News from the Turks & Caicos
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Turks and Caicos project aims to keep whales safe in the Caribbean
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| Published on Friday, January 4, 2008 | Email To Friend Print Version
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EAST FALMOUTH, USA: The Caribbean is becoming an increasingly popular resort and cruise ship destination; but along with increased development comes increased threats to whales of harassment, acoustic disturbance, vessel strikes, entanglement, and pollution.
These threats affect whales everywhere, yet the threats facing certain whale populations are not well documented due to their remote location. The Caribbean is an area where more information is needed.
Twice a year North Atlantic humpback whales migrate approximately 1,500 miles, traveling between their summer feeding grounds and their winter breeding grounds.
The bulk of the North Atlantic humpback whale population is thought to breed and calf around the Dominican Republic. In response, Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources created the largest marine mammal sanctuary in the Northern Hemisphere, protecting all marine mammals within its 19,438-square-mile area.
However, many humpbacks are sighted around the Turks and Caicos Islands, 100 miles north of the Dominican Republic. In the mid 1800’s, there was even small-scale, local whaling reported off Salt Cay, the most southeastern of the Turk and Caicos’ eight islands.
In an attempt to better understand how humpback whales utilise the waters around the Turks and Caicos, and specifically Salt Cay, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) will be working with local whale watch operators to obtain baseline data of humpback distribution and residency.
WDCS scientists will conduct on-site photographic identification of individual humpbacks and record their location, behaviour and vocalizations. | | | | Reads : 420 | | | |
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