tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/humpback-whale-21182/articlesHumpback whale – The Conversation2023-02-16T19:17:54Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2000622023-02-16T19:17:54Z2023-02-16T19:17:54ZAustralian humpback whales are singing less and fighting more. Should we be worried?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510471/original/file-20230216-26-s6g586.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C29%2C3858%2C2555&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cetacean Ecology Group, University of Queensland.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As eastern Australian humpback whale populations have recovered over the years, males have adapted their mating strategy in a highly strategic way, new research finds. </p>
<p>I analysed 123 days’ worth of data on Australian humpbacks (<em>Megaptera novaeangliae</em>), collected from 1997 to 2015, and found male humpbacks sang less and fought more as the whale population ballooned.</p>
<p>We think this shift in behaviour is a result of not wanting to attract other males to a potential mate, as we explain in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-04509-7">research published</a> today in Communications Biology. </p>
<h2>Rapid growth, rapid adaptation</h2>
<p>Humpbacks have recovered magnificently since 1965, when the species became <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/marine/marine-species/cetaceans/whaling#">globally protected</a>.</p>
<p>One population off Australia’s east coast grew from less than 500 in the 1960s and is estimated to contain at least 30,000 today. This population has provided experts a rich dataset. The males in particular are great subjects thanks to their striking song broadcasts. </p>
<p><audio preload="metadata" controls="controls" data-duration="424" data-image="" data-title="Whale Song from 2003" data-size="7010245" data-source="Rebecca Dunlop" data-source-url="" data-license="Author provided" data-license-url="">
<source src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/2746/whale-song.mp3" type="audio/mpeg">
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<div class="audio-player-caption">
Whale Song from 2003.
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rebecca Dunlop</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span><span class="download"><span>6.69 MB</span> <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.theconversation.com/audio/2746/whale-song.mp3">(download)</a></span></span>
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<p>Carrying on work started by University of Queensland Professor <a href="https://researchers.uq.edu.au/researcher/1028">Michael Noad</a> in the ’90s, we set out to investigate exactly how the eastern humpbacks have adapted to the growth numbers.</p>
<p>Luckily for us these whales migrate close to the coastline, so we were able to establish a land-based observation station at Peregian Beach, a small coastal town on the Sunshine Coast.</p>
<p>Volunteers onshore helped us track individual whales as they moved down the coast, while an acoustic array moored offshore recorded the whales’ song and tracked singing whales. This method (which Professor Noad first established) allowed us to pinpoint the exact location of a particular whale in real time. </p>
<p>A trend emerged when our data were coupled with those collected by Professor Noad’s team. As the eastern humpback population grew, males weren’t singing as much as they used to. Instead they were increasingly opting to quietly find a female to mate with, or fighting off other male competition.</p>
<p>Specifically, the proportion of singing males decreased from two in ten in 2003–2004, to only one in ten by 2014–2015. Data from 2003–2004 also show males were less likely to sing when they had a higher proportion of males in their social circle. </p>
<p>And it seems the change in tactics led to a change in results. In 1997 singing males were almost twice as likely as their counterparts to be seen joining with a female and escorting her, likely to attempt to mate. But by 2014-2015, non-singing males were almost five times more likely to be seen joining a group with a female. </p>
<p>That said, we can’t say for sure when joining a group actually results in mating with the female and fathering a calf. That’s another piece of this puzzle: how many of the males that join groups (singing or otherwise) actually end up mating and then fathering a calf?</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A large humpback whales head is seen sticking out from the ocean's surface, with a second small fin peeking out nearby" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510473/original/file-20230216-26-m2nvrg.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"><em>Megaptera novaeangliae</em> is one of three subspecies of the humpback whale.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cetacean Ecology Group/University of Queensland.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What’s driving males to fight?</h2>
<p>A species will carry out a behaviour for as long as the benefits outweigh the costs. If something changes, and the costs start to outweigh the benefits, they will stop. It’s a basic principle, but it goes a long way towards explaining our findings. </p>
<p>In the early years of data collection, when there were fewer whales around, a male could sing and broadcast himself to nearby females quite comfortably – not having to worry about hordes of other males wanting his neck. </p>
<p>Now, with a more than burgeoning population, the same tactic attracts the risk of being interrupted by other males. As a male humpback, you’re better off spending the breeding season quietly seeking a female to mate with and not attracting the attention of other males.</p>
<p>Or, if you fancy yourself a big, tough guy, you might take the chance to fight other males to become the “primary escort” of a group. And this relates to one of our working theories about why singing among the eastern humpbacks has diminished through time, and fighting has increased.</p>
<p>Until it was banned, whaling was likely <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-09570-6">targeting larger</a> mature adults. This could have left an immature population, full of young whales less equipped to fight. Coupled with a sudden decrease in competition overall, this may help explain why whales in the early years preferred singing as a mating tactic. </p>
<p>By the same token, once these same males started to mature and grow large in later years, they may have tended more towards fighting off competition. </p>
<p>We have observed some of these bigger and more assertive whales, the “primary escorts”, on the breeding grounds. They move from group to group, displacing other males – always maintaining their alpha status. </p>
<h2>Are whales losing their song?</h2>
<p>Despite what our research has observed, we don’t think whales are at risk of losing their song. The eastern humpback whales have simply changed their behaviour to improve their chances of mating. As researchers working out in the field, we still hear whales singing, so we’re not worried.</p>
<p>But we do have questions moving forward.</p>
<p>For one thing, we don’t know how the population dynamics in the eastern humpback may have changed in the past seven years. The dataset used in our study ended in 2015 (and the population has since grown). It would be interesting to know if the trend we observed from 1997 to 2015 is ongoing or has stabilised.</p>
<p>We also want to better understand the factors that drive a male whale’s choice to sing. Is it age, or size, a combination of both, or something else? </p>
<p>Until then, we can safely conclude one thing: whales are incredibly socially complex creatures – and our findings indicate they can adapt remarkably to the social pressures around them. </p>
<p>By the same logic, however, any species under threat that can’t adapt to changing population dynamics stands to lose out. Humpbacks have managed to bounce back, but what about the other precious animals in the world?</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A tail of a humpback whale is seen above the water's surface, with water splashing around it." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510476/original/file-20230216-28-1fialx.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Adult humpback whales can grow up to 17 metres in length.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cetacean Ecology Group/University of Queensland.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/humpback-whales-may-have-bounced-back-from-near-extinction-but-its-too-soon-to-declare-them-safe-157232">Humpback whales may have bounced back from near-extinction, but it's too soon to declare them safe</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200062/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Dunlop currently receives funding from Living Marine Resources Programme, Office of Naval Research, U. S., and has received past funding from the U.S. Office of Naval Research, the Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation and the Australian Marine Mammal Centre) and the Joint Industry Program E&P Sound and Marine Life. </span></em></p>We’ve noticed a clear trend away from singing as a mating tactic among male humpbacks. But it’s probably a pretty good strategy.Rebecca Dunlop, Senior Lecturer in Physiology, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1842562022-06-20T19:55:59Z2022-06-20T19:55:59ZIs Migaloo … dead? As climate change transforms the ocean, the iconic white humpback has been missing for two years<p>It’s that time of year again, when the humpback highway is about to hit peak blubber to blubber as humpback whales migrate up Australia’s east and west coasts from Antarctic waters. </p>
<p>They’re headed to the whale disco – warm breeding waters where males will sing their whale song to attract female company, and pregnant females will birth their calves. </p>
<p>Already this season we’ve seen dolphins dancing with whales, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeVhVhmjx1u/">dwarf minke whales</a> with their calves, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-28/killer-whale-pod-spotted-off-nsw-far-south-coast/101012770">killer whales</a> and a re-sighting of <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/animal-news-rare-whale-with-curved-tail-spotted-off-popular-sydney-beach/9106100b-0929-4784-b68c-50b8d307b242">Curly</a>, the humpback with an unusual curved tail. That’s only just the beginning. </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=363&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=363&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=363&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467631/original/file-20220608-16-2v4my4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=456&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Curly the humpback whale with the unique tail. Photo: Dr Vanessa Pirotta.</span>
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</figure>
<p>We expect more than 40,000 humpback whales to make this annual journey. I’ll be joining the ABC for their special tonight, <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/southern-ocean-live">Southern Ocean Live</a>, to explore the science around this glorious migration first hand. </p>
<p>But as excitement for the whale season builds, there’s just one whale on the minds of many: the famous white humpback whale named Migaloo. </p>
<h2>Who is Migaloo?</h2>
<p>Migaloo is by far one of the world’s most recognisable whales, because he is completely white. Thanks to genetic sampling of Migaloo’s skin, scientists have identified that he’s male, and his albino appearance is a result of a variation in the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/103/1/130/900611">gene</a> responsible for the colour of his skin. </p>
<p>Simply by looking different, Migaloo has become an icon within Australia’s east coast humpback whale population. Indeed, Migaloo has his own <a href="https://twitter.com/Migaloo1">Twitter</a> account with over 10,000 followers, and <a href="https://www.migaloo.com.au/">website</a> where fans can lodge sightings and learn more about humpback whales. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467635/original/file-20220608-12-440sdy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Migaloo is an all white humpback whale.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jodie Lowe</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>He was first discovered in 1991 off Byron Bay, Australia, and has since played hide and seek for many years, with many not knowing where or when he’ll show up next. He’s even surprised Kiwi fans by showing up in <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/rare-white-whale-migaloo-was-here/GV5FT5CRUTDOFG4Q7ZMPDNLRVQ/">New Zealand</a> waters. </p>
