Mass strandings were occurred together with naval exercises involving mid-frequency sonar. Injuries to acoustic organs in several species of whale results in their death (Wright et al, 2007) Acoustically-induced stranding may also be observed in other cetacean species and the probability that noise can result in strandings and/or death in marine mammals occurs beyond naval sonar. For instance, seismic noise has been implicated in a stranding of beaked whales (Hildebrand, 2005) Hearing Damage Temporary hearing loss is induced by the exposure to anthropogenic noise. This is referred to as temporary threshold shift (TTS), if the noise is loud or long enough in duration. The longer the duration and/or the higher the sound level, the more likely TTS is to occur. The hearing damage can become permanent as a result of one very loud noise event or even if exposure is prolonged or repeated, also known as a permanent threshold shift (PTS). Captive bottlenose and beluga have been studied to show that TTS is caused by both tonal and very short duration impulsive noise, although the sound inte...
Robert L. Pitman. "Whalewatcher: Killer Whale: The top, top Predator ." Journal of the American Cetacean Society (2011): 2. Journal.
Watson P, Hammarstedt P. Whale wars. Discovery.com [Video/Internet]. Foley C; 2008 Nov 8 [cited 2014 Jan 28]. 58 episodes. Available From: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQgQlcEmUIs
In this research report I will discuss the Killer Whales unique characteristics; complex migratory patterns, how and why it is endangered, and most importantly how we can help them.
The origin of modern day whales, a mystery that has puzzled paleontologists for years, may have just been solved with the discovery of an ankle bone. This discovery might sound simple and unimportant, but the bones of these ancient animals hold many unanswered questions and provide solid proof of origin and behavior. The relationship between whales and other animals has proven to be difficult because whales are warm-blooded, like humans, yet they live in the sea. The fact that they are warm-blooded suggests that they are related to some type of land animal. However, the questions of exactly which animal, and how whales evolved from land to water, have remained unanswered until now.
With forty-three dead (Bekoff, 2013) and countless others living in torment, it’s a wonder that humans haven’t decided to free the orca whales that are held captive in amusement parks all over the world. Marine biologists, psychologists, and other specialists in the field are beginning to recognize a kind of psychosis (Bekoff, 2013) that sets in on the jailed cetaceans. With symptoms that mimic those of humans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Bradshaw, 2010), there is no denying that these underwater inmates are sick. But instead of setting the innocent free, the people in positions of power, the ones who really have the ability to make a change in public opinion about cetaceans in captivity, are choosing profit over “vitality” (Clark, 2014). But not all cetaceans live lives of torment and torture. Cetaceans in the wild seem to combine intelligence and emotion, creating familial structures that endure over hundreds of years. Possibly more interesting than the psychological theory behind aggression in captive orca whales is theory behind healthy, wild orcas. The massive mammals, when living in the wild, exhibit behavior which proves their nickname as killers to be totally false. Cetaceans process and feel at a level close to that of humans.
Many whales avoid breeding grounds and feeding areas in relation to several different species of whales being beached have had some kind of trauma beforehand. Scientists are starting to research and discover that most of them were bleeding around the brain and ears. Due to all of the naval ships in the area, people began to question if they had any part of the beaching. “Most previous attempts to determine whether military sonar use and whale strandings are correlated have looked at mass stranding records of beaked whales an...
After watching several documentaries on how poorly killer whales are treated in captivity, it drew me into researching more information on the treatment of Killer whales that are kept in captivity. I found several scientific journals, and articles on wild life facts of killer whales and I found published books on the treatment of killer whales in captivity. The information I found includes both wild killer whales and killer whales kept in captivity. With the information I found, I plan to prove the shortened lifespan and health problems killer whales get while living in captivity are not normal. In fact the information you learned about killer whales from aquariums and commercial parks are false. This paper will argue why killer whales should not be held captive in commercial parks. This Paper will include information on the killer whale’s diet, the killer whale’s communication, and the killer whale’s physical traits.
Orcas, also known as killer whales, are amazingly intelligent and are a top predator, much like humans. However, when the top predator of the ocean collides with the top predator of land, the situation can become fatal for both humans and the whales. Holding these incredibly massive marine animals in captivity is not only inhumane and detrimental to the whale’s health, but also a potentially fatal activity for humans to participate in.
In the world today, we know that whales are majestic creatures with amazing lifestyles that we don’t completely understand. We also know that however large they are, they are in danger because they have been over hunted and over used by human beings. Today through Commercial Whaling, the whales of the oceans have been put at risk and their population continues to decrease. Countries such as Japan, Iceland, and Norway defy the rules set by The International Whaling Commission under the pretense that they’re whaling for scientific reasons, when in reality they are whaling for commercial reasons of profit. Commercial whaling is a problem in countries around the world, most prominent are the Japanese, and other countries are Iceland and Norway. Over time the status of the whale population has declined because of the increase of technology in whale hunting.
Wildlife Conservation Society. "Whale mass stranding attributed to sonar mapping for first time." ScienceDaily, 25 Sep. 2013. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.
Killer whales communicate by a series of clicks and whistles called vocalization. Each pod, or family, has their own unique language. This gives whales the ability to identify their own pods. Orcas have a brain that is about five ti...
Another behavior that people speculate about is whale beaching. A beached whale is often helpless given its i...
...r humans because killer whales are one of the world's most powerful predators. Perhaps the greatest threat to the killer whales comes from the disturbance and degradation of its habitat. As a top predator, the killer whale is particularly vulnerable to the accumulation of contaminants in its tissues; for example, some populations have been found to carry high levels of chemicals such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), with negatively affects survival and reproduction. Large-scale oil spills can also affect the killer whales, either directly, or indirectly by reducing the abundance of its prey. Disturbance from boats and other man-made underwater noises can affect their behavior, disrupt echolocation and social calls, and reduce the ability of orcas to forage effectively. This may become a problem in areas where whale-watching is becoming popular. (Arkive).
The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) has had a slow recovery since the cessation of commercial...
SeaWorld is a deterrent to the whale’s natural development. Truthfully, the whales’ longevity is shorter in captivity, they are affected psychologically and are...