Humpback Whale Baby Boom Near Antarctica(nytimes.com)
nytimes.com
Humpback Whale Baby Boom Near Antarctica
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/01/science/humpback-whale-antarctica.html
18 comments
What's concerning about that scenario per-se? A lot of wild animals (e.g. deer) are culled by man when they overpopulate in the wild with the same rationale, if it's done correctly it's a win-win, those animals would have starved anyway, and the hunters get the benefit of getting the animal before it becomes (in this case) crab food.
My problem with it is the underlying ecological damage. There is a declining ecological space for these whales (due to krill fishing). OP was arguing that the argument for culling would be to keep them at this constantly declining number.
To use your deer analogy, it would be like cutting down half a forest ("fishing" the deer food), then saying you need to cull half the deer herd to keep them from overpopulation. Then judging by history, the forest would be cut in half the following year. Before long you have no deer left.
To use your deer analogy, it would be like cutting down half a forest ("fishing" the deer food), then saying you need to cull half the deer herd to keep them from overpopulation. Then judging by history, the forest would be cut in half the following year. Before long you have no deer left.
> There is a declining ecological space for these whales (due to krill fishing).
Is there any culture using krill for human food?
As far as I'm concerned, fishing should be completely banned in international waters -- this would also help developing nations that currently greatly suffer from commercial fishing emptying the seas close to their exclusivity zones.
Is there any culture using krill for human food?
As far as I'm concerned, fishing should be completely banned in international waters -- this would also help developing nations that currently greatly suffer from commercial fishing emptying the seas close to their exclusivity zones.
As far as I'm aware it is mainly used for feeding fish in fish farms. So farmed Salmon etc all rely on krill fishing.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krill_fishery)
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krill_fishery)
Deer culls rarely have anything to do with deer starving. They are culled when they become pests, when they start spreading disease or endangering humans. Deer populations are not limited by resources, rather by the number of predators. What causes deer populations to explode isn't food but human intolerance for bear/cougar/wolves.
> Deer populations are not limited by resources, rather by the number of predators.
Harsh winters (extreme cold and/or sustained icy conditions) can definitely limit deer populations as well, both directly (starvation) and indirectly (weakened deer become ill or easier targets for predators).
Harsh winters (extreme cold and/or sustained icy conditions) can definitely limit deer populations as well, both directly (starvation) and indirectly (weakened deer become ill or easier targets for predators).
That's true in fully wild populations. Wildlife like deer attracts suburban crazy people just like pigeons in the city. Folks leave food for the "poor deer" and create local population booms.
My parents neighbor probably drops 150-200 pounds of feed per day for this purpose.
My parents neighbor probably drops 150-200 pounds of feed per day for this purpose.
It's generally good news for Blue Whales as well, at least in the eastern Pacific, http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29069515
Given the level of hunting this gives me some kind of hope that all the environmental damage we have done can be fixed.
Given the level of hunting this gives me some kind of hope that all the environmental damage we have done can be fixed.
Growing up in clean(-ish) LA air already gave me that hope.
I wonder about the social impact of the whaling century. We see now see all sorts of antisocial behavior in elephants raised without their pack's 'teaching'- they are more violent, they rape rhinoceroses, etc.
I imagine whales and elephants have similar intelligence, and would have as many 'cultural' forces shaping their behavior.
I imagine whales and elephants have similar intelligence, and would have as many 'cultural' forces shaping their behavior.
Indeed. Both elephants and humpback whales have been proven to possess cultures that passes down the generations in certain populations. I wonder what cultures were lost, and what the social impacts of loosing these cultures are.
I join the call: don't kill whales
That's nice to see :)
Calling all Japanese fishing vessels.
Hopefully, they will still be around when that cylindrical object arrives in 2286 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek_IV:_The_Voyage_Home
We probably have to ensure krill stocks. Which are being aggressively hoovered up to provide fishmeal feed for onshore fish farming, prawns, salmon and tuna ponds.
This stuff is not going to go well. I am delighted the whale numbers are up. I am not confident its an overall good story.