<p>With the last official sighting two years ago, the time has once again come for us to ask: where is Migaloo?</p>
<p>Already this year there have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/22/completely-weird-looking-rare-all-white-whale-spotted-off-the-coast-of-new-south-wales">false sightings</a>, such as a near all white whale spotted off New South Wales. To make things more confusing, regular-looking humpbacks can trick whale watchers when they flip upside down, due to their white bellies. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467624/original/file-20220608-18-yzvlgo.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Not Migaloo: a northward migrating whale upside down photographed during whale snot drone collection, Sydney, Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Macquarie University/Heliguy Scientific, Scientific Licence 101743</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Migaloo as a flagship whale</h2>
<p>The annual search for Migaloo connects people with the ocean during the colder months, and is an opportunity to learn more about the important ecological role whales play in the sea. </p>
<p>Migaloo’s popularity has also help drive modern marine citizen science. For example, the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12651">Cape Solander Whale Migration study</a> records sightings of Migaloo as part of their 20 year data set. His presence was always a highlight for citizen scientists in the team. </p>
<p>Migaloo also represents the connection whales play between two extreme environments: the Antarctic and the tropics, both of which are vulnerable to climate change. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467637/original/file-20220608-22-bbhfyr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Humpback whales are the connection between two extreme environments: Antarctica and the tropics.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dr Vanessa Pirotta</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Earlier this year humpbacks were <a href="https://theconversation.com/humpback-whales-may-have-bounced-back-from-near-extinction-but-its-too-soon-to-declare-them-safe-157232">removed from</a> Australia’s list of threatened species, as populations bounced back significantly after whaling ceased. But climate change poses a new threat, with <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.837772/full#B42">a paper</a> this year suggesting rising sea surface temperatures may make humpback whale breeding areas too warm. </p>
<p>Other changes to the ocean – such as ocean currents and the distribution of prey – may change where whales are found are when they migrate. </p>
<p>In Australia, for example, we’re already seeing many whales <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.3621">dine out</a> on their migration south. Humpback whales are known to primarily feed once they’re back in Antarctic waters, so scientists are closely watching any new feeding areas off Australia. </p>
<p>Feeding in Australian waters might even become an annual event, and may mean southern NSW waters become an area of importance for migrating humpback whales. This behaviour encourages us to ask more about what’s going on below the surface, and the potential changes in the broader marine ecosystem we just don’t yet know about. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469662/original/file-20220620-14-pcgbyf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Humpback whales feed on krill in the Southern Ocean, before they travel northwards to breed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/usa-alaska-aerial-view-humpback-whales-1832914018?showDrawerOnLoad=true">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>So where is he now? Could he be dead?</h2>
<p>Migaloo’s presence – or lack thereof – highlights the variations in whale migration. Some whales may choose to migrate early or late, or even elsewhere such as in New Zealand. Others might choose not to migrate at all and remain in the Southern Ocean. </p>
<p>Migaloo’s presence may be driven by several factors. This includes social circumstances, such as interactions with other whales (including moving between different pods) or biological needs (the desire to head north the reproduce). </p>
<p>Environmental conditions, such as currents and water temperature, may also impact when and where Migaloo chooses to swim. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-measure-whales-with-drones-to-find-out-if-theyre-fat-enough-to-breed-135684">I measure whales with drones to find out if they're fat enough to breed</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Unfortunately, Migaloo and other whales do face a number of <a href="https://theconversation.com/humpback-whales-may-have-bounced-back-from-near-extinction-but-its-too-soon-to-declare-them-safe-157232">human-caused threats</a> in the ocean every day, such as entanglement in fishing gear or collisions with ships. They also face natural threats, such as predation by killer whales. </p>
<p>Fortunately, Migaloo’s sighting history has shown us he can turn up when we least expect it, or not. So, there’s still hope we might see him yet. After all, being in his mid 30s, he’s likely in the prime of his whale life. </p>
<h2>How to get involved</h2>
<p>The continuing search for Migaloo shows how <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.621472/full">marine citizen science</a> has become a powerful way to learn about wildlife. Many eyes make science work, as a network of citizen scientists can cover vast areas scientists can’t alone. </p>
<p>A team of <a href="https://theconversation.com/citizen-scientist-scuba-divers-shed-light-on-the-impact-of-warming-oceans-on-marine-life-85970">200 citizen science scuba divers</a>, for example, surveyed 2,406 ocean sites in 44 countries over a decade to track how warming oceans impact marine life. They found fish may expand their habitat, pushing out other sea creatures.</p>
<p>But participating in marine citizen science is often as easy as recording wildlife observations on your phone next time you’re at the beach. Opportunities include <a href="https://happywhale.com/home">Happy Whale</a>, <a href="https://www.redmap.org.au/article/marine-citizen-science-in-australia/">RedMap</a>, <a href="https://www.wildsydneyharbour.com/">Wild Sydney Harbour</a> and <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">INaturalist</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="People taking photos of humpback whales from the side of a boat." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469674/original/file-20220620-26-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">It’s peak season for whale watching in Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/humpback-whale-megaptera-novaeangliae-188082104">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This year’s annual migration will last until October or November, so here’s hoping we’ll see Migaloo once again. The power of this unique whale to generate discussion, despite not being seen for years, is true testament to just how curious we are about the mysteries of the deep.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/humpback-whales-have-been-spotted-in-a-kakadu-river-so-in-a-fight-with-a-crocodile-who-would-win-149897">Humpback whales have been spotted in a Kakadu river. So in a fight with a crocodile, who would win?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184256/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Vanessa Pirotta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Migaloo, where are you? How searching for the iconic white humpback whale connects us all with the ocean.Vanessa Pirotta, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, Macquarie UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1572322021-03-31T19:00:02Z2021-03-31T19:00:02ZHumpback whales may have bounced back from near-extinction, but it’s too soon to declare them safe<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392446/original/file-20210330-25-um6kv9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=24%2C48%2C5339%2C2967&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The resurgence in humpback whale populations over the past five decades is hailed as one of the great <a href="https://time.com/5837350/humpback-whales-recovery-hope-planet/">success stories</a> of global conservation. And right now, the federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consultations/99d5d4af-5e8b-427d-a948-0011a79ae83c/files/consultation-document-delisting-megaptera-novaeangliae.pdf">is considering</a> removing the species from Australia’s <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species">threatened list</a>. </p>
<p>But humpback whales face new and emerging threats, including climate change. Surveying whales is notoriously hard, and the government has not announced monitoring plans to ensure humpback populations remain strong after delisting. We need a plan to keep them safe. </p>
<p>Australia’s whale season is about to begin. Each year between May and November, the mammals migrate north along Australia’s coastline from their feeding grounds in Antarctica to warmer waters. There, they breed before returning south.</p>
<p>So now’s a good time to take a closer look at the status of this iconic, charismatic species.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A pod of humpback whales lunge feeding." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392448/original/file-20210330-23-1h0dt45.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The resurgence of humpback whales is one of conservation’s greatest success stories.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A host of threats</h2>
<p>Humpback whales live in <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/humpback-whale">every ocean</a> in the world, and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal.</p>
<p>Humpback whale numbers dwindled as a result of commercial whaling, which in Australia <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/marine/marine-species/cetaceans/whaling">began</a> in the late 18th Century. Whaling and the export of whale products was <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/marine/publications/humpback-whales-eastern-australia">Australia’s first</a> primary industry. Between 1949 and 1962 Australia’s whalers killed about 8,300 humpback whales off the east coast, until only a few hundred were left. </p>
<p>The International Whaling Commission banned humpback whaling in the Southern Hemisphere in 1963. By then, humpback populations had fallen to about 5% of pre-whaling numbers. In the years since, some <a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/marine/publications/humpback-whales-eastern-australia">whaling</a> continued, but has now largely ceased.</p>
<p>Today humpback whales face new threats. <a href="https://iwc.int/humpback-whale">These include</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li>underwater noise which interferes with whale communication</li>
<li>pollution</li>
<li>vehicle collisions</li>
<li>getting caught in fishing gear</li>
<li>over-harvesting prey such as krill</li>
<li>marine debris</li>
<li>habitat degradation</li>
<li>climate change. </li>
</ul>
<p>In particular, the effects of climate change – such as warming waters, shifting currents and ocean acidification – <a href="https://abdn.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/potential-effects-of-climate-change-on-marine-mammals">may affect</a> the availability of prey that humpback whales need to survive.</p>
<p>Combined, these worsening threats <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-climate-change-is-reducing-numbers-of-humpback-whale-calves-in-the-north-west-atlantic-153589">could</a> disrupt humpback whales’ recent resurgence. Indeed, under one scenario, <a href="https://esj-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1438-390X.1014">scientists predict</a> the increase Australia’s humpback numbers could stall — or worse, start declining – in the next five to ten years.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-threatens-antarctic-krill-and-the-sea-life-that-depends-on-it-138436">Climate change threatens Antarctic krill and the sea life that depends on it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A humpback whale calf caught in a fishing net." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392445/original/file-20210330-23-1vce7cr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A humpback whale calf caught in a fishing net.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">SeaPix</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The humpback whales’ plight</h2>
