Endangered Species

Our brothers and sisters that swim

Humpback Whales

The Humpback Whale is found all over the world.  They migrate annually from the tropics to the polar regions, and are capable of living up to 95 years. In the 1800's the Humpback Whale population was an estimated 125,000.  However, with the invention of factory ships and the harpoon, this number was drastically reduced.  By the 1960's they were almost extinct.  Today they number approximately 5000 to 7500. The female Humpback Whale is larger than the male.  They measure anywhere from 35 to 48 feet in length and weigh up to 65 tons.  The whales mate during the winter migration to warmer locations.  The females give birth to a single calf 11 to 12 months later.  A baby Humpback Whale weighs up to 2 tons and measures about 13 feet long.

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The songs of the whales are sounds made only by the males.  The Humpbacks also engage in an activity known as 'breaching' during which they hurl their bodies out of the water.  Scientists believe this may be related to either courship or play activities  Whales are threatened by pollution, illegal whaling and getting entangled in fishing nets.  For more information on whales or to donate money to help with saving whales,  go here or here.

Dolphins

There are three types of Dolphine--the Spinner, Pantropical and Bottlenose.  All dolphins are threatened by the current practices of tuna fishing. Spinner Dolphins are found in tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.  Unlike other dolphins they feed at night, mostly on squid and midwater fish.  Spinners mate once or twice a year.  The females give birth every two or three months after a gestation period of about 11 months, to one calf. Pantropical Dolphins are found in deep oceanic waters all over the world.  They swim in schools and are often seeen performing various types of acrobatics.  They mate year round, also with an 11 month gestation period.

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Bottlenose Dolphins are the ones who are most vulnerable to the threats of tuna fishing.  They live  thirty to fifty years and can be found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, prefering warm to tropical waters.  Bottlenose Dolphins are very social creatures and can often be seen together hearding schools of fish towards shore.  The use echolocation to determine where the prey is and will often use a series of high pitched clicks to stun their prey.  The females give birth every two to three years after a gestation period of 12 months.  The calf stays with its mother for one year, and sometimes another female will help with its care.  For more information on Dolphins, or to donate money to help with saving Dolphins, go here or here.

Sea Otters

There are three subspecies of sea otter--the California (southern), the northern sea otter and the Russian sea otter.  The California Sea Otter is listed as threatened, and they are fully protected under California State law. Sea Otters are a member of the weasel family.  They typically reach about four feet long and average between 45 and 65 pounds.  Today there are about 2,500 California Sea Otters off the coast of California..  At one point in time, they were nearly hunted to extinction for their pelt.  Sea Otters have the thickest fur in the animal kingdom.  They do NOT have a layer of fat under their fur like other sea mammals, and if their fur were to get covered with oil or another substance, they can easily die from cold and exposure. Sea otters are what scientists call a "keystone species", meaning that they are indicators of the health of their ecosystem and that what they eat has an effect

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on organisms lower in the food chain. Sea Otters eat mostly shellfish, which in turn feed on kelp.  By keeping the shellfish population down, they allow the kelp forests to grow, making space for more fish and other species. Male Sea Otters live to about 15 years old.  Females live to between 15 and 20 years old.  They breed throughout the year, with a gestation period of 6 to 8 months.  The female then gives birth to one pup. Sea Otters are the only other mammals other than primates to use tools.  They use small rocks to prey shellfish from the rocks and to pry open their food.  For more information on Sea Otters, or to donate money to aid in helping the Sea Otter, go here and here.

Green Sea Turtle

The Sea Turtle is found worldwide in warm seas.  They lay their eggs on beaches and from there the young move to shallow waters in lagoons, bays and estuaries.  The Sea Turtle can be found on beaches, open seas and in shallow waters for feeding.  They have been around since prehistoric times, surviving the extinction of the dinosaurs, and are now threatened by habitat loss, hunting, boat collisions, being caught in fishing nets and a disease known as fibropapillomatosis.  The sea turtle was once a food source for Pacific Islanders, however, it's use as food

was under strict control by some form of tribal council.  This is because for many families, the turtle was considered sacred.  Sea Turtles graze on algae and sea grasses.  While the young eat both animal and plant matter, the adults are strictly vegetarian.  Today, of the seven existing species, three are endangered with extinction.  In the Hawaiian Islands, seventeen years of protection has led to their population increasing.  However in other areas of the Pacific, they are rapidly declining.  To help the Sea Turtles, go here or here.

Manatees

The Manatee is a large mammal with flipper front limbs and a flat tail.  They grow up to 12 feet long and can weigh as much as 3500 pounds.  Their diet consists mainly of plant life, and like other aquatic mammals they must come up periodically for air. Manatees live for approximately 50 years, with the female coming to sexual maturation between five and nine years.  Because they do not produce many offspring, more are killed off each year than are born.  Their only known predator is man.  They have been hunted for their meat, fat and tough hides in the past, but today they are most endangered by powerboat collisions, habitat destruction and chemical pollution..

It is believed that the stories of mermaids began with the European settlers coming across the Manatee.  They are very gentle creatures with humanlike eyes, and it is believed that they are incapable of agression.  To help the Manatees, go here.

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