Give Whale A Chance Blog 1

"Gives Whales A Chance"

By: Harshit Kumar (V-E)

Whales are the largest and most powerful creatures on earth. They live in all of the oceans of the world. They are not fish. Whales are mammals. They are warm-blooded. They breathe air. They give birth to live young. Baby whales drink their mother's milk.

Whales are called Cetaceans. Other Cetaceans include dolphins and porpoises. Whales are social creatures. They travel in groups called pods or schools. They breathe through their nostrils, called blowholes. They must surface above the water to breathe. The blow-hole is on top of the whale's head.

When whales breathe out, this vapor looks like a fountain. The blowhole is closed when the whale dives below the ocean. Some whales can stay under the water for up to an hour.

Whales have been commercially hunted since the 11th century, primarily for their oil and meat.  Hunting became more widespread in the 17th century, and the industry was booming from the 1700s to the mid-1900s.  In earlier years, slower, coastal species were targeted as they were easier to catch.  Upon the invention of the steam engine, faster species further offshore could easily be caught and were then exploited.  During this time, many species were hunted to the brink of extinction.

Helping whales is complicated. It is a complex problem with many moving parts. We don't always have one clear and simple action for you to take to make a difference. When we do need your help, it may come up suddenly and need a quick response.

When you Raise your RIGHT hand and pledge your support, you're becoming one of our whale first responders. When something urgent comes up, we want to rely on you to take our message, follow through with the action items, and tell everyone you know!

There are a lot of ways to make a difference for the whales, no matter where you live. Support the International Whaling Commission and the end of whaling in Japan, Norway, and Iceland. From our early years, we have been involved in the IWC, sharing our research and making recommendations about sustainable whale watching, and fully endorse the organization. 

Ship strikes are a major cause of whale fatalities. Do your best to buy local to avoid excessive shipping

Cut the car: bikes, buses, skateboards, feet – use ‘em! Reduce your CO2 emissions, as they lead to ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures, impacting the smallest organisms of the ocean to the largest.

I hope you must have acquired something out of it and do your best from your end to save our lovely ocean giants. This is, for now, thanks for reading.