<p>According to the federal government’s <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consultations/99d5d4af-5e8b-427d-a948-0011a79ae83c/files/consultation-document-delisting-megaptera-novaeangliae.pdf">delisting assessment</a>, humpback whales’ strong recovery suggests current threats are not a risk to the population. But this assessment has shortcomings.</p>
<p>It states humpback whales on Australia’s east and west coast have reached, or are exceeding, the original population size – increasing by 10-11% a year over the past decade or longer. </p>
<p>But this information is based on models using data collected prior 2010 for Australia’s west coast, and prior to 2015 for the east coast. This data isn’t readily available to the public and does not include recent population trends.</p>
<p>The predicted population growth from these models doesn’t account for current and future impacts from major threats, including climate change. This is despite recent research and observations suggesting changes in the humpback population.</p>
<p>For example, 2019 research showed potential <a href="https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/warmer,-shallow-gc-waters-becoming-calving-habitat-for-humpbacks">shifts</a> in calving locations, with newborn humpback whales now frequently spotted outside Australian tropical waters. This — along with the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-09/whales-2019-season-begins-early-off-port-macquarie/10979550">early arrival</a> of migrating humpback whales in Australia in the past years — may be a first sign of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-23/early-humpback-sighting-sounds-alarm-for-scientist/13169534">changes</a> in breeding and migration habits. </p>
<p>It’s also important to compare humpback whale populations in Australia with those elsewhere, such as in the North Pacific. There, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12665">calving rates are declining</a>, and whale <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ddi.12867">abundance and distribution</a> is showing marked shifts. The risk of entanglements with fishing gear is <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/climate-crisis-humpback-whale-entanglements-ocean-heatwave-california-a9304571.html">also rising</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-climate-change-is-reducing-numbers-of-humpback-whale-calves-in-the-north-west-atlantic-153589">How climate change is reducing numbers of humpback whale calves in the north-west Atlantic</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A whale tail with a fishing line caught in it" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=567&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=567&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=567&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=713&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=713&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392449/original/file-20210330-13-1nciln5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=713&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Whales can get caught in fishing gear.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Todd Burrows</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The problem with counting whales</h2>
<p>The pre-whaling population size of humpback whales on the east and west coast of Australia is thought to be between 40,000 and 60,000. But information is limited and the actual number may have been much higher </p>
<p>Today, the estimated numbers from population models are similar: roughly 28,000 on the east cost and up to 30,000 on the west coast. But counting humpback whales accurately is <a href="https://iwc.int/estimate">very difficult</a>. For example, on the east coast of Australia humpback whales frequently move between populations and during a census may not be attributed to their original population. </p>
<p>What’s more, conditions prior to whaling are not comparable with today’s conditions. Krill is a major food source for whales, and widespread whaling in the Southern Hemisphere caused krill numbers to increase. Research from 2019 <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.190368">suggests</a> humpback whales’ fast recovery after whaling ceased may have been due to widely available krill. </p>
<p>But krill numbers have declined or their availability has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/feb/14/decline-in-krill-threatens-antarctic-wildlife-from-whales-to-penguins">shortened</a> in recent years due to threats such as climate change and industrial fishing.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/humpback-whales-have-been-spotted-in-a-kakadu-river-so-in-a-fight-with-a-crocodile-who-would-win-149897">Humpback whales have been spotted in a Kakadu river. So in a fight with a crocodile, who would win?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Aerial view of humpback under icy water ." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/392452/original/file-20210330-21-1gei3x8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Every year humpback whales migrate from Antarctica where they feed, to breed in Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Proceed with caution</h2>
<p>Humpback whales off Australia’s coast will continue to have <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consultations/99d5d4af-5e8b-427d-a948-0011a79ae83c/files/consultation-document-delisting-megaptera-novaeangliae.pdf">some protection</a> under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, even if they’re taken off the threatened species list. </p>
<p>Generally, all marine mammals are protected in Australian waters. But getting delisted means fewer resources devoted to their protection. </p>
<p>Forecasting the complex interactions of today’s threats, in order to predict tomorrow’s humpback whale populations, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/maec.12616">is challenging</a>. A cautionary approach should therefore be taken. </p>
<p>In 2016, the US <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/listing-humpback-whale-under-endangered-species-act">delisted some</a> humpback whale populations. But before doing so, it established a <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/monitoring-plan-nine-distinct-population-segments-humpback-whale-megaptera">ten-year monitoring plan</a> to track population changes, threats and species abundance. </p>
<p>If Australia proceeds with the delisting, it should follow the US’ lead. Humpback whales should remain listed for another five years so a monitoring plan can be developed. Federal and state governments must invest resources into this process, and react swiftly if changes are detected. </p>
<p><em>A number of whale researchers and organisations concerned about the humpback whale delisting, including the author, prepared a detailed response to the proposal <a href="https://whalesandclimate.org/statement-in-response-to-the-proposed-delisting-of-humpback-whales-megaptera-novaeangliae-from-the-threatened-species-list-in-australia/">here</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/157232/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olaf Meynecke receives funding from a private charitable trust. He is affiliated with the Centre for Coastal and Marine Research, Griffith University and CEO of the not-for-profit organisation Humpbacks & Highrises. </span></em></p>Australia is considering removing humpback whales from the threatened species list after their numbers rebounded in recent decades. But the mammals face new threats.Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1504232021-03-07T14:36:31Z2021-03-07T14:36:31ZConservation hope: Many wildlife species can recover if given a chance<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388082/original/file-20210305-23-6tnnlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=12%2C25%2C4298%2C2721&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), lives in scattered populations across distant mountain ranges in Ethiopia, and its remarkable resilience suggests recovery is possible if threats like habitat loss and degradation can be kept at bay.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is real and justified concern about the state of our world’s ecosystems. Satellite imagery reveals <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07183-6">few places left untouched by humanity</a>. As the global human population and our overall consumption continue to grow in concert with the upheaval of our <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/">climate systems</a>, the outlook for non-human species seems grim.</p>
<p>In response, scientists have tried to measure the state of global biodiversity. One of the biggest impact efforts has been the <a href="https://www.livingplanetindex.org/home/index">Living Planet Index (LPI)</a>, an ambitious project that compiles population trends for more than 4,000 vertebrate species around the world. </p>
<p>According to the LPI, the average population has declined by more than 50 per cent since 1970. The most common and intuitive interpretation of this is that the average animal population is less than half the size it was 50 years ago — <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/09/world/wwf-report-species-decline-climate-scn-intl-scli/index.html">and so it has been widely reported in the media</a>. A number of other global studies concur that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1704949114">the situation</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1684-3">is dire</a>.</p>
<p>So it may come as some surprise that a growing number of influential studies, at both <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1269-4">the continental</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13242">and global</a> scales, find that there is no average change to the local abundance of animal species. This has fuelled a heated debate about how to reconcile <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2017.12.021">contrasting claims</a> of the magnitude of the threat to biodiversity.</p>
<p>The answer to this debate is important for our understanding of how humans are reshaping the world’s biodiversity. Several of us wondered whether the conflicting results were because of methodology. In our investigation, we focused on the LPI, which calculates the aggregated change for all wildlife populations that have data in a given year based on the mean of the population trends. Unfortunately, means are notoriously sensitive to extreme data points. Importantly, some populations have been monitored many times since the 1970s, but many have only been surveyed two or three times.</p>
<h2>Measurement matters</h2>
<p>And indeed, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2920-6">methods do matter, a lot</a>. When one removes the most extreme 354 collapsing populations from the near 14,700 populations analyzed (so, dropping a measly 2.4 per cent), an average 56 per cent decline since 1970 changed to about a zero per cent decline.</p>
<p>There is a small set of populations that seem to be doing extraordinarily badly. For the rest of the vertebrate populations in the database, roughly half are increasing, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12669">often from past lows</a>, like humpback whales in the North Pacific. Half are decreasing, even from past lows, like right whales in the North Atlantic.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/1409030-animals-wildlife-wwf-decline-science-world">more-than-50-per-cent global decline statistic</a> widely reported in the media is driven by very few, but very extreme, populations.</p>
<p>Importantly, the extreme trends driving the mean tended to be those with less data. And this may go some way to resolving the debate: several of the influential papers reporting less extreme overall changes intentionally left out populations with few observations, because they were felt to be unreliable.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An underwater photograph of a humpback whale" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=33%2C6%2C4459%2C2930&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/388080/original/file-20210305-17-106zgnw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A humpback whale calf. Humpback whale populations are increasing in the North Pacific.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A detailed global picture</h2>
