Thursday, December 1, 2016

The Whale Shark by Maddie Hitzeman

The Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) by Maddie Hitzeman 

Understanding the Whale Shark                                                                                                           

Despite its name, the Rhincodon typus, otherwise known as the Whale Shark is neither whale nor shark. The Whale Shark is actually the biggest fish in the sea reaching an average length of forty feet and weighing about ten tons. Whale Sharks are carnivores, but contrary to what you would expect, they do not use their hundreds of small teeth for feeding. Whale Sharks are mainly filter feeders, catching their prey- primarily dog snapper and cubera snapper eggs- in their four-foot wide mouth and filtering out the water through their gills. In addition to their distinctly wide mouth, they are characterized by their gray, brown, or bluish coloring, their light spots between pale vertical and horizontal lines on their backs, and their white underside. Although the reason for their disruptive body pattern remains unknown, scientists believe that they are either the result of evolution from living at greater depths where disruptive patterns are used to camouflage or because it protects them from ultraviolet radiation since they spend most of their time near the surface of the water.

If you’ve seen Pixar’s motion picture, “Finding Dory”, you might recognize a whale shark named Destiny. If not, you may recognize a real whale shark.






Habitat and Geographical Distribution                                                                                                

The whale shark can be found in two parts of the world: either in the tropical environment of the Atlantic Ocean (25% of the global population) or in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean (75% of the global population). Through genetic research, we have found that these two subpopulations function independent of each other. All whale sharks enjoy warmer waters, usually between 26.5 and 30 degrees Celsius and their occurrence and abundance depends on cyclicals, or long-term climate shifts. Whale sharks also congregate where food is abundant, but don’t usually interact as a community or family. The whale shark spend most of its time in the epipelagic zone to feed during seasonal fish spawning events or zooplankton blooms; they also feed on mesopelagic organisms which is why they are sometimes found diving depths of up to two thousand meters.

The Whale Shark can usually be found in more tropical waters indicated by the red.

Biology and Reproduction                                                                                                                      

 Whale Sharks are a K-selected species and are ovoviviparous meaning the egg hatches in the uteri of the Whale Shark and the female has a live birth. Whale Sharks populate in Taiwan and the Kurashio Current waters during the summer for birthing. Little is known about Whale Shark age and growth due to variation, but researchers estimate that male Whale Sharks begin maturing at 17 years of age and female Whale Sharks mature between 19 to 22 years of age. Whale Sharks are born at a length of 21 to 25 inches and reach full maturity at a length of approximately 9m. Their lifespan is about 60 years and their generation length is approximately 25 years. This comes to show how vulnerable the Whale Shark is to extinction and how long and difficult the recovery process can be. Whale Shark numbers are dwindling, and as we will discover, it is much easier to kill Whale Sharks than to save them.

Declining Population                                                                                                                               

In 2001, the declining Whale Shark population caught the attention of conservationists, earning this fantastical fish a spot on the list of vulnerable species. As of March 18th of this year, the Whale Shark is now listed endangered due to bycatch threats, vessel interference, and the Whale Shark trade. As of today, 7,011 individuals have been identified as the global population by using a database that matches the identifiable patterns of individual whale sharks. Unfortunately, the Whale Shark population is predominantly juvenile male sharks, inaccurately representing the female population. In the Indo-Pacific region, there has been a population decline of 63%; in the Atlantic, a population decline of 30%; and a world-wide decline of 50%.

At the star of 1977, Whale Shark meat became the most expensive shark meat at $13.93/kg resulting in the death of over 272 individuals. Later that same year, the demand for Whale Shark declined most likely due to local stock depletion. Today, Taiwan kills an average of 1,0000 Whale Sharks every year for their meat, creating a national and international market for Whale Shark. In Orient and Hong Kong, there is a high demand for Whale Shark fin and a possible international trade with the Philippines. In contrast, the Philippine fin trade is only a small portion of the Philippines’ contribution to the declining Whale Shark population. In local fishing communities, the Philippines utilize Whale shark meat for food and Whale Shark liver oil to waterproof their boats. Finally, India eats Whale Shark and uses their oil for their boats as well as for medicine and other appliances. 


