.

● Ships, military sonar, and drilling create loud sounds that affect how whales communicate and navigate.

● These sounds may confuse or frighten them, causing them to swim toward shore.

Key Locations for Strandings

Tasmania (Australia): This area has a history of whale strandings due to its coastal geography.
Golden Bay (New Zealand): Known for strandings, possibly due to its shallow waters.
Cape Cod (USA): Its narrow coastline often traps marine animals.

About Killer Whales

●Killer whales, also known as Orcas, are found all around the world.

●They are the largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae) and are the most widely spread of all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises).

●Other members of this family include all species of dolphins, as well as larger species like long-finned pilot whales and short-finned pilot whales.

●These species also have "whale" in their names instead of "dolphin."

●Killer whales are very social animals and live in groups called pods.

●A pod is usually made up of related individuals, often mothers and their offspring.

●They rely on sound under water to communicate, find food, and navigate.

●Appearance: Killer whales are easy to recognize due to their black and white bodies.

●Habitat: Killer whales are found in many different habitats, both in open oceans and near coastal areas.

●Conservation Status: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as "Data Deficient," meaning there isn't enough information to know their exact status.

Source: IE

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Discuss the primary factors contributing to whale stranding with special reference to the recent incident in Tasmania. How do human activities such as noise pollution affect marine life, especially cetaceans? 15 Marks