The International Whaling Commission (IWC) voted on 23 July 1982 for a complete ban on commercial whaling, putting an end to the 200 years of the brutal whale killing. From 1986 on this day the world celebrates World Whale and Dolphin Day.
Among whales and dolphins currently known are: 14 baleen whales, 3 sperm whales, 23 beaked whales, 38 dolphins, 4 river dolphins and the beluga and narwhal. The dolphins include the orca, or killer whale, as well as the pilot whales. Sadly, one of the river dolphin species, the baiji (Yangtze River dolphin), was declared functionally extinct in 2007.
DOLPHINS AND WHALES COMMUNICATE AND PLAY
Amazing games between bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales have been filmed off the coast of Hawaii. The dolphins swim onto the nose of the whales, which then raise themselves out of the water to a great height, so that the dolphins slide down their heads with a great splash. Scientists agree that they communicate with each other in sophisticated and at times, novel and interactive ways. Some dolphin species use distinct names for one another with signature whistles. Dolphins use their names to identify and call one another. No other creature, besides humans, is believed to use given names for each other.
Sperm whales have the largest brain among animals on our planet and dolphins have a brain to body ratio second only to humans. The ability to recognise yourself in a mirror is often used by psychologists as a measure of intelligence and self-awareness. Besides humans, only bottlenose dolphins, chimpanzees, elephants and magpies show this ability. Dolphins are very playful, pods of dolphins leap, tumble, back flip and spin together; and there is often no explicable reason for their behaviour other than pure social enjoyment.
HUNTING
For centuries, people have hunted dolphins for their meat and blubber. Today, their main threat comes from being caught accidentally in commercial fishing nets. Dolphins must rise regularly to the surface to breathe—becoming entangled in nets prevents this, leading to drowning. Though the stark population declines from hunting have largely stopped, also several whale species are threatened or endangered—including the blue whale, right whale, and fin whale—by a combination of fishing net entanglements and being struck by ships.
Sources: uk.whales.org, nationalgeographic.com
LET'S FIGHT TO SAVE THE OCEANS
VAKOVAKO will soon fight to save the current shape and biodiversity of the oceans. 100 % of all donations given via our app to „OCEANS“ area will by transfered to related NGOs. Let’s help them expand their activities together.