Another reason for their decline is large and small scale bycatch. Since Whale Sharks congregate in areas of large zooplankton blooms along with tuna and other targets of fisheries, Whale Sharks are often victims of bycatch. Since Whale Sharks spend most their time near the surface of the water, the most common form of bycatch is by purse seine; when fisheries enclose large numbers of fish in one large net, Whale Sharks get trapped along with them.






Finally, vessel interference, especially vessel strikes, poses a threat to declining Whale Shark populations. Since Whale Sharks swim near the surface, they are prone to strikes from fishing and tourist vessels. Although Western Australia and other areas frequented by Whale Sharks are protected from fisheries, some question if tourism has any affect on Whale Sharks. A researcher named Brad Norman and his team did a study in Ningaloo Reef, Australia- a popular tourist destination to see Whale Sharks- to observe if the tourists had any affect on the behavior of Whale Sharks. They concluded, by evidence of what they call a “critter cam”(1) that the tourists themselves do not affect the Whale Sharks. Although tourists do not affect Whale Sharks, the vessels driven by this $5 million industry can cause harm to the Whale Sharks through vessel strikes, noise disturbance, and habitat destruction.

Recovery Plan                                                                                                                                          

In order to keep this big fish swimming, conservationists’ goal is to maintain protected areas around Australia and to expand protection into the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic areas. Actions to reach this goal include increasing cooperation with other areas of the world to expand Whale Shark protection through thorough mentioning of multiple endangerment acts and lists, and monitoring the many people that visit Australia to determine the impact of tourism on Whale Shark populations and develop possible responses. Additional probable actions include more restrictive tourist rules to reduce human interference, protecting highly populated Whale Shark destinations from water ways and vessel traffic, and monitoring fisheries’ catches and enforcing justice for those who catch, trade, and harm the protected Whale Shark.

Click here for more information about the Whale Shark Recovery Plan!

What Can You Do?                                                           












Want to help, but don't know how? I'll point you in the right direction! Fortunately you don’t need to be a marine biologist to help the Whale Shark from drowning. Some simple actions you can take to protect all marine life is limiting your waste, especially plastics, promoting and representing efficient and clean energy to reduce oil pollution and greenhouse gases, and actively engaging in conservation efforts; sometimes it’s as simple as sharing an article or post on social media or emailing your Aunt Carol about how she can help save marine life. Specific to Whale Sharks, you can protest cruise and commercial fishing companies from entering areas where Whale Sharks congregate to avoid bycatch and vessel strikes, respect and follow the restrictions that are in place to protect Whale Sharks, and boycott or protest the fin trade. In addition, spreading awareness about the Whale Shark’s endangerment is very important to conservationists’ efforts; although many things about this great fish remain a mystery, you can still enlighten others to the danger we pose to Whale Sharks and share how important and magnificent these creatures are. SAVE THE WHALE SHARK AND ALL WHALES SHARKS WILL SAY A BIG…


