Science – Claire's Blog

Category: Science

Implications and Solutions

On June 2, 2017

In Grade 7, Language and Literature, Science

https://youtu.be/H_fPi_-YCW4

Four main reasons that are causing the beluga whale population to decrease is sound pollution, toxic chemical spills, over hunting, and climate change. Organizations, aquariums, experts, and the government has been coming up with solutions to solve the problems, and these include captive breeding, using the water-oil separation, and raising public awareness. This video will introduce the implications and consequences for each of these solutions in order to save Delphinapterus leucas (or as known as beluga whales).

Captive breeding

Solution: A majority of aquariums are supportive to captive breeding, not only because it brings up the tourism industry, but also it allows them to keep track of the world population and provide them with the most considerate care, hoping for the population to grow back.
Implication: However, captive breeding degrades the immune system of beluga whales, because they aren’t able to live freely like they did in nature. Being cared by human makes animals more and more dependent on human care, which might cause them to be unable to adapt to the wild again.

Water-oil separation

Solution: The water-oil separation requires some of the largest skimmers in the world, to skim the surface of the water and manually collect floating oil.
Implication: Even though this solution can be used in calm, isolated water, strong ocean currents largely hinder the process. Also, this ocean cleaning method is obviously, a rather costly procedure in terms of time, effort and money.

Raising awareness

Solution: Informing the public is a big part of conservation. Raising awareness means to gain public’s level of understanding about the importance and implications of beluga whales in the ecosystem. For example, by informing the public that belugas play a very important role in regulating the fish population using data and evidence, many people will be convinced to stop hunting beluga whales. Another thing we can inform is that since beluga whales rely on sea ice for hiding from predators, feeding, and taking refuge, and since the melting sea ice is shrinking quicker than the beluga whales to adapt, climate change plays a direct role in the decline of beluga whales.
Implications: Raising awareness doesn’t have complicated implications, and the people who are doing this are not limited to organizations and experts. Every of us can teach and inform the people around us about what we are doing that are causing beluga whales to become endangered.

Citation:

Websites:
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

Images:
Smith, I. (2016). Effects of Noise Pollution from Ships on Marine Life [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://www.marineinsight.com/environment/effects-of-noise-pollution-from-ships-on-marine-life/

Insights. (2017). Insights into Editorial: Tarred by the oil spill – INSIGHTS [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://www.insightsonindia.com/2017/02/04/insights-editorial-tarred-oil-spill/

Joling, D. (2017). Beluga whales dive deep to eat [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from https://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween56/beluga-whales-dive-deep-eat/

(2016). Meltdown Earth: the shocking reality of climate change kicks in – but who is listening? [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://theconversation.com/meltdown-earth-the-shocking-reality-of-climate-change-kicks-in-but-who-is-listening-56255

(2017). Raising Awareness | National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders – A community for those suffering from dysphagia and swallowing related illnesses [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/raisingawareness/

(2011). How to Start an Awareness Campaign for Your Cause – Our Revolution [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://ourrevolution.co/2011/09/how-to-start-an-awareness-campaign-for-your-cause/

Mishler, J. (2017). NOAA: Stop Georgia Aquarium from importing wild beluga whales for captivity [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from https://www.change.org/p/noaa-stop-georgia-aquarium-from-importing-wild-beluga-whales-for-captivity

Stokes, G. (2017). :: Oceanic Love:: Performing Prisoners – Orca’s, Beluga’s and Dolphins in Captivity [image]. Retrieved 31 May 2017, from http://www.oceaniclove.com/performing-prisoners.html

(2014). Can whales be healthy and happy in an aquarium? Scientists weigh in [image]. Retrieved 31 May 2017, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/whales-in-captivity-what-scientists-say-1.2722933

(2017. Heartbreaking Picture of Beluga Whales in Rusting Tank Displays What’s Wrong With Captivity [image]. Retrieved 31 May 2017, from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/heartbreaking-picture-of-beluga-whales-in-rusting-tank/

(2017). Debate arises over whales in captivity [image]. Retrieved 31 May 2017, from http://www.theprovince.com/technology/debate+arises+over+whales+captivity/3282354/story.html

(2011). How to Start an Awareness Campaign for Your Cause – Our Revolution [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://ourrevolution.co/2011/09/how-to-start-an-awareness-campaign-for-your-cause/

Ma, M. (2017). Arctic sea ice loss impacts beluga whale migration [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from https://phys.org/news/2017-01-arctic-sea-ice-loss-impacts.html

Ma, M. (2016). Rare beluga data show whales dive to maximize meals | UW Today [image]. Washington.edu. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://www.washington.edu/news/2016/02/12/rare-beluga-data-show-whales-dive-to-maximize-meals/

Sherinian, A. (2013). Our Work Together: 13 Highlights from 2013 [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://www.unfoundation.org/blog/our-work-together.html?referrer=https://www.google.com.tw/

Exploring Twitter

By Claire Chung

On May 26, 2017

In Grade 7, Language and Literature, Science

KAS hashtags:

#KASendangered
- The hashtag for the KAS 7th grade community to communicate with each other for this interdisciplinary unit.
#KASeaPolar
- The hashtag for a smaller group of other seventh graders who are also researching about endangered polar animals.