<p>Of course, trying to summarize the state of the world’s vertebrate biodiversity with a single number entirely masks the complicated picture of how different species and regions are faring. Entire groups of related species are in significant decline in some broad regions, such as land birds in the Indo-Pacific. Other groups may be improving, such as land birds in Asia and Europe. In total, 17 per cent of the species groups examined could be undergoing broad declines. </p>
<p>And even in regions that are demonstrably improving on average, a sizeable fraction of populations are still in decline. Entire groups of species indeed have poor prospects in an era of human ecological dominance, but others seem to be stabilizing or recovering from historic lows.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it’s still hard to predict which species will thrive and which won’t. Though our data sets are better than ever, even wealthy countries often only have good data for a limited set of species. Tellingly, most of those extreme, data-poor time trends that had outsized influence on the LPI came from poorly studied, biodiverse regions like the tropics. </p>
<p>The sad reality is that we don’t fully know how the Earth’s biological diversity is faring, because we have not invested enough in understanding this question.</p>
<h2>Accuracy and prevention</h2>
<p>And so, precaution is prudent. Logically, most species on Earth will not fare well when their habitat is destroyed, filled with ecologically novel predators and pathogens or over-harvested, but our results suggest to us that many can recover if given a chance. </p>
<p>Many species are happy to live cheek-to-jowl with us: think of the many birds that may visit your backyard feeder or the opportunistic mammals that can thrive in urban environments like skunks, raccoons and coyotes. The apparent balance in population trends suggests that we need to better identify where species are managing to thrive alongside humans, and why, so that we can direct our resources to replicate this success everywhere. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CpoqOnlyVEU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">David Attenborough describes raccoon life in the city.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>And there’s hope we can identify those species and those places. The five-decade-old volunteer-based <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/bird-surveys/landbird/north-american-breeding/overview.html">North American Breeding Bird Survey</a> has been indispensable for guiding conservation. </p>
<p>Opportunistic species observations through citizen science initiatives — like <a href="https://ebird.org/home">eBird</a>, <a href="https://www.e-butterfly.org/">eButterfly</a> and <a href="https://inaturalist.ca/">iNaturalist</a> — are growing exponentially. Our ability to work with these big (and messy) datasets <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.04.012">is also improving</a> thanks to advances in computing power and analytical techniques. We will soon be able to pinpoint where biodiversity is doing better (and where it is doing worse) with much greater accuracy.</p>
<p>Hope is an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.11.098">effective motivator</a>, and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/02/other-side-catastrophe/617865/">motivation is always welcome</a>, since there remains a lot that needs to be done to secure our natural heritage for future generations.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150423/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Arne Mooers is a non-governmental science member of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), an arms-length body that assesses species at risk for the federal government.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Brian Leung is the UNESCO Chair for Dialogues on Sustainability. Brian Leung receives funding from NSERC.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anna Hargreaves and Dan Greenberg do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Reports of global biodiversity doom hide a more complex and encouraging picture. Conservation efforts can be targeted with more nuance species population data.Dan Greenberg, Postdoctoral research associate, Simon Fraser UniversityAnna Hargreaves, Professor of Conservation Ecology & Evolution, McGill UniversityArne Mooers, Professor, Biodiversity, Phylogeny & Evolution, Simon Fraser UniversityBrian Leung, Associate professor, McGill UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1252842019-10-16T13:25:25Z2019-10-16T13:25:25ZThames Humpback whale killed by ship – the casualty of a global problem<p>A humpback whale was recently <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-49980089">spotted in the River Thames</a> near London. This unusual sighting sparked national media interest, similar to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-49199220">“Benny” the beluga</a> who also called the river home for several weeks last year. However, while Benny eventually left the Thames and headed home to the Arctic, the humpback whale was not so lucky. Ironically, despite the human-interest factor, the whale died as a result of human impact. In doing so, it had the dubious honour of being the first humpback whale known to have died in UK waters from being hit by a vessel.</p>
<p>Whale scientists like us call such incidents a “ship strike” or “whale strike”, and they happen in all oceans around the world, both on the high seas and near the coasts. Injuries, which are not always fatal, can be sustained from blunt trauma from the boat’s hull, or sharp propellers. </p>
<p>The risk is highest when lots of vessels overlap with areas where susceptible animals occur in large numbers. For example, sperm whales like to gather in the part of the Mediterranean between Corsica, southern France and the coast of northwest Italy. It’s an area with lots of commercial and merchant vessel traffic, but of course the whales don’t necessarily know that. Though the area has been turned into a large special protected area for marine mammals – Pelagos Sanctuary – research has estimated that <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lea_David2/publication/330535142_Sperm_whale_ship_strikes_in_the_Pelagos_Sanctuary_and_adjacent_waters_assessing_and_mapping_collision_risks_in_summer/links/5c4ad3bf92851c22a38edbe9/Sperm-whale-ship-strikes-in-the-Pelagos-Sanctuary-and-adjacent-waters-assessing-and-mapping-collision-risks-in-summer.pdf">74 sperm whales could still be hit by ships in a single summer</a>.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1182677055730835458"}"></div></p>
<p>In the case of the Thames humpback, it was likely in the wrong place at the wrong time. A necropsy (an autopsy for animals), carried out by scientists from the UK <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UKCSIP/posts/3124414064267542">Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme</a>, discovered the whale was in poor health, which may explain its journey into the Thames in the first place. However, a wound on its head clearly showed the cause of death was a collision with a ship. Such accidents are not particularly unusual, but the fact that it happened to an animal in the public eye makes it a fairly unique case. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=345&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=345&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=345&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297328/original/file-20191016-98648-1ctdw0y.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">All large cargo traffic during 2007. It’s not surprising that whales and ships seem to be on a collision course.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Kaluza et al / Royal Society</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One of the problems with ship strikes is the lack of knowledge. Dead whales <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00379/full">sink more often than they float</a>, so the evidence is usually quick to disappear beneath the waves. The few cases of dead whales washing ashore with clear ship-strike injuries are just the tip of the iceberg, compared to all the collisions that likely go unnoticed. As a result, there is still a lot that we don’t know about ship strikes, including key information such as how often they happen, and to what degree they impact whale conservation. </p>
<p>We do know that ship strikes have led to population declines in the now critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. So named because it was considered the “right” whale to hunt due to its slow speed and tendency to float when dead, the North Atlantic right whale is a species with a particularly unfortunate history. Before a 1986 moratorium, they were decimated by commercial whaling. Since then, the species has been unable to recover as the animals’ location in busy Atlantic shipping lanes and fishing grounds puts them at risk of <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2011.0578">ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297330/original/file-20191016-98670-i2qx35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A southern right whale dives near several large vessels.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">James Robbins</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The threat of ship strike is truly a global issue, also affecting seals, dolphins, sharks and turtles in coastal and offshore areas around the world. The level of risk varies from species to species. For example, some whales predominantly feed in surface waters, within the reach of commercial ships’ draughts. Almost a quarter of fin whales that have washed up on UK shores since 1990 were <a href="http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=14514_FINALCSIPContractReport2011-2017.pdf">killed by ships</a>, and ship strike is the <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00486/full">leading cause of death</a> for large whales in nearby France.</p>
<p>Understanding the current situation is only part of the problem, however, as the oceans are changing at an unprecedented rate. Shipping <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2014GL061786">grew fourfold between 1992 and 2012</a>, making collisions with whales more likely, and increasing <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00606/full">noise pollution</a> which can further alter natural cycles and behaviours. </p>
<p>Climate change is <a href="http://imedea.uib-csic.es/master/cambioglobal/Modulo_III_cod101608/Tema_8-acidificaci%C3%B3n/pH/TREE20(6)pp.pdf">changing the distribution of plankton</a>, one of the preferred <a href="http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/people/croll/pdf/Croll_2008_2.pdf">items on a whale’s menu</a>. This could result in whales also moving, potentially to new areas that overlap with shipping lanes. Many whale species are only just beginning to recover from historic whaling – the worry is they will suffer the same fate as the northern right.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"737556435601522689"}"></div></p>
<p>Whales dying from ship strike is also not great for shipping companies and crews. Pulling into port with a <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/97561654/cargo-ship-carries-dead-whale-on-its-bow-into-port-of-tauranga">dead whale draped across the bow</a> is never a great look, but another worry is human health and safety. There have been cases where whale-vessel collisions have resulted in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2001.tb00980.x">sinking vessels, human injuries, and even deaths</a>.</p>
<p>We still don’t know enough about whale strikes though. That is why we have teamed up with ORCA, a conservation charity, to investigate exactly how busy shipping lanes in European waters overlap with whale habitats. We want to reveal the true scale of the whale / ship strike problem, and suggest ways ships can minimise the risks. </p>