Works Cited                                                                                                                                             

1. 454jags. "National Geographic- Whale Shark." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Oct. 2010. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. . Ningaloo Reef Information 
2. "About Whale Sharks - Whale Shark Conservation." Google Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016. . Whale Shark pup Image 
3. "Another Front Page Nightmare: "That Epic Moment When a School of Fish Comes to You" • /r/thalassophobia." Reddit. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2016. <https://www.reddit.com/r/thalassophobia/comments/4o1ssu/another_front_page_nightmare_that_epic_moment/>. Fish Arrow Image
4. "Award Reveals AustraliaĆ¢€™s Hidden Jewel of Marine Adventure - Publicity and Online Marketing Resources." Publicity and Online Marketing Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016. . Whale Shark with Snorkelers Image 
5. Burt, Zandra. "Finding Nemo." Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. . Dory Speaking Whale Image 
6. "Kp Sea Clip Art Nemo." Pinterest. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. . Fish Are Friends Not Food Image 
7. Leonard, George. "Take Action to Help Save Whale Sharks." Ocean Currents. N.p., 10 July 2015. Web. 30 Nov. 2016. . How you can help Information 
8. Martins, Carol, and Craig Knickle. "Rhincodon Typus." Rhincodon Typus :: Florida Museum of Natural History. University of Florida, n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. . Information and Image of Geographical Distribution Map 
9. NationalGeographic. "Whale Shark | National Geographic." YouTube. YouTube, 29 Aug. 2007. Web. 23 Nov. 2016. . Information 
10. "Rhincondon Typus." Rhincodon Typus (Whale Shark). IUCN Red List, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2016. Information 
11. Sabu, Anju. ""Oh, Dakuwaqa!"" The Shark Comics and Cartoons. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016. . Ignorance Cartoon Image 
12. Shawnlim, /. "13 Best Finding Nemo And Finding Dory Quotes That Inspire You." Stunning Motivation. N.p., 29 Aug. 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016. . Just Keep Swimming Dory Image 
13. Weisberger, Mindy. "Meet 'Finding Dory' Real-Life Counterparts." Meet 'Finding Dory' Real-Life Counterparts. Disney/Pixar, 17 June 2016. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. . Destiny the Whale Shark Image 
14. "Whale Shark Bycatch." Greenpeace International. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2016. . Whale Shark bycatch Image 
15. "Whale Shark (Rhincodon Typus) Recovery Plan 2005-2010." Department of the Environment and Energy. N.p., May 2005. Web. 29 Nov. 2016. . Information 
16. Wiltrout, Emily Nicole. "Finding Dory (And Your Inner Child)." Odyssey. N.p., 27 June 2016. Web. 30 Nov. 2016. . Destiny Whale Shark GIF

Mariana Fruit Bat By James Chung

Mariana Fruit Bat

Pteropus mariannus mariannus 

By James Chung

http://www.uog.edu/news-announcements/endangered-fruit-bat
Mariana Fruit Bat, also known as the Fanihi, is a subspecies that are endemic to the Mariana archipelago, within the territory of Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. They are known to be within 14 of the 15 islands. Surveys done in 1983 and 2001 have shown that the northern islands have supported majority of the species. It has a recovery priority number of 9 on scale of 1c to 18, 1c being the highest and 18 being the lowest which means the species has a high potential for recovery. It was listed as endangered in 1984, but changed to threatened in 2005 by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009).

A Description About the Cute Creatures

The Mariana Fruit Bat is a medium-sized bat that can weigh from 0.66 pounds to 1.15 pounds. They have a wingspan of 25 to 27 inches They have black to brown abdomens, golden-brown necks, round ears, and large eyes creating a canine appearance (fws.gov). Mating happens year round for this subspecies, but survey in the southern islands show that peak birthing may occur in May and June. The females have one offspring per year, which explains their slow growth rate. The fruit bats are strong fliers which help with their inter-island traveling (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009).

http://animal.memozee.com/ArchOLD-4/1128059751.jpg
Habitat Requirements

The Mariana Fruit Bats are known to live in colonies and establish themselves in limestone trees near each other. Their diet is well provided by their surrounding as they consume fruits, nectar, pollen and leaves. Because of their quick metabolism, these bats depend on their environment to provide a variety of food all year long thus showing that the native forests are essential to their roosting and dietary patterns. This species are also found to fly between islands and repopulating if one islands species have decreased (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009). These bats are important to the ecosystem because of their critical role as pollinators and seed spreaders.

The Threats They Face

http://www.livescience.com/27449-guam-brown-tree-snake.html
http://www.guampedia.com/fanihi-mariana-fruit-bat/
Due to habitat degradation done by agriculture, introduction of non-native plants and exotic animals, the species faced a steep decline in population. Brown Tree Snakes that are present on these islands present a threat to young bats in the habitat. Other factors that have influenced the population decline are illegal hunting for their meat and natural disasters, such as volcanic eruption from the northern Mariana island of Anatahan.             Small islands are more vulnerable to random environmental changes, such as a typhoon, which may decimate the small population of bats. These factors gave an estimated forty percent decline in the number of fruit bats (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009).








