A good time for whales

Whales are the biggest creatures on Earth, even if you count in the mighty dinosaurs that lived more than 65 million years ago. A blue whale can measure almost 30 metres end to end. Sri Lanka is lucky to have these creatures, as well as dolphins, in the seas of its vicinity. It is a big tourist draw, but what is even more important that many whale researchers are being drawn to the country to study these creatures. We know so little about these magnificent creatures, after all.

It is in this light that we have to commend SriLankan Airlines for initiating a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Organisation for Protection of Whales at the World Tourism Market which will be held from November 5 to 8 in London.

SriLankan Airlines Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe has described this move as their latest Corporate Responsibility initiative. Under this agreement, the airline would also bring down leading whale experts from time to time which would assist in the protection of whales around the island. It will also be a boon to researchers already working in our seas, like Asha de Vos, a marine biologist whose research focuses on the blue whale population around Sri Lanka.

A graduate of the universities of St. Andrews and Oxford and is studying for her Ph.D. at the University of Western Australia, she recently wrote an article on the CNN website highlighting the need to protect Lanka’s whales.

Blues

As she points out “What excites me most is that the waters around Sri Lanka, slap-bang in the heart of the Indian Ocean, are home to a resident group of Northern Indian Ocean blues. My research is just beginning to shed light on what sustains this group of the largest animals to ever roam the oceans throughout the year. But besides fulfilling their nutritional needs, Sri Lankan waters provide a safe haven for mothers and calves and have given me the opportunity to observe mesmerising portrayals of the persistence of males and the pickiness of females engaged in courtship rituals”.

This new agreement would also give the airline and the country direct and indirect positive publicity which would help promote tourism. A lot of tourists already visit Sri Lanka during the relevant seasons to catch a glimpse of whales and dolphins. Several private operators and the Sri Lanka Navy conduct cruises where sightings of whales and dolphins are guaranteed. These have become extremely popular among domestic tourists as well.

This was a long-felt need because until now there was no formal structure to protect whales living around Sri Lanka.

With this pact in place, there will be greater awareness on the need to protect these kings of the sea. Although whale hunting boats generally do not enter our ocean zone, whales and dolphins are subject to various other pressures including pollution and noise (from ship propellers and other activities of Man) and ship strikes which could result in a drop of their population numbers. (Incidentally, the International Whale Hunt Ban came into force exactly 30 years ago). It is our fervent hope that the agreement would lead to a comprehensive conservation plan for the whales living around Sri Lanka.

Debate

This development is also interesting in the light of the debate going on between aquariums and animal rights/whale watch groups on the ideal method(s) for whale protection and conservation. Should whales be caught from the wild and reared at aquariums for further research? Or should they be left in the wild, where humans should go and do research? There is no easy answer, but since Sri Lanka has no such aquarium facilities at the moment, it is fairly certain that research has to be conducted in the open ocean.

We are learning new things about the different species of whales every day. It has long been known that whales can ‘sing’ - a complex form of communications that Man is yet to comprehend. In fact, there are over 20,000 song patterns in the whale community, across various species.

There is also at least one known case of a (beluga) whale imitating human speech. This whale, affectionately called NOC by scientists, has reportedly told a diver to “get out” of the water.

Professor Lindy Weilgart from Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia offered an opinion on this peculiar case: “We can’t know what he was trying to say, but whether he was doing it because he was bored and just wanted to stimulate himself, or because he was trying to reach out to humans, it’s a sure sign of intelligence.” There is no doubt that whales are highly intelligent creatures who like to learn new things and explore their world.

They travel thousands of kilometres in the ocean, returning to the same spots without fail, although scientists say that whales in Sri Lanka’s vicinity more or less remain there throughout the year. Whales’ excellent navigational skills are being studied extensively. Scientists are trying to solve another mystery: the frequent beaching of whales in large numbers in some countries.

Scientists are also evolving new methods to conduct whale research. For example, Australian scientists have devised a way to eavesdrop on their distinctive song to help locate the rare mammals, even if they're hundreds of kilometres away. Using new acoustic technology, Antarctic researchers have significantly improved their chances of finding and studying blue whales in the Southern Ocean.

Australia is leading an international effort to estimate their numbers and behaviour, and achieved their latest breakthrough using directional sono-buoys placed in northern Bass Strait earlier this year. Sri Lankan authorities including the National Aquatic Research Agency, which recently commissioned an ocean research vessel, should join such efforts.

At least a part of the proceeds from whaling cruises should go to fund whale research especially by Sri Lankan scientists.

This way, tourism can actually benefit the whales whose very existence is being threatened in some parts of the world. Every effort must be made to save this magnificent animal for posterity.