<p>Ultimately, we need to manage our marine spaces to minimise mortality, so that the death of the Thames humpback remains an oddity rather than the norm.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125284/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Robbins is a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth. The PhD project is in partnership with, and James was previously employed by ORCA (<a href="http://www.orcaweb.org.uk">www.orcaweb.org.uk</a>). ORCA work with and receive support from cruise and ferry operators.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Sarah Marley is a Lecturer in Marine Biology at the University of Portsmouth. </span></em></p>Dead whales usually sink, so most evidence of ‘ship strikes’ quickly disappears beneath the waves.James Robbins, PhD Researcher, Whale-Ship Collisions, University of PortsmouthSarah Marley, Lecturer in Marine Vertebrate Zoology, University of PortsmouthLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1195732019-07-01T13:15:16Z2019-07-01T13:15:16ZJapan resumes commercial whaling – researchers on how the world should respond<p>Japan recently left the <a href="https://iwc.int/home">International Whaling Commission (IWC)</a> and has now <a href="https://twitter.com/adamvaughan_uk/status/1145619114091847681">caught the first whale in its waters</a> since resuming commercial whaling, 33 years after a global ban came into effect. As a non-member, Japan is no longer bound by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) – the rules that the IWC has used to manage whaling since 1946.</p>
<p>The IWC’s moratorium on commercial whaling has broadly been a success – whale populations have increased where whaling was the primary threat. The <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=38">humpback whale</a> is one example of successful recovery, but species such as the northern right whale have never recovered from centuries of whaling and <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/06/1-north-atlantic-right-whales-have-died-month/592840/">are in critically low numbers</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/g20-japan-environmentalists-commercial-whaling-1.5193390">Outrage and despair</a> greeted Japan’s decision to relaunch commercial whaling in its waters, although the conservation status of many species may be unaffected. Still, Japan’s exit from the IWC is a worrying message to the international community at a time when collaboration on environmental issues is sorely needed.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281908/original/file-20190630-94712-t6la1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Protesters march in London to demonstrate against Japan’s decision to resume commercial whaling, January 2019.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/london-uk-january-26-2019-placrd-1295534266?src=a8OHyYaTdVsJCKCXMbwnNw-1-5&studio=1">Kevin J. Frost/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Why has Japan left the IWC?</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/09/15/national/science-health/japan-brink-leaving-international-whaling-commission-commercial-whaling-proposal-blocked/">Japan introduced a proposal at the IWC</a> in 2018 which would allow it to restart commercial whaling. This was voted down – the <a href="https://phys.org/news/2018-09-iwc-brazil-whales.html">proposal</a> that was approved in its place supported a shift in the commission’s goal towards banning all commercial whaling in perpetuity. </p>
<p>A permanent commercial whaling ban might sound like an ordinary step, but the <a href="https://iwc.int/history-and-purpose">IWC’s purpose</a> since 1946 has been “the orderly development of the whaling industry”. The IWC has gradually pivoted to focus more on conservation and other threats to whales since then, but one of its founding goals was to support the whaling industry and the people it employed. As the whaling industry has declined and attitudes towards whales have changed around the world, the IWC has changed too. Japan meanwhile has always been clear it wants to resume commercial whaling and is leaving the IWC because the moratorium was only meant to be temporary and lifted when whale populations could support whaling.</p>
<p>Japan isn’t the first country to leave the IWC because of frustration with its rules on commercial whaling. Iceland left in 1992 and <a href="https://2001-2009.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/10228.htm">rejoined in 2002</a> as a full member but with a reservation to the moratorium that allows it to <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-iceland-is-set-to-resume-whaling-despite-international-opposition-95642">commercially whale</a>. Norway <a href="https://iwc.int/commercial">objected to the moratorium decision in 1982</a> and so kept its right to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/07/norway-boosts-whaling-quota-international-opposition">commercially whale</a> while remaining a full IWC member. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6720%2C4476&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/281900/original/file-20190630-94684-1j6h7gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A common minke whale (<em>Balaenoptera acutorostrata</em>) in the Pacific Ocean.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dwarf-minke-whale-balaenoptera-acutorostrata-underwater-1213127632?src=mHXgyIgW2uz-ujuFvQgCqw-1-2&studio=1">Aquapix/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A mixed outcome for whales</h2>
<p>For most whale species, the exit of Japan from the convention banning commercial whaling will have <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/01/why-japan-s-exit-international-whaling-treaty-may-actually-benefit-whales">few consequences</a>. Whale populations in the Southern Ocean are even likely to benefit as Japan will lose its special research permit for scientific whaling in the region by leaving the IWC. Japan mostly took Antarctic minke whales (<em>Balaenoptera bonaerensis</em>) here, but this species is not considered <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2480/50350661#population">endangered</a>.</p>
<p>It’s a different story for whales found within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). No longer bound by the IWC’s rules, Japan can harvest whales here under the right given by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea but the number and species it will decide to take hasn’t been announced. One vulnerable population living in Japan’s EEZ which may be affected are common minke whales (<em>Balaenoptera acutorostrata</em>), which are genetically distinct and <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2019.00247/full">possibly number fewer than 5,500</a>. It’s worrying this population hasn’t shown the same robust recovery seen among other minke whales. </p>
<p>Japan will want to prove to the world it can whale sustainably but the long-term future of whaling is uncertain. The market for whale meat in Japan peaked after World War II and is now a shadow of its former self. Although still eaten in cultural ceremonies and a few localities in northern Honshu, consumption is around <a href="https://www.pri.org/stories/2019-04-17/japan-few-people-eat-whale-meat-anymore-whaling-remains-popular">40g per capita each year</a> - about the size of a slice of ham. Whether Japan’s diminished appetite for whale meat will reduce its whaling efforts though remains to be seen.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4913%2C3096&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=379&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/282011/original/file-20190701-105164-ur421n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In the Southern Ocean, the ban on commercial whaling has helped some populations of humpback whale increase by 10% per year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/humpback-whale-jumping-out-water-australia-776180275?src=pUPKYch_2oxMFhbTy0go2w-1-0&studio=1">Nico Faramaz/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A way forward?</h2>
<p>Research by the <a href="https://iwc.int/index.php?cID=html_16">IWC scientific committee</a> has greatly advanced our understanding of whale ecology and how to address other threats to their survival, like pollution, bycatch and climate change. Japan’s exit from the IWC doesn’t threaten the organisation’s activities and every effort should be made to continue this important research. But if the “International Whaling Commission” is to become a conservation organisation, then maybe its status as a whaling commission is outdated. </p>
<p>Countries could continue to work together on whale conservation by using the <a href="https://www.cms.int/en/legalinstrument/cms">Convention on Migratory Species</a>. This specifically targets the conservation of migratory species and their habitats, and would apply to protecting whales. In fact, there is already <a href="https://www.cms.int/en/legalinstrument/accobams">a regional agreement</a> between countries that’s focused on whale conservation.</p>
<p>Agreements made under this convention might be better able to deal with the diverse threats facing whales. A whale research programme focused on conservation – as opposed to a whaling research programme – made up of the IWC scientific committee and Japan might have fewer conflicts as their objective would be clearer.</p>
<p>Japan’s exit from the IWC is a <a href="https://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/eyes-on-environment/the_japanese_whaling_controversy_8211">complicated issue beyond just whale conservation</a> – it highlights the need for the international community to overcome disagreements. Asking why the IWC has <a href="https://www.ethicsandinternationalaffairs.org/2012/almost-saving-whales-the-ambiguity-of-success-at-the-international-whaling-commission-full-text/">succeeded and failed at different times</a> can help us improve the way we work together on global challenges as after all, whaling is only one example of the many urgent and complex environmental issues that demand a global response. How well we work together determines more than just the fate of the world’s whales.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119573/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Bridgewater was Chairman (1995-1997) and Vice Chair (1992-1994) of the International Whaling Commission.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sui Phang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Japan’s exit from the IWC should spur on more global cooperation on environmental issues, not less.Sui Phang, Research Fellow in Blue Governance, University of PortsmouthPeter Bridgewater, Adjunct Professor, University of CanberraLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/826462017-08-17T20:18:54Z2017-08-17T20:18:54ZNoise from offshore oil and gas surveys can affect whales up to 3km away<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/182356/original/file-20170817-16245-4ucjdu.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Migrating humpback whales avoid loud, nearby sounds.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">BRAHSS</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Air guns used for marine oil and gas exploration are loud enough to affect humpback whales up to 3km away, potentially affecting their migration patterns, according to our new research.</p>
<p>Whales’ communication depends on loud sounds, which can travel very efficiently over distances of tens of kilometres in the underwater environment. But our study, <a href="http://jeb.biologists.org/content/220/16/2878">published today in the Journal of Experimental Biology</a>, shows that they are affected by other loud ocean noises produced by humans.</p>
<p>As part of the <a href="http://www.brahss.org.au/">BRAHSS</a> (Behavioural Response of Humpback whales to Seismic Surveys) project, we and our colleagues measured humpback whales’ behavioural responses to air guns like those used in seismic surveys carried out by the offshore mining industry. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-speak-up-about-noise-pollution-in-the-oceans-64672">It's time to speak up about noise pollution in the oceans</a>
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<p>Air guns are devices towed behind seismic survey ships that rapidly release compressed air into the ocean, producing a loud bang. The sound travels through the water and into the sea bed, bouncing off various layers of rock, oil or gas. The faint echoes are picked up by sensors towed by the same vessel. </p>
<p>During surveys, the air guns are fired every 10-15 seconds to develop a detailed geological picture of the ocean floor in the area. Although they are not intended to harm whales, there has been concern for many years about the potential impacts of these loud, frequent sounds. </p>
<h2>Sound research</h2>