The Marian Fruit bat has faced many fluctuations in population sizes . The Northen islands surveyed 7,450 individuals in 1983 . In the southern islands, Rota faced severe storms which decreased the bat population to 700 in 2006. Saipan has a Navy protected site for the bats,which numbered 50 or less individuals, to prevent hunting. Tinian has observed the fruit bats only once between 2002 and 2007 (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009).

http://vevesworld.com/northern-mariana-islands/

Recovery Criteria 
 
The Mariana Fruit Bat is eligible for delisting from threatened list by 2030 if these criteria are met as proposed by the recovery plan (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009).

1. Population must increase and become stable so that a small island species avoids the risk of genetic risk. To do so distribution of bats from the more stable islands to help increase the population.
2. A monitoring program is needed so that after the Mariana Fruit bat is delisted any changes may be detected.
3. Habitat is restored, which includes the control of invasive species and ungulates.
4. Actions taken to reduce illegal hunting and that it no longer endangers the species.
5. Brown Tree Snakes must be controlled and there must be prevention from the spreading to the other islands.
6. Any urban development and military activities must be avoided or minimized.

With current implementations of the recovery plan, delisting may occur by 2030.

Total estimated cost of recovery from 2010 to 2014 was $13,209,000




The recovery goal is to strengthen the individual islands population and strengthen inter-island travel by the bats. Doing so will increase survival against natural disasters that may decimate the population of one or more islands (Mariana Fruit Bat Recovery Plan,2009).

Recovery Actions

Education
First step is to develop education beginning with schools teaching children and providing access to the fruit bats through zoos. Public servants would go through quarterly classes to teach them of the decline in populations of the fruit bats. The local government will involve hunters and residents in research and recovery. They will work on establishing protected roost sites for the bats.

Law Enforcement on Illegal Hunting
Stricter laws will be enforced with authorities investigating illegal hunting aggressively. The investigations will also include preventing illegal pet trades.

Restoration
Next is managing the site in order to protect and restore the habitat. To do so, ungulates and Brown Treesnakes must be eradicated or reduced depending on the sites and prevention from them spreading is needed. Next to fix the habitat, the must control all invasive non-native plants and replenish the area with native trees and shrubs.


Research and Monitoring
Due to lack of knowledge of the Mariana Fruit bats, monitoring and increased research need to be established to further update the recovery plan. This includes having research teams readily available and active recovery team.


What Can You Do

The first essential step that anyone can do is research. Becoming aware of any threatened/endangered species will help you understand how much change is occurring to our world and other species.

Volunteers and donations are always needed as research/monitor teams are always needed to help the Mariana Fruit Bats. The Anderson Airforce Base in Guam accepts volunteers to help their conservation program. (anderson.af.mil)
http://www.andersen.af.mil/

To Learn More 
Visit this link to learn more in depth details about the Mariana Fruit Bat
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pteropus_mariannus/

 Works Cited

 Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Mariana Fruit Bat or Fanihi (pteropus Mariannus Mariannus). Portland, Or.: Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2009. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Web.

Pacific Region Web Development. "Mariana Fruit Bat - Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office." Mariana Fruit Bat - Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

 White, Melissa B. "Save the Fruit Bats! First Large-scale Survey at Andersen Sets Baselin." Andersen Air Force Base. N.p., 14 July 2014. Web. 01 Dec. 2016. 

 Winter, Brianne. "Pteropus Mariannus (Marianas Flying Fox)." Animal Diversity Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2016.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

A Slippery Slope Towards Extinction:
The Copperbelly Water Snake
Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta
Connor Cody
BIO 227-01

Description and Ecology:
      The Copperbelly Water Snake or Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta is found in the United States, specifically in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, as well as in Illinois and Kentucky. The Copperbelly is a midwestern sub-species of the Plainbelly water snake that ranges throughout the central and southeastern United States. This water snake can grow up to lengths of 40 to 50 inches, but on average they range from two to four feet long. The female Copperbelly grows much larger than the male, so it is common to assume that a Copperbelly longer than 30 inches is a female. Adult Copperbelly snakes are dark brown to black on their dorsal surface (top or back), while their underside is a bright orange-red or sometimes even a yellowish color that extends all the way to their chin, thus giving them the name Copperbelly. The Copperbelly is a non-venomous snake species that actually hibernates during the winter. They tend to hibernate in crayfish burrows or forested wetlands from late October until late April, then emerge as the weather warms to prey and mate in the warmer waters. The main food source of the Copperbelly snake is small amphibians, such as frogs and tadpoles, which they hunt in shallow waters. In the spring (after hibernation), the Copperbelly snakes begin courtship and eventually find a mate. After mating, the young snakes are either born in the fall or during the winter, usually in a litter of on average 18 baby snakes. These young snakes have to learn to hunt for their food in the following months so that they can be ready for the following winter’s hibernation.

