Pacific gray whales are starving - scientists say it could be due to global warming
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himGray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) are starving, and global warming could be one of the causes. This was announced by scientists Fredrik Christiansen of the University of Aarhus and Lars Bejder of the University of Hawaii. Their studies on the health of gray whales began in 2017 through photogrammetry using drones.
If in 2018 the cetaceans appeared weak and in poor shape, in 2019 the situation worsened. In addition, a decrease in reproduction was noted. And as if that weren't enough, between 2019 and 2020, 378 whales were found dead along the coasts of Mexico, the United States and Canada, of unknown causes.
But what does global warming have to do with it? The small crustaceans that gray whales feed on are gradually disappearing due to rising water temperatures. Less food for the whales, then. Insufficient to provide them with the fat reserves necessary to cope with migration to the breeding grounds. Migration that takes place annually.
Christiansen explained:
“Many gray whales appear to be leaving their feeding grounds already in poor nutritional status. And once the breeding season in Mexico is complete, when they run out of energy, they die of hunger ”.
In short, a disheartening situation for poor gray whales. Which could cause their extinction in the next few years. Now the scholars intend to deepen the research with new studies in the field.
SOURCE: IR
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