<p>Although it sounds like a simple experiment to expose whales to air guns and see what they do, it is logistically difficult. For one thing, the whales may respond to the presence of the ship towing the air guns, rather than the air guns themselves. Another problem is that humpback whales tend to show a lot of natural behavioural variability, making it difficult to tease out the effect of the air gun and ship. </p>
<p>There is also the question of whether any response by the whales is influenced more by the loudness of the air gun, or how close the air blast is to the whale (although obviously the two are linked). Previous studies have assumed that the response is driven primarily by loudness, but we also looked at the effect of proximity. </p>
<p>We used a small air gun and a cluster of guns, towed behind a vessel through the migratory path of more than 120 groups of humpback whales off Queensland’s sunshine coast. By having two different sources, one louder than the other, we were able to fire air blasts of different perceived loudness from the same distance.</p>
<p>We found that whales slowed their migratory speed and deviated around the vessel and the air guns. This response was influenced by a combination of received level and proximity; both were necessary. The whales were affected up to 3km away, at sound levels over 140 decibels, and deviated from their path by about 500 metres. Within this “zone”, whales were more likely to avoid the air guns.</p>
<p>Each tested group moved as one, but our analysis did not include the effects on different group types, such as a female with calf versus a group of adults, for instance.</p>
<p>Our results suggest that when regulating to reduce the impact of loud noise on whale behaviour, we need to take into account not just how loud the noise is, but how far away it is. More research is needed to find out how drastically the whales’ migration routes change as a result of ocean mining noise.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82646/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rebecca Dunlop receives funding from the Joint Industry Programme on E&P Sound and Marine Life (JIP), managed by the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP), and from the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Noad receives funding from the Joint Industry Programme on E&P Sound and Marine Life (JIP), managed by the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP), and from the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.</span></em></p>Humpback whales are deterred from their migration routes by the noise of air guns used to survey the ocean floor for oil and gas deposits, a new study has found.Rebecca Dunlop, Senior Lecturer in Physiology, The University of QueenslandMichael Noad, Associate Professor, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/635992016-08-16T20:09:45Z2016-08-16T20:09:45ZWhale of a problem: why do humpback whales protect other species from attack?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134226/original/image-20160816-13025-2gbt8d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Humpbacks can use their fins as weapons against killer whales.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Michael Dawes/Flickr</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A group of killer whales are on the hunt. They work together to submerge and drown a whale calf. But then more whales appear.</p>
<p>The newly arrived humpbacks bellow a trumpet-like call, and wield their five-metre-long pectoral flippers like swords against the prowling killer whales. </p>
<p>The killer whales are driven away from the calf, and the humpbacks also move away. As they do, the killer whales turn back and descend on the calf once more. In response, the humpbacks swing around and return to the calf’s defence.</p>
<p>The humpbacks position themselves close to the calf, between it and the killer whales, potentially putting themselves in harm’s way. </p>
<p>This process continues and repeats for many hours, but it is not a calf of their own species, it is a grey whale calf. </p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/acU5dBF2nHo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">You can see the drama unfold as the humpbacks fend off the killer whales.</span></figcaption>
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<p>This is not an isolated case. Robert Pitman, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the US, and his colleagues report more than <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12182/abstract">100 incidents</a> where humpback whales have approached or actively intervened in killer whale hunting attempts. </p>
<p>Surprisingly, most of these have been predation attempts on <em>other</em> species, such as seals, other whales or even fish. </p>
<p>The question is: why would these humpback whales place themselves in danger by interposing themselves between one of their few predators – killer whales – and an individual of an entirely different species?</p>
<h2>You scratch my back…</h2>
<p>Altruistic behaviour is some of the most difficult to explain in evolutionary terms. In a biological context, altruism refers to cases where one individual’s behaviour provides a benefit to another individual at a cost to itself. </p>
<p>It doesn’t need to be as dramatic as throwing themselves on a grenade, but even placing themselves at a small disadvantage could jeopardise their chances of surviving and reproducing. </p>
<p>And if they don’t reproduce, then neither do the genes that encouraged the individual to be altruistic. This is why – all else being equal – you would expect altruistic genes to slowly disappear from a population over multiple generations.</p>
<p>But there are cases of altruistic behaviour in nature, particularly among closely related groups. One example is an individual <a href="http://www.reed.edu/biology/professors/srenn/pages/teaching/web_2010/ABMM/index.html">meerkat</a> who calls to alert its group to the presence of a predator, particularly as that call could make the predator more likely to notice the vigilant meerkat. </p>
<p>This kind of behaviour can evolve and remain stable in a population due to a process called <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/kin-selection">kin selection</a>. This is because the meerkat is closely related to the other members of its group, so it shares many genes with them. Even if it does end up sacrificing itself, if it helps its relatives survive, they may also be carrying the genes that encourage altruism.</p>
<p>Other cases of altruism in nature are supported by recriprocation: you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. </p>
<p>An example would be vampire bats that <a href="http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/280/1753/20122573">share blood meals</a>. They do so on the assumption that their friend will return the favour at some later date. </p>
<p>However, for kin selection or reciprocal altruism to evolve, there needs to be a high level of social cohesion within the group. </p>
<p>For example, individuals need to be able to recognise who is a relative or a friend, and who is not. Presumably, you are less likely to put your neck on the line for a distant relative or for someone who is not likely to repay the favour. </p>
<p>So it might not be surprising that a humpback mother would vigorously defend her own calf from attacking killer whales. But why would a humpback approach and position itself between attacking killer whales and another whale’s calf? </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=165&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=165&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=165&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=208&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=208&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134227/original/image-20160816-13033-ap5bo1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=208&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Killer whales are a dangerous predator but they pose little threat to an adult humpback whale.</span>
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<h2>Spillover</h2>
<p>As mentioned above, if an individual is prone to behave in a way that reduces their chance of surviving and reproducing, we would expect the genes that promote that behaviour to dwindle over generations and eventually vanish from the population. And even if an adult humpback puts itself at minimal risk by interfering with killer whales, minimal risk is more than zero risk by avoiding them altogether. </p>
<p>Pitman and his colleagues think there might be more social cohesion among humpbacks than we previously thought, and kin selection and/or reciprocal altruism could be playing a part.</p>
<p>Individual humpback whales return to the same region to breed. This means that there is a good possibility that humpbacks are related to their immediate neighbours. Pitman suggests this means it may be worth a humpback helping other humpbacks to protect their calves from killer whale attacks. </p>
<p>However, it is trickier to explain apparent altruism directed towards other species. Pitman and his colleagues explain that for the humpback whale, this intervention on behalf of other species is a “spillover” behaviour. They suggest it is an extension of the humpback whales’ “drive” to protect their own calves. </p>
<p>Humpbacks may have learned to respond to vocalisations of attacking killer whales, which trigger them to drive the killer whales away, regardless of the species being attacked. </p>
<p>If this tendency to drive away killer whales whenever they are attacking has helped humpbacks to protect their own calves, then the genes that promote it could be maintained in the population, even if other species benefit at times. </p>
<p>This interspecies altruistic behaviour may be “inadvertent” altruism – it can be altruism in the individual case but it is ultimately driven by self-interest.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/63599/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tracey Rogers receives funding from ARC. </span></em></p>Humpback whales have been spotted fending off killer whales from attacking other species. But this kind of interspecies altruism raises an evolutionary conundrum.Tracey Rogers, Associate Professor Evolution & Ecology, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/618342016-07-19T10:37:57Z2016-07-19T10:37:57ZThe social life of sea mammals is key to their survival<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/130404/original/image-20160713-12372-41nke5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">School of thought.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The beguiling behaviour of marine mammals in their natural environment is fascinating to us human observers. Watching <a href="http://uk.whales.org/whales-and-dolphins/facts-about-dolphins">dolphins</a> leap gracefully through the surf, or <a href="http://uk.whales.org/whales-and-dolphins/facts-about-whales">whales</a> making waves with their massive tale flukes is the stuff of countless bucket lists and high definition <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b008044n">wildlife documentaries</a>.</p>
<p>Perhaps part of the appeal lies in marine mammals behaving a lot like we do. They share many of our biological characteristics, such as bearing live young, suckling them with rich fatty milk and investing time and energy into rearing them into adulthood. </p>
<p>Studying their behaviour, what makes them tick as complex social creatures, is essential for their conservation in an aquatic environment which remains almost entirely alien to us. And while it may be alien, it is an environment with a massive human footprint. </p>
<p>For unfortunately mammalian attributes are not all we share with our oceanic cousins. There is arguably now no marine habitat that remains unaffected by human activities. Prey depletion caused by humans, noise, temperature changes, chemical pollution and entanglements in fishing gear have all changed the place in which marine mammals evolved. </p>
<p>Our <a href="http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/cec/">research</a> shows that this simple reality makes the need to understand their behaviour and social structures all the more urgent, a call which is being echoed by the charity <a href="http://whales.org">Whale and Dolphin Conservation</a>. </p>
<p>In recent decades there has been a strong emphasis in conservation circles on understanding the population size and distribution of marine mammals, as well as their genetic diversity. </p>