Twitter hashtags:

#SpeciesAtRisk
- This hashtag provides organizations who are aware of animals who are on the verge of being endangered or extinct.
#conservation
- This hashtag is useful because lots of tweets on endangered species and habitat protection were found, and there are many people looking at this hashtag.
#NOAA
- NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is an active organization/government agency that helps to protect life and property, and conserve/protect the Earth’s natural resources.
#SilentOilSpills
- Oil Spills are the main cause of beluga whale’s threatened status. This hashtag is used by organizations such as Greenpeace and the UN.
#togetherpossible
- This hashtag is created by WWF. Many people are using this hashtag to conserve animals nd create harmony between us and nature.

Organizations:

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
- The NOAA is an organization that branches into many categories, such as NOAA Ocean Explorer, NOAA Fisheries NWFSC, and NOAA Habitat. Thie organization provides solutions to help beluga whales and posts articles.
WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
- The World Wildlife Fund cares about almost every endangered species, including beluga whales. It creates infographics to explain a concept, which communicates effectively.
IUCN Red List
Marine Connection
- This organization protects the world’s dolphins and whales. It puts many pictures of whales to inspire people to protect them.

Beluga Whale Infographic

By Claire Chung

On May 25, 2017

In Grade 7, Language and Literature, Science

Beluga whales are under the threatened or endangered status in parts of the world. Even though there are still 150,000 belugas in the Arctic Circle, species are now going endangered far faster than they used to. A recent study estimated that the extinction rate has increased a hundredfold over the last century. The main reason of them being on the verge of being endangered is because of human activity. Human activity produces sound pollution (as well as toxic chemical spills) to more sensitive areas, killing the primary food source of the ocean and unbalancing the overall ecosystem in the Arctic Circle. Increasing greenhouse gas melts the sea ice that forms a natural barrier for beluga whales to be attacked by predators, and causes them to not be able to adapt successfully to a new environment without sea ice. This also promotes the emerging pathogens and diseases in their habitat. If we care together for beluga whales and try our best to conserve them, a difference will be made to conserve their habitat and the species within it.

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

One Solution To Conserve Beluga Whales

By Claire Chung

On May 25, 2017

In Grade 7, Language and Literature, Science

In the post below, the 4 main reasons causing beluga whales to become endangered are frequent oil spills, in-water noise, overexploitation, and climate change. In this post, we will focus on one of the reasons — frequent oil spills, and aim for a solution that can solve this problem. Watch the 30-second video below to understand the problem and solution.

Population Trend of Beluga Whales

The growth of transportation of oil and gas is caused by our increasing need for fuel to power our society. One main use of fuel is transportation, mainly cars. Because of urbanization, we need cars to get to the society. As the number of people who use cars increase, more fuel is needed to power our cars, and sea transportation of oil and gas will become even more frequent. More frequent transportations over sensitive areas will produce sound pollution and increase the possibility of crashing with whales and oil spills. Hence, to decrease the frequency of steering ships across where beluga whales live, one solution is to use less fuel by replacing driving with walking or biking. Thinking back to the reasons that are causing belugas to decrease, this solution can actually solve 3 out of 4 problems. Walking instead of driving can also decrease the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and stop climate change. Sound pollutions will also become less as well.

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

(2013). Overview of Fossil Fuels [image]. Retrieved 30 May 2017, from http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/fossilfuels.php

Ma, M. (2016). Rare beluga data show whales dive to maximize meals | UW Today [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from http://www.washington.edu/news/2016/02/12/rare-beluga-data-show-whales-dive-to-maximize-meals/

Ma, M. (2017). Arctic sea ice loss impacts beluga whale migration [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from https://phys.org/news/2017-01-arctic-sea-ice-loss-impacts.html

Joling, D. (2017). Beluga whales dive deep to eat [image]. Retrieved 1 June 2017, from https://www.tweentribune.com/article/tween56/beluga-whales-dive-deep-eat/

Population Trend of Beluga Whales

By Claire Chung

On May 25, 2017

In 7th Grade, Grade 7, Highlights, Language and Literature, Science

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