Geographic and Population Changes:
      The Copperbelly’s habitat is a range of shallow wetlands surrounded by forested uplands, distributed throughout a large area. Copperbelly snakes can be found in two main areas, dividing them into two populations, the northern population and the southern population. The northern population is found in southern Michigan, northeastern Indiana, and northwestern Ohio. The southern population is found in southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and northwestern Kentucky. Although there are two populations of Copperbelly snakes, only the northern population is listed as “threatened,” and thus protected by the Endangered Species Act, due to its declining number of overall snakes as indicated in surveys over the past 20 years. “Threatened” means likely to become endangered in the near future, whereas “endangered” means in danger of becoming extinct. Currently only five small sub-populations exist in the northern region. The decline of the northern population of Copperbelly snakes is mainly due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, caused by humans and human development.

Listing Date and Type of Listing:
As of February 28, 1996, the northern population of Copperbelly snakes has been listed as threatened and therefore protected by the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to kill, collect, or harm the Copperbelly snake within the northern population area, or roughly above Indianapolis, Indiana.
     
Main Threats to Continued Existence:
      The Copperbelly snake is considered threatened because only a few hundred snakes populate the northern region. Their population has declined over the past 20 years due to collection and predation, as well as habitat loss and fragmentation. Copperbelly water snakes are collected for the pet trade because of their large size, rarity, and unique color. However, the Endangered Species Act has
made the collection of Copperbelly snakes illegal without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and these permits are only given when the collection is for the conservation of the species. Predation is another reason for the decline of the Copperbelly snake. Copperbelly snakes move from wetland to wetland as water levels rise and fall and prey numbers dwindle and rise. As the snakes move from location to location, they are vulnerable to predators such as skunks, raccoons, raptor birds, and snapping turtles, but the main cause of the Copperbelly snakes’ dwindling numbers is due to humans. Human development of roads, housing, flood control, and agriculture causes fragmentation of the large area that the Copperbelly snakes require to survive. The Copperbelly snakes require a large area of land that consists of wetlands and uplands. When human development infringes on this habitat, it fragments or breaks up the necessary wetlands and uplands, and the fragmented habitat can no longer support the water snake population.

Recovery Plan:
Under the Endangered Species Act, a Copperbelly Water Snake Recovery Plan has been developed and implemented in order to help the northern population avoid extinction. This plan calls for local communities and private landowners to cooperate with the volunteers and researchers in the protection and improvement of the wetlands and uplands in which the Copperbelly snakes dwell. Funding by conservation organizations, as well as federal and state funding, has been used to fuel wetland restoration and upkeep. This funding goes towards tree planting, land protection in key areas, research, and general wetland upkeep, as well as wetland and upland improvement and protection. All of these actions together will help to improve the Copperbelly’s dwindling habitat, as well as reduce the rapid habitat fragmentation. This protection of wetland areas also protects the frogs and tadpoles in this region, thus sustaining a vital food source for the Copperbelly snakes.

What Can We Do to Help?
      The main thing we can do to support the Copperbelly snake is to raise awareness regarding its threatened status. Many people who infringe upon Copperbelly habitats are not aware of the impact of their actions. These people are farming, building roadways and homes, and are developing upon Copperbelly habitat lands, effectively destroying the Copperbelly’s ability to thrive. Because Copperbellies need a large area of land that consists of both wetlands and uplands, they are extremely vulnerable to habitat fragmentation caused by human development. If local communities and private landowners are educated regarding the impact their actions have on the habitat of the Copperbelly snake, they can determine ways to reduce the destruction of the snakes’ habitat. These small efforts, along with funding dedicated to the research and continuation of the Copperbelly Snake Recovery Plan, will lead to increasing numbers of Copperbellies in the northern region, enabling the northern Copperbelly to be removed from the Endangered Species Act’s threatened list and to avoid extinction.