<p>Conservation is principally obsessed with conserving genetic diversity, which is exactly as it should be, as diverse gene pools help ensure resilience against environmental change. But genes may not be the whole story.</p>
<p>Marine mammal behaviour, just like ours, is partially determined by genes and the environment in which they live. However there are also social factors at play, and what makes marine mammals behave the way they do is potentially as complex as the processes which drive human behaviour. </p>
<p>In some cases, nurture may play just as important a role as nature for marine mammals. Almost 20 years ago, renowned conservation biologist <a href="http://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/directory/bill-sutherland">Bill Sutherland</a> examined how the behaviour of different species could be used to improve conservation efforts. He <a href="http://faculty.washington.edu/wirsinga/Sutherland1998.pdf">concluded</a> that behavioural ecology needed to be better integrated into conservation science and policy making. But to what extent has this message from 1998 been taken on board? </p>
<p>Marine mammals exhibit a wide range of fascinating behaviours, from the complex cooperative <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z00G0RxeSP0">bubble-net feeding</a> of humpback whales, to <a href="http://www.alaskawild.org/alaskas-polar-bears/">ice-cave building polar bears</a> and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Sea_otter">tool-using sea otters</a>. They also have a great diversity in their social structures and changing social dynamics, which range between the complex <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/thoughtful-animal/what-can-dolphins-tell-us-about-the-evolution-of-friendship/">third-order alliances of bottlenose dolphins</a>, close relationships between non-related males, to the more solitary lives of beaked whales. </p>
<figure>
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</figure>
<p>As well as having innate behaviours, which they acquire through their genes, these species, like humans, can learn individually and from each other. Social learning may be of particular importance to conservation efforts, because it can influence the resilience of a population to changes in their environment. </p>
<p>Killer whales learn foraging strategies from their social group and tend to stick to them. As a result, if there is a decline in their preferred prey, they may be less likely to switch to other species, or use alternative foraging tactics. Such a behaviourally conservative species is likely to be more vulnerable to change.</p>
<h2>Survival skills</h2>
<p>But learning is only part of marine mammal social dynamics. Social structure, and the various roles played by individuals may also be important for how a population responds to change. The loss of individuals that hold key information on the location of critical habitat or a food source may have significant consequences.</p>
<p>Humans live in many different types of cultures, environments and circumstances. We make important choices about what to eat, who to socialise with, where to live and how many offspring to have. These factors can strongly influence our fertility rates, survival, and even our evolution. It is certainly plausible that many of these factors influence the success of marine mammals as well.</p>
<p>A better understanding of the behavioural ecology of marine mammals is therefore hugely important. It is difficult to envision an approach toward conserving a population of modern humans which merely preserved their genetic integrity and did not also consider their socially learnt behaviour. </p>
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<p>While there are some attempts to incorporate behaviour, efforts to conserve marine mammal biodiversity still focus strongly on maintaining genetic integrity and diversity. But the <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2016.00087/full#h26">emerging evidence</a> indicates that social and behavioural diversity may also be central to individual, group, and population viability. The challenge ahead is teasing out the most relevant factors and understanding how to incorporate this new knowledge into conservation efforts.</p>
<p>On the whole, policy makers have been slow to keep up with the emerging behavioural research. More alarming still, from the perspective of the marine mammals themselves, is that the degradation of their environment has continued apace.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/61834/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philippa Brakes is a post-graduate researcher at the Univeristy of Exeter and receives funding from the NGO Whale and Dolphin Conservation. </span></em></p>Understanding this will boost conservation efforts.Philippa Brakes, Post-grad Researcher, University of ExeterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/486032015-10-07T05:34:25Z2015-10-07T05:34:25ZSunscreen or camouflage? Why so many animals have dark backs and pale bellies<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97234/original/image-20151005-28786-x03giw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Did someone say Frosties?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&use_local_boost=1&autocomplete_id=&searchterm=tiger&show_color_wheel=1&orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&color=&page=1&inline=220458427">PHOTOCREO</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The animal kingdom contains a huge diversity of colour patterns, from the near-perfect camouflage of <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080608-cuttlefish-camouflage-missions_2.html">the cuttlefish</a> to the extravagant displays of <a href="http://www.birdsofparadiseproject.org">birds of paradise</a>. Evolution has shaped this diversity, but exactly which selective pressures are at work is still controversial. </p>
<p>While some theories propose that such patterns evolved specifically for camouflage, <a href="http://global.oup.com/ukhe/product/sensory-ecology-behaviour-and-evolution-9780199601783;jsessionid=62FFC1F21DA97166EDCE110F60630C48?cc=gb&lang=en&">other theories</a> link them to things like attracting mates, regulating body temperature and giving off warning signals. </p>
<p>One common pattern of animal colouration that has been the subject of this kind of debate is called countershading. Found across air, land and water on many different animals – from tigers to tuna – it features a darker skin or fur on the surface of the animal’s body that faces the sun, and a lighter colour on their underside. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=387&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97288/original/image-20151005-28783-710rh2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=486&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Humpback whales are classic examples of countershading.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&use_local_boost=1&autocomplete_id=&searchterm=humpback%20whale&show_color_wheel=1&orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&color=&page=1&inline=304515512">Yann Hubert</a></span>
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<p>Countershading has typically <a href="http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/31/10/723">been considered</a> beneficial for protection against ultraviolet. This is because the dark colour of the skin or fur is <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306456507000319">due to melanin</a>, a pigment that strongly dissipates potentially damaging ultraviolet radiation. A dark body colour also often helps animals to gain more heat from sunlight. </p>
<p>Yet it has also long <a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/364/1516/519">been suggested</a> that this pattern of colouration evolved to enhance visual camouflage. This goes back to one of the oldest theories in the evolution of camouflage, originally put forward in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the British evolutionary biologist <a href="https://archive.org/details/coloursofanimals00pouliala">Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton</a> and the American artist/naturalist <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/4068693">Abbott Thayer</a>. They suggested that shading might counteract the effects of light and make animals harder to see. </p>
<h2>In plain sight</h2>
<p>But how could the countershading pattern contribute to visual camouflage? That was the question that we sought to answer in two <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/info/10.1086/682570">recently</a> published <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12481/abstract">papers</a>. To understand our work, start by considering how light interacts with objects and viewers. </p>
<p>In nature, more light comes from above than from below. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about open country, below a dense canopy of trees or underwater. Three-dimensional objects with a uniform colour are brighter on the top and darker on the parts that are exposed to less light. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=977&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=977&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97289/original/image-20151005-28775-is3o7w.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=977&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lady of Dishevelled Hair.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&use_local_boost=1&autocomplete_id=&searchterm=humpback%20whale&show_color_wheel=1&orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&color=&page=1&inline=304515512">Wikimedia</a></span>
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<p>This interaction between shape and light provides a source of 3D information for our visual systems known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgPbROp3zpk">shape from shading</a>. It is a powerful visual cue, exploited for centuries in art. Leonardo Da Vinci’s drawings of 3D figures show us just how sensitive we are to this kind of information, for example. In the picture on the right, Lady of Dishevelled Hair, notice how the forehead and top of the nose are bright, while the areas under the eyes, lips and chin are dark. It is the shading, using a technique called <a href="http://www.britannica.com/art/sfumato">sfumato</a>, that allows us to perceive the graceful shape of the woman’s head on the two-dimensional plane of the drawing. </p>
<p>Shading is also an important cue for animals. Predators can potentially use shape from shading to reveal the 3D shape of their prey, even if this victim is patterned or coloured to match their background. </p>
<p>Countershading is a possible defence. If an animal is darker on top and lighter below, this can offset shading from light and make it harder for predators to detect them. To give you an example, below are two photographs of an Actias luna caterpillar feeding on birch leaves. The first shows it back-uppermost, a position it does not favour, while the second shows it hanging below the branch, its most common pose. </p>
<p>The caterpillar is harder to spot in the second image because the effects of shading are counteracted by the countershading. It happens to be the very example that Abbott Thayer used to illustrate his theory more than 100 years ago. In reverse of the usual countershading rule, the caterpillar’s back is paler than its belly. This is because in its most common pose, hanging below the branch, its belly is uppermost. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97292/original/image-20151005-28732-11r1zlj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Now you see him …</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">University of St Andrews</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97293/original/image-20151005-28755-1qlgher.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Now you don’t.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">University of St Andrews</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The right coat</h2>
<p>A key question is what countershading pattern is the best for evading detection. The answer is complex, because it depends on the three-way interaction between object shape, the quality of light and the location of the viewer. Our interdisciplinary group of researchers from the universities of St Andrews, Abertay and Bristol developed a computational model to predict optimal shading in a given situation. </p>
