U.S. Pacific Blue Whales Seen Rebounding Close To Historic Levels
by Bill Chappell, NPR.org -- September 07, 2014
Decades after the threat of extinction led to them being protected from whalers, there are now about 2,200 blue whales off the West Coast, according to a new study. That's roughly 97 percent of historical levels, say researchers at the University of Washington who call their findings a conservation success story.
"This is the only population of blue whales known to have recovered from whaling," according to a university news release, "blue whales as a species having been hunted nearly to extinction."
[...]
The new report is coming out months after the same research team studied the damage done to the same blue whale population from 1905-1971. They say the gains off the U.S. coast show that blue whales, the huge animals that have often been used to promote wildlife and environmental protections, can rebound elsewhere, as well.
[...]
Blue Whale Song --
National Geographic
link
Blue Whale Song -- Recorded in the West Pacific
from List of whale vocalizations -- wikipedia.org
Some more simply amazing Whale footage:
INCREDIBLE Underwater Video of Whale Encounter in Kona, Hawaii January 2013 *UNEDITED* -- Maria Harvey
link
WATCH: Blue Whales Spotted In Huge Numbers Off Southern California Shore -- ABC News
link -- Published Nov 30, 2013
Diving With Blue Whale – Song – My first Adrenalin Diving Experience.
best-diving.org
[...] All of this as the blue whale song continued in the background. Sound carries a long way underwater so we've got used to not looking for humpbacks even when we can hear them very clearly.
But as we made our way into the shallows the singing got very loud and when we spun around, a 14 metre mammal was swimming next to us, then above us, then grabbing a quick breath on the surface before heading away to find that certain someone more to his liking (marine mammals). It's fairly rare for a whale to pass us on a dive - it tends to happen less than a dozen times a year - so for Brett and Amy it was hopefully a good omen to the start of a lifetime together.
[...]
Every whale interaction is different and special in its own way, but it's hard to beat the times when the humpbacks choose to swim up to us, observing us just as closely as we're watching them. Of course it may be difficult for Brett and Amy to top the experience they've already had but we have dropped a few not too subtle hints that theirs could be the first underwater wedding on Niue with the added bonus of any number of uninvited guests dropping by. I recommend all of you to listen to the blue whale song at least once in a life.
We share this planet with some mighty wondrous creatures (30 meters long, weighing 140 tons). At least on our better days, we do.
Worlds Largest Blue Whale colony -- Discovered in Sri Lanka -- SriLankaLion
link -- Published Apr 19, 2011
May we have many more, "better days," eh?
Humanity must someday learn, how to be more "human" -- in the 'truest' 'purest' most compassionate sense of the word.