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WHALES
About twelve species of whales live in the ocean today. They are a part of the Cetacea order of marine mammals, which also includes dolphins and porpoises, all of whom breathe out of a blowhole in the top of their head.
Facts:
- One of the deepest divers is the Sperm whale, which can dive more than 1 km or as deep as 3 km in search of food, and can stay underwater for almost 2 hours.
- Whales withstand enormous water pressure when diving deep, so they carry air down only in their lungs and other respiratory passages. Thus, little nitrogen is dissolved in the blood to cause the "bends."
- Whales are warm-blooded; a thick layer of insulating fat (as thick as 20 inches in some whales) keeps their body 96.8 degrees.
- Whales can hurl themselves out of the water completely ("breach") and produce tremendous splashes.
- Humpback whales are known for their beautiful tail extensions out of the water. They can remain in this position for up to fifteen minutes at a time.
- To mark their positions and strongholds, whales splash the water with their tails and can be heard from great distances.
Threats to Whale Life:
Navy Sonar – A new type of high intensity sonar recently approved for the navy called LFAS (Low Frequency Active Sonar) has ignited a debate over its impact on marine mammals. The Navy states that biophysical damage to marine life starts at 180 dB, and whale protection groups believe that the 240 dB sound and pressure wave produced by LFAS will to kill, deafen, and disorient whales and other marine life. In addition, whales communicate with one another over long distances underwater, so additional ocean noise effectively shrinks their "world" and makes it harder to find a mate.
Whaling – The practice of killing whales for their flesh destroys whale populations. Even though many whale species were protected a moratorium on whaling declared by the International Whaling Commission in 1986, Norway and Japan have deliberately defied international law by hunting whales on a regular basis.
Fishing Bycatch - Entanglement in fishing gear kills more cetaceans worldwide each year than any other cause. Small cetaceans swim into nets, get trapped underwater, and die when they cannot surface to breathe. Entangled large whales can also drown but less often, as they are generally powerful enough to break free. Nevertheless, after breaking loose of the nets, they may continue to tow some of the gear for long periods, and this can cause debilitating injuries and even slow death. Fishing line, for example, can coil around an animal's head or lodge in its baleen, interfering with feeding.
THE BEST WILDLIFE LINKS
Recommended by Care2 Staff
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African Wildlife Federation (AWF) works with the people of Africa to protect their invaluable natural resources. Most of AWF's staff is based in Africa, working at the grass roots with park managers and communities to safeguard wildlife and wilderness areas. AWF keeps the big picture in mind helping African nations design long-term strategies for conserving their magnificent natural treasures for the world to enjoy.
Bagheera.com provides information and resources for individuals to become more knowledgeable about endangered animals, and to make a difference.
Bushmeat Project was established to develop and support community based partnerships that will help the people of Central Africa to develop alternatives to hunting the Great Apes.
The Colorado Wildlife Federation promotes the conservation, management, and sustainable use of Colorado's wildlife and wildlife habitat through education and advocacy. Keep up-to-date with important advocacy issues and spark your interest in joining upcoming events to preserve Colorado's wildlife. Learn more about protecting the wildlife through interactive presentations, field programs, or internships and volunteer opportunities.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the UN secretariat that oversees the international agreement to protect endangered species.
Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. They focus our programs on the accelerating rate of extinction of species and the associated loss of biological diversity, and habitat alteration and destruction.
De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Centre is South Africa's first successful cheetah research and breeding centre and helped to bring this and other endangered wild African animals back from the brink of extinction.
 Earthtrust is a conservation-advocacy and activist group dedicated to protecting wild species, with a particular focus on dolphins and whales.
Endangered Species Coalition represents more than 400 conservation, scientific, business, and religious organizations. Diverse coalition supports stronger protections for our nation's imperiled wildlife.
Friends of the National Zoo is a conservation, education and membership organization that supports the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC. Dedicated to providing biological education, to protecting the environment, and to serving the needs of visitors and the community for high-quality recreational experiences.
Hornocker Wildlife Institute follows the wisdom of the conservationist Aldo Leopold by using hands-on field research to understand our place and responsibility in the natural world.
BugBios website takes you up close to members of the insecta class. Find high resolution photos and educational articles.
International Crane Foundation works worldwide to conserve cranes through captive breeding, education, research, and reintroductions of endangered species.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare mounts rescue and relief operations to help animals in distress, The site is an outstanding resource for breaking news on animal welfare, plus information on how you can help.
International Rhino Foundation is dedicated to the conservation of the five species of rhinoceros.
Journey North is a free online educational service to engage students in a global study of wildlife migration. Uses media and communications to improve math and science education for the nation's 44 million school children. Journey North is supported as a model for math and science education reform.
The Marine Mammal Center treats injured otters and seals and releases them back into the wild. Visit their photo gallery for adorable pictures and background stories.
National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest member-supported conservation group, uniting individuals, organizations, businesses and government to protect wildlife, wild places, and the environment.
Nature Conservancy works to preserve plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Get involved! Find a local NC chapter on their map.
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Prairie Learning Center re-creates the native plant and animal communities that greeted Iowa's earliest settlers in the mid 1800's.
Heritage Forests Campaign is an alliance of conservationists, wildlife advocates, clergy, educators, scientists, and other Americans working together to uphold protection of our National Forests. Get forest facts, polling info, and action ideas here!
Pacific Whale Foundation is dedicated to saving our planet's oceans and the life they contain. The scope includes all marine eco-systems, as the survival of whales depends upon protecting their ocean habitats.
Save Our Environment Action Center is a collaborative effort of the nation's most influential environmental advocacy organizations. Take action! Join the activist network to help protect our air and water; our lands, forests, and oceans; our wildlife; our children's future; and our planet's climate.
Threatened Animals of the World is a Red List of threatened animals worldwide, compiled by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre for the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Foundation advocates the preservation of lions, tigers, leopards, and cougars by providing lifetime refuge for these animals. Learn about these big cats through updated news, or learn more about each of the individual cats through their own pages! Help with fundraisers, donations, or even adoptions! The numerous photos in the albums are simply adorable and inspiring, so don't forget to check them out.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is the only agency of the U.S. Government whose primary responsibility is fish, wildlife, and plant conservation.
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) works to save wildlife and wild lands throughout the world. For more than a century, WCS has inspired care for nature, pioneered environmental education programs, and helped sustain biological diversity.
The Wildlife Society is an international non-profit scientific and educational association dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship. Take a peek at the annual wildlife conferences, or Teaming With Wildlife (TWW), a national campaign to nurture a new generation of wildlife stewards. Have some fun by engaging in student activities, or by participating in the exciting annual photography contest.
Wildlife Trusts have been speaking out for nature in Britain since 1912. Believing that wildlife is essential to a healthy environment for human beings, they work with people from government, industry, landowners, communities and families to make sure nature gets a chance among all the pressures of the modern world.
Wildlife Web covers links and information for a wide variety of animal Web sites including: amphibians, birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals, and reptiles. Many sounds and high quality photographs - from Aye-ayes to Zebras - are also available.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is dedicated to protecting the world's wildlife and wildlands. The largest privately supported international conservation organization in the world, WWF has more than 1 million members in the U.S. alone. Since its inception in 1961, WWF has invested in over 13,100 projects in 157 countries.
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