Below is a graph showing the population trends of Delphinapterus leucas (also as known as beluga whales) from 1994 to 2009 in the Alaskan Area. Since the reproductive cycle of a beluga is seasonal, in which female whales give birth every 3 years, the graph rises and dips in 3-year or 4-year cycles. However, our existence is causing other animals to lose the beautiful habitat they once had. Below are 4 main reasons that is causing the death of belugas to outnumber the newborn.
Why are beluga populations decreasing?
1. Frequent oil spills release toxic chemicals to the sea and can drastically damage the immune system of the belugas, and make them vulnerable to diseases such as pneumonia, ulcers, tumors, and bacterial infection.
2. Industrial development (especially in oil and gas) causes ships traveling among sensitive areas, producing noise that can hinder communications for Arctic marine species, including beluga whales. This negatively affects whales’ ability to prey, mate, navigate, avoid predators, and also increases the possibility of collisions with animals, especially whales, who use sound to communicate. Leading into the cycle, collisions with marine animals will increase the frequency of oil spills and contaminate the ocean in a faster rate.
3. Overexploitation of beluga whales is another factor of the decline of beluga population. Beluga whales live in the North where Eskimos live. The Eskimos hunt beluga whales for food and other needs. For example, Eskimos hunt beluga whale’s blubber for lipstick production. Beluga whales also have skin thick enough for people to produce leather.
4. Like polar bears, the beluga depends on sea ice for its existence and can be directly impacted by climate change. Arctic species have come here from a long way of evolution in order to adapt to the life around sea ice. Because of climate change, ice covers has been changing rapidly in area and thickness and shrinking far too quickly for these species to adapt. With ice, beluga whales lose a place to feed, take refuge, and hide from predators like orcas.
Citation:
Beluga | Whales |Species | WWF. (2017). World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/beluga
Speegle, J. (2017). NOAA Fisheries Issues Recovery Plan for Cook Inlet beluga whales. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/node/55458
Albert
So is the population of the Beluga whales come back or it is still decreasing?
Claire Chung
Due to captive breeding and NOAA’s recognition, their population trend is prevented from decreasing continuously, but still, they need our help to regain their population.