Endangered Animals in Antarctica
We all know that there are endangered animals on our plant and most of us want to do something about it. So we deiced to make a web-site about it. One of the things I am in charge of is the endangered animals in Antarctica. So let’s get to it!
Whales
Swish, swish, swish, blow!!! That’s the wonderful sound these beautiful whales make. There are so many whales in the Antarctic, and so many are endangered that we must do something about it. The whales I researched are: Southern Right Whale, Blue Whale, Humpback Whale, Bowhead Whale, Gray Whale, and the Sperm Whale! They are all endangered because people hunt them, the oceans are getting polluted, and so then their food gets polluted which finally gets to them and then they get diagnosed with diseases. The more whales that get diagnosed, the higher the chances they will become completely extinct. So please, help us all and keep the waters safe and clean for these beautiful animals.
Humpback Whale
The Humpback Whale has a very unique physical description. Did you know that the head of the Humpback is very broad and rounded when viewed from above, but slim in a profile? And the top of the head and lower jaw have rounded bump-like knobs. The color on the dorsal side (top) is black and mottled black-white on the ventral side (bottom). Also the flippers rang from the lightest white to the darkest black. The measurements of the adult male rang from 40 to 48 feet (12.2-14.6 m) and the measurements of the adult female rang from 45 to 50 feet (13.7-15.2 m). They weigh from 25 to 40 tons (22,680-36,287 kg). They are found in all the world’s oceans but are mostly found in the Artic Ocean and are also very active and acrobatic. The most interesting fact about the Humpback whale is probably their “singing”. They are very good at their own “singing” because it is how they communicate. Since the whales feeding mating and calving grounds are so close to shore, it makes them a very easy target for early whalers. Whalers are people who hunt whales for fun and food! This is a reason they are so endangered!!!!
The Beluga Whale
The description of the beluga whale is very interesting. The adult beluga whale is a creamy white color. Their snout is very short and they don’t have a dorsal fin like other whales, but they do have a low dorsal ridge. Belugas have a rather large, rounded, structure on the top of their heads (called a melon) that focuses sound waves for echolocation and sound products. The male beluga whale can be up to 11-15 feet in length and they can weigh about 3,300 pounds! And the females can be about 13 feet in length and weigh about 3,000 pounds. Approximately 62,000 to 80,000 beluga whales can be found in the whole entire world! Did you know that the beluga whale can live up to 30 years? The habitat of the beluga ranges from the icy waters of the artic and the subarctic ocean to the warmer waters of the freshwater rivers. They generally are found in the shallow coastal waters but they can also use the ocean depths as well as estuaries and river basins. The beluga whales rely on echolocation to find their food. The foods they eat the most are octopus, squid, crab, snail, and a variety of fish. The beluga whales are known as “sea carnies” because of their many vocalizations. They are also agile animals and are able to swim backwards! Did you know that historically, belugas were hunted for oil and food? That’s all I got folks, so I hope you learned a lot. And thanks for reading!
Gray Whale
The Gray Whale ranges from slate gray to black with many white spots and skin blotches This whale is toothless, has a long rigid snout and a double blow-hole. The Gray Whale does not have a dorsal fin but it does have a low hump on its back. The females of this type of whale may be a length of 40-50 feet and can weigh up to 16 tons, when the males are a tad bit smaller. Today the population of this whale is at approximately 21,000. They migrate along the coast of North America from California to the Artic or from coastal Korea to Siberia where they spend the summer. For the winter they return to warmer waters. This is a 4,000 mile round trip they take every year and it is the longest trip made by any mammal. They prefer shallow waters when other whales might prefer deeper waters. They feed on bottom-dwelling organisms such as amphipods (small crustaceans), mollusks, and worms. Gray Whales also sometimes leap completely out of the water. Did you know females bear one calf every two years after a gestation period of 13 months? I hope you learned a lot about the Gray Whale and I hope you come back to our web-site again sometime soon.
Bowhead Whale
The Bowhead Whale has a massive body protected from the icy
waters by a layer of blubber that is 2 feet thick!!! Its head is immense because it makes up almost 1/3 of the whale’s enormous body! These whales are blue-black in color, except for a variable amount of white on the lower jaw. Adult males can reach physical maturity at 50 feet (15 m.) and may weigh in excess of 60 tons. Adult males are a bit larger than the males both physical and sexual maturity. The maximum length is 60 feet (18.3 m.). Adult females are slightly bigger than adult males. They can usually reach 60 feet. Bowheads feed on planktonic organisms including copepods, amphipods, euphausiids, and various other crustaceans. Did you know that Bowhead Whale usually travel alone or in small packs up to 6 other whales? When the Bowhead whales were hunted in the early 1900’s it higher their percents of becoming extinct. But then in 1946 they finally became protected.
Sperm Whale
The sperm Whale is the largest whale with teeth and is best known as the leviathan Moby Dick in Melville’s novel. The Sperm Whale’s head is blunt and squared off, and has a small, underslung jaw. Sperm Whales are usually dark, brownish gray, with light streaks, spots and scratches. The skin around its mouth, particularly near the corners, is white. They have a dorsal fin, followed by knuckles along the spine. Adult males reach up to 49 to 59 feet in length and the adult females usually reach to about 36 feet. These whales main source of food is medium-sized deep water squid, but it also feeds on species of fish, skate, octopus, and smaller squid. Did you know that these whales are found in every ocean in the world? The Sperm Whales are the deepest divers of all the whales; they can descend to the great depths of over 3,300 feet (1000 m.), and can stay submerged
for up to an hour. They talk or communicate by using “Morse-code” like patterns of clicks called codas. These whales are still fairly numerous but not enough to not be on the endangered list.
Blue Whale
The Blue Whale is the world’s largest mammal to ever inhabit the earth. Its body is long and somewhat streamlined. Its rostrum (which is the upper part of the head) is very broad and flat. The Blue Whale is bluish-gray in color. The Blue Whale can be found in every ocean in the world. Did you know that it is more common to see Blue Whales in pairs? Also Blue Whales found in the Southern Hemisphere can reach lengths of 90 to 100 feet long!!! The Blue is thought to eat small like creatures called euphausiias or krill. Since the Blue Whale is so enormous and fast, they are safe from early whalers. Did you know that the whaling industry started to focus on Blue Whales after 1900? Before 1966, 99% of the Blue Whales were killed during the whaling efforts. Now there is an estimated 5-10 thousand Blue Whales in the Southern Hemisphere, and only about 3-4 thousand in the Northern Hemisphere.
Polar Bears
The Polar Bears are surviving as best as they can in the frigged Artic. They are found through-out the Artic often covering hundreds of miles in their range, but are disappearing as fast as cherry pie sitting on an open window. They have heavy fur, which camouflages them against the white, snowy Artic, so it is sometimes hard to find them. Although they are large in size they are extremely fast runners, travel wide ranges, and are expert swimmers. Their fat insulation keeps them warm in fridge temperatures. They have hairy soles on their broad feet, also. When they eat they’re having a feast. For they eat fish, seal, caribou, birds, grass, seaweed, and the occasional whale. These true survivors are known to be shy but can get aggressive when they are aggravated. And did you know that the female polar bear gives birth to four cubs at a time. They are endangered thanks to man’s excessive hunting for their priceless hide, tendons, meat, fat, and flesh. And did you know that in efforts to save the polar bears an international agreement was set up in 1973 whereby only traditional weapons were allowed to be used in the hunting of the polar bears?!