. Earth Science News .
WHALES AHOY
Melting Arctic ice draws killer whales further north
By Olivier MORIN with Marc PREEL in Stockholm
Skjervoy, Norway (AFP) Dec 17, 2021

In the pale winter darkness of northern Norway, a huge flock of seagulls circles above an Arctic fjord, signifying the presence of a group of unusual predators in the water below.

With Arctic sea ice shrinking at record levels due to global warming, killer whales are expanding their hunting grounds further north and spending more time in polar waters, US scientists say.

But the giant mammals, also known as orcas and which are at the top of the food chain, risk creating an "ecological imbalance" in the Arctic by preying on endangered species, warned a University of Washington study this month.

When AFP visited the vast Skjervoy fjord in the Arctic Ocean, 70 to 80 killer whales could be seen gathering in family clans of about 10, including calves under a year old.

Increasingly frequent and northerly sightings suggest that the iconic black and white member of the dolphin family, whose males can grow up to eight metres (26 feet) long and weigh six tonnes, is learning to adapt to the newly melted waters of the Arctic Ocean.

"Through acoustic surveys, we have detected orcas in the Barents Sea in November between Svalbard and Franz Josef Land, so they are clearly following the edge of the ice," Marie-Anne Blanchet of the Norwegian Polar Institute told AFP.

The killer whale, which with a global population estimated at 50,000 is found in almost all of the world's seas, feeds on Arctic prey such as the beluga whale and, most likely, some species of seal, the specialist said.

- Conflict with humans -

The whales' changing migration patterns are also linked to the fact that their food of choice, herring, is also moving further north, for reasons that are still unclear.

"They are predators with a great capacity to adapt, so they are opportunistic," Blanchet said.

The new hunting grounds are also leading to unprecedented conflict with humans.

In the waters off Greenland's capital Nuuk, four orcas, considered an unwelcome competitor by local fishermen and hunters, were killed at the end of November, an act permissible under Greenlandic law.

A University of Washington study presented at the beginning of December found that the increased migration of super predators is a consequence of the increasingly long season when the Arctic Ocean is free of ice.

"It's not necessarily that killer whales haven't been reported in these areas before, but that they appear to be remaining in the area for longer periods of time," co-author Brynn Kimber wrote.

The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, impacting the extent of the ice pack and the ecosystems that depend on it.

Arctic sea ice, which is also getting thinner, has shrunk on average by more than 13 percent per decade over the past 40 years.

By the end of the summer of 2012, it had reached its lowest level on record, at 3.4 million square kilometres (1.4 million square miles), almost half the size it was during the 1980s.

Analysing eight years of acoustic readings, Kimber's team also detected killer whales in the Chukchi Sea between Alaska and Russia during the months when it used to be frozen, as well as with greater frequency during the summer.

The study warned that the hunter, which also chases after prey in packs, is increasingly attacking the endangered bowhead whale, a species left exposed by the retreating ice pack.

These attacks are "likely to increase due to longer open water seasons," the researchers said.


Related Links
Follow the Whaling Debate


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


WHALES AHOY
Russia to ban capturing whales for aquariums
Moscow (AFP) Dec 10, 2021
Russian activists on Friday welcomed a move by President Vladimir Putin to close a legal loophole that allowed sea creatues, particularly whales, to be captured to perform in aquariums and other venues. Images of 100 whales cramped into a notorious facility dubbed the "whale jail" in Russia's far east sparked an international outcry in 2018. The whales, which were destined for aquariums, were freed after an intense campaign by rights groups and earlier this month Russia said it had fully dismant ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

WHALES AHOY
Tunisia navy rescues 78 migrants, one dead

More than 80 reported dead in Philippines typhoon: officials

'Faith is solid': Catholic devotees pray in typhoon-hit Philippine city

Connecting online, tornado victims track down lost treasures

WHALES AHOY
Understanding cobalt's human cost

New smart-roof coating enables year-round energy savings

Nike buys virtual sneaker firm as metaverse buzz grows

Technique enables real-time rendering of scenes in 3D

WHALES AHOY
Sea level fall led to the decline of pre-Columbian societies 2,000 years ago

Seagrass is not a miracle solution against climate change

DARPA Announces Forecasting Floats in Turbulence Challenge Winners

Vulnerable to climate change, New York constructs seawall

WHALES AHOY
Kitesurfing the white wilderness for polar science

Winter is coming: Researchers uncover the surprising cause of the little ice age

New study reconstructs preglacial topography of mid-North America for first time

Study: Shelf holding back key Antarctic glacier could break up in 5 years

WHALES AHOY
China lifts embargo on Brazilian beef

Sticky situation: Canada taps maple syrup reserves to meet soaring demand

Seeds of crisis: Climate change, price hikes hit Dijon mustard

Taiwan votes against reimposing US pork ban

WHALES AHOY
Beneath La Palma volcano, scientists collect lava 'to learn'

Volcanic eruption on Spanish island shows signs of ending

Foreigners among 12 killed in Iraqi Kurdistan floods

Indonesian volcano erupts again, spewing ash cloud

WHALES AHOY
Guinea PM offers rare rebuke to junta over airport renaming

US warns Mali on accepting Russia's Wagner mercenaries

Europe builds up Mali force as France draws down troops

Macron to meet Mali strongman for first time next week: presidency

WHALES AHOY
Colombia's Indigenous nomads displaced by violence

Researchers uncover earliest evidence for prehistoric humans transforming surroundings

Oldest documented grave of infant girl in Europe found

The impact of drugs on gut microbes is greater than we thought









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.