Discover how whales help to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, create oxygen and fertilize phytoplankton upon which all sea life depends.
Introduction
Scientific research increasingly confirms the vital contributions of whales to the oceans, the planet and mankind. Whales are at the heart of the food chain that supports ocean life helping fish and many other species to thrive and reproduce. Whales also help to stabilise the Earth’s atmosphere in the removal of carbon dioxide and the generation of oxygen.
Climate change is having a tremendous impact on the Earth, so much so that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has now hit the highest levels in human history. Whales play a crucial part in helping the oceans, and man, fight climate change. Whales desperately need to be conserved and their numbers restored to help man rehabilitate the oceans and atmosphere. Yet, whales are dying in greater numbers than ever before due to climate change, ocean warming, ocean acidification, plastic pollution, chemical pollution, sea dumped munitions, noise pollution, ship strikes, entanglement and bycatch, Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing – and needless, illegal whaling by Japan, Norway and Iceland Whales have a big impact on the whole planetThe whale family includes the largest animals ever to have existed on earth. The largest is the blue whale measuring 30 metres (100 feet) in length and 180 tonnes. The bowhead whale can live 200 years, or longer. Gray whales make the longest migration travelling between 16,000–20,000 km (10,000–12,400 miles) every year.
Because of their size, long life span and distances travelled, whales have a significant impact on the whole planet. Whales are vital in maintaining the health and balance of ocean ecosystems and make a significant contribution to the Earth’s environment that directly affects each and every one of us and future generations.
The vital contributions that whales make to the environment and mankind
Unlike man, whales are perfect custodians of their environment, giving back more than they consume whilst regulating and maintaining ocean ecosystems and the atmosphere above. The vitally important contributions of whales include:
- Replenishment of oxygen into the Earth’s atmosphere.
- Prevention of global warming through the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- Fertilisation of global marine ecosystems.
- Food web regeneration enabling bigger fisheries and higher abundance.
- Regeneration of krill populations.
- Regeneration of plankton.
- Ocean food source for up to 50 years after the natural end of life.
- Restoration of ecosystems degraded by man.
Sea plants – The main source of oxygen
Whales have a symbiotic relationship with sea algae known as phytoplankton. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen as a waste product. As land based creatures, we are well familiar with the plants around us that produce oxygen such as grass and shrubs through to the Amazon rain forests. What is less obvious is that most of the oxygen that we breathe does not come from land plants, but from phytoplankton. This plant also consumes most of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Learn More: https://stopkillingwhales.com/