<p>We simulated a three-dimensional world in which we could place an animal of our choice, and choose the location of the viewer. To take account of different habitats and lifestyles, we used realistic sun and sky lighting conditions which could be set up to emulate sunny or cloudy weather at any latitude, time of day or year. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=787&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=787&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=787&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=990&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=990&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/97454/original/image-20151006-7345-qwpa4s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=990&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">No stripe gripe.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&language=en&ref_site=photo&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&use_local_boost=1&autocomplete_id=&searchterm=chital&show_color_wheel=1&orient=&commercial_ok=&media_type=images&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&color=&page=1&inline=296934851">Odua Images</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>We duly demonstrated that the best pattern to choose depends on weather, time of day and where in the world the animal is located. For example in a sunny location, an animal should have a sharp transition between their light and dark regions with a dark strip down the spine. The axis deer or chital (pictured), found across the Indian subcontinent, carries a good example of this kind of dark strip, which our work suggests might optimise camouflage in open grassland. </p>
<p>This is different to animals that live in woodland or under cloud and therefore experience less direct sunlight. They should have a more gradual transition between the light belly and dark back. A <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/info/10.1086/668011">study from 2012</a> that looked at the coat patterns of ruminant animals supported this prediction. Our model should now allow experimenters to test just how specific camouflage needs to be to prove effective in different environments. </p>
<p>Finally a word on the other theories about the evolutionary reasons for countershading that we mentioned near the beginning, in relation to a related problem: why some animals turn to orient their bodies in a particular direction. Much <a href="http://www.jstor.org/stable/1444522?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">has been made</a> of the benefits of this for both regulating body temperature and protecting against ultraviolet light. Our model <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12481/abstract">showed that</a> all three theories make predictions that lead to similar animal orientations. This suggests that camouflage could be a crucial evolutionary explanation for how animals orient themselves as well.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/48603/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julie receives funding from BBSRC and EPSRC</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Olivier Penacchio does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It is one of the most controversial questions in nature. Now a group of British researchers have shed light on the answer.Julie Harris, Professor of Psychology , University of St AndrewsOlivier Penacchio, Research Fellow, University of St AndrewsLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/449702015-07-25T00:58:35Z2015-07-25T00:58:35ZThe big comeback: it’s time to declare victory for Australian humpback whale conservation<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/89458/original/image-20150723-22818-fvnyv1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Humpback whale populations have leapt on both Australia's east and west coasts.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ari S. Friedlaender (under NMFS permit)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When it comes to conservation, good news is pretty thin on the ground – and the ocean, for that matter. We have grown much more used to hearing about marine species that face extinction, decline or negative impacts than about those that are thriving. But if we are to avoid getting demoralised, conservation biology needs victories to celebrate. </p>
<p>So here’s one: the remarkable recovery of humpback whales that breed in Australian waters. Our <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2015.05.007">review of the available data</a>, published today in Marine Policy, suggests that humpback whale populations in Australian waters have recovered to the extent that we should consider downlisting them from the <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=38">official list of threatened species</a>. </p>
<p>The humpback whale should be a cause for <a href="http://www.oceanoptimism.com/">optimism</a> and hope. It’s an important counterbalance to the seemingly relentless communication of marine conservation problems with little in the way of good news. We hope this kind of optimism will convince politicians and the public that conservation problems can indeed be solved, and to stay dedicated to making that happen.</p>
<h2>Turning the tide</h2>
<p>Australia has one of the highest rates of species extinction in the world. But despite this, the past decade has seen rare examples of animals that are <a href="http://bit.ly/1BYjDZZ">rebounding and thriving</a>.</p>
<p>Humpback whales are one such example. They are <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=38">listed as “vulnerable”</a> on Australia’s official list of threatened species, under the <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc">Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act</a>. </p>
<p>But <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2015.05.007">our review</a>, led by Michelle Bejder of <a href="http://www.bmtoceanica.com.au">BMT Oceanica</a> and based on the best available scientific data, suggests that humpback whales no longer need to be on the EPBC Act’s Threatened Species list. Both the east and west Australian populations of humpback whales have recovered substantially from the damage done in the commercial whaling era (roughly from 1912 to 1972).</p>
<p>As of 2012, Australia’s east coast humpback population was at 63% of the pre-whaling-era level. The west coast population had bounced back to 90%. Australian humpback whale populations are increasing at remarkable rates: 9% a year for the west coast population and 10% a year for the east coast – the fastest documented increases worldwide.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/Status%20Reviews/humpback_whale_sr_2015.pdf">recent global assessment</a> of humpback whales suggested that nine populations from around the world (including the east and west Australian populations) are no longer at risk of extinction. This is to be expected when exploitation through commercial whaling is replaced with conservation legislation (both in Australia and worldwide). Though we don’t quite fully understand the biological forces driving this extraordinary population increase, it’s fair to say that the removal of the dominant negative human pressure has been a huge factor. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=492&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/89615/original/image-20150724-7573-15lbhti.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=618&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">On the rise: humpback whale populations are rebounding at a startling rate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ari S. Friedlaender (under NMFS permit)</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We believe that conservation biologists have a responsibility to protect species that are in peril by providing a sound, scientific basis for effective management. It therefore follows that we also have a responsibility to present information on recovering populations. The listing of threatened species under the EPBC Act is a dynamic process that is periodically assessed to determine the most appropriate management actions – so if species no longer needs to be on the list we should say so. </p>
<p>The future challenge will be to protect a marine environment that contains growing humpback whale populations and to develop alternative approaches to ecological sustainability. The history of environmental protection is based on saving depleted species, with <a href="http://bit.ly/1BYjDZZ">very little guidance on how to manage recovering and recovered ones</a>.</p>
<p>If humpback whales are downlisted from the threatened species list, the EPBC Act would still protect them from significant impacts because migratory species are deemed under the Act to be <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/what-is-protected">nationally significant</a>. Beyond Australia, the <a href="https://iwc.int/home">International Whaling Commission</a> manages the global moratorium on commercial whaling, which is essential for the humpback whales’ recovery to continue. </p>
<p>Management efforts must now balance the need to ensure humpback whale growth and recovery within a marine environment that is also expanding with industrial and exploration activities. There will be increases in interactions with ocean users, including acoustic disturbance from noise, collisions with vessels, entanglements in fishing gear, habitat destruction from coastal development, and interactions with the whale-watching industry. It will be vital to gain public support to help maintain the growth and recovery of Australian humpback whales and prevent future population declines. </p>
<h2>Ocean optimism</h2>
<p>The recovered humpback whale population could bring a positive shift in scientific research throughout Australia. If Australian humpback whales are removed from the list of threatened species, one of the most beneficial consequences could be the reprioritisation of research and funding to support other species that are at a greater risk. </p>
<p>Hopefully, other animal species such as the threatened blue whale, the understudied Australian snubfin and Australian humpback dolphins might get the same chance of scientific scrutiny that has been afforded to humpback whales. </p>
<p>For the first time in more than a generation, Australia’s iconic humpback whales have become a symbol of both hope and optimism for marine conservation, providing a unique opportunity to celebrate successful scientific and management actions that protect marine species. Optimism in conservation biology (which even has its own social media hashtag, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23oceanoptimism&src=typd">#OceanOptimism</a>) is essential to encourage politicians and the public to solve conservation problems. </p>
<p>Around the world, many marine mammal populations remain in peril, and conservation biologists should not detract from these cases. But we should still highlight the successes, as they provide hope that ongoing conservation actions can prevail. Ultimately, inspirational examples such as humpback whales can motivate people to use ocean resources wisely and to take sustainable and effective actions to safeguard marine wildlife for the future. </p>
<p><em>This article was written with the assistance of Michelle Bejder, a marine science consultant with <a href="http://www.bmtoceanica.com.au">BMT Oceanica</a> and lead author of the <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2015.05.007">Marine Policy review</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/44970/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lars Bejder has received funding from the Australian Marine Mammal Centre (AMMC), the Western Australian Marine Science Institute (WAMSI) and the Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) and WWF-Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Joshua Smith has received research funding from the Australian Marine Mammal Centre, the Western Australian Marine Science Institution, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ari Friedlaender and David Johnston do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Chalk it up as a rare conservation win: humpback whales have bounced back so strongly since the whaling era that there is no longer a need to include them on Australia’s official threatened species list.Lars Bejder, Professor, Cetacean Research Unit, Murdoch University, Murdoch UniversityAri Friedlaender, Associate Professor, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State UniversityDavid Johnston, Assistant Professor, Marine Conservation Ecology, Duke UniversityJoshua Smith, Postdoctoral Researcher, Murdoch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.