Hear A Naturalist - Article 9

Imagine an Ocean without whales, dolphins, tuna, sharks, shrimp, lobster, crab, kelp...you name it! - All gone because of our insatiable desires and hunger for more. Every creature on this planet is a part of a delicate ecosystem in which species flourish or decline according to the conditions in which they coexist. Like a chain reaction, the loss of one species can lead to the degradation of life as we know it. Phytoplankton - the smallest, most valued organism in the Ocean provides food and life for not only marine animals but for us as well. Helping to provide the air we breathe. As unique as it sounds, according to a recent paper published, Sperm whale droppings actually nourish the phytoplankton which absorbs CO2 for photosynthesis. In other words, the whale’s droppings remove 40,000 passenger cars worth of CO2 from the atmosphere every year! Orcas for example, are at the top of the food chain in the marine world and the Resident Orcas (who feed only on fish) rely heavily on salmon for their survival. Our Southern Resident Orcas are among the most beautiful animals in the world and are currently listed as endangered due to the decline of our salmon stocks. Last year 10 million salmon were expected to come up the Fraser River, and only 1 million made it. Not only is this detrimental to our fishing industry, but also to the wild, natural animals that base their survival on these salmon stocks. If we do not stop harvesting our oceans, we will completely annihilate all stocks by the year 2060.This would have shattering effects on all life dependent on the Ocean. And if you think fish farms are the solution, they are chock full of disease and hormones. This is but another reason why we should protect our majestic Cetaceans – even their droppings protect the environment!