Resources:

Recovery Plan-

US Fish and Wildlife Service-

Michigan Natural Features Inventory-

Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management-

Federal Register-




Polar Bears - Adam Chmielewski

Sperm Whale (Cruz Calderhead)

Sperm Whales Fighting to Make a Comeback


Description & Ecology of Sperm Whales


A Sperm Whale (Scientific name: Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest toothed predator and whale in the world. Sperm Whales also have the largest brain out of any animal on Earth. Males can be as long as 18 meters, weighing up to 57 tons, living up to 60 years old. While females can reach up to 12.5 meters, weigh 24 tons, and live all the way to 80 years old. Their bodies are a dark grey color with a white long rod shaped jaw that has 26 pairs of teeth within it. Their dorsal fins are relatively small, non pointed, and thick. These dorsal fins are distinctive and scientists take pictures of them to identify them so they can follow their behavior. In their massive, very distinct, foreheads they have a large amount of a high quality oil called spermaceti which is how they got they name Sperm Whales. Like many whales they use echolocation to compensate for their relatively small eyes on the sides of their head. Using echolocation, Sperm Whales dive up to 1000 meters in search for their main food source, squid and fish. They eat a literal ton of fish and squid each day. Sperm whales are distributed all around the ocean from very warm tropical waters all the way to icy waters and everywhere in between. 


https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5QiTShvfiqQ/hqdefault.jpg









Geographic & Population Changes of Sperm Whales


http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/species/Spermwhale.shtml

Sperm Whales have not had a change in their geographic distribution because they are found all over the ocean from tropical waters into higher latitudes where there is pack ice. The distribution has not gone down for these whales but the overall population density has taken a impact. So all around the ocean there has been less Sperm Whales mostly due to previous hunting for their spermaceti. There has been one geographic spot where the population has taken a more intense hit which is the South Pacific. The South Pacific is a known whaling grounds between Galapagos and Marquesas. 

Main Threats Today & Cause of Listing

Sperm whales main threat used to be whaling. Since they were hunted so intensely they are listed as a endangered animal. They used to be hunted for their spermaceti because it was a very high quality oil, spermaceti has now been replaced with more humane alternatives. The new reason to hunt for whales is for their meat which is consumed by humans. There is a loophole that crooked scientists take advantage of, where they say they're whaling for scientific reasons but they then sell the whale meat for public consumption. There are other potential threats to Sperm Whales today like collisions with vessels, entanglement in fishing gear, less squid and fish due to overfishing, habitat degradation, and disturbance from anthropogenic noise. There is also a potential threat to their health because of bio magnification of mercury.


http://stories.anmm.gov.au/why-save-whales/impact-of-whaling/

Recovery Plan

The original threat to Sperm Whales (whaling for their spermaceti) was acknowledged by the IWC’s whaling moratorium. The recovery plan wants to keep this strategy in place and make sure it now trys to face the problem of scientific whaling. A important part of this recovery plan is to get a accurate idea of the populations structure since it has been hard to keep record of since their populations are discrete. The recovery plan is trying to get a population size and distribution of the pods they travel in. Since sperm whales are widely found around the sea they will need all nations to work together to make this recovery plan work. 
  

What Can You do to Help Sperm Whales Thrive?


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/WDC_Logo_H_D_CMYK.jpg

Since most people do not actively whale or eat whale meat, the most impactful thing you can do is to donate to organizations that fight whaling activities and to organizations that study sperm whales without harming them. You can also lower your carbon footprint to reduce global warming which would reduce habitat degradation and lower the amount of mercury in the ocean. Finally you can buy your seafood from sustainable fisheries so there is more fish and squid in the ocean for them to eat. 

Other Resources to Deepen Your Knowledge of Sperm Whales

11 facts about sperm whales:

EDGE (Endangered animals):

NOAA fisheries:

Save the Whales:

Citations

"FINAL RECOVERY PLAN FOR THE SPERM WHALE." Office of Protected Resources National Marine Fisheries Service, Dec. 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

Society, National Geographic. "Sperm Whales, Sperm Whale Pictures, Sperm Whale Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

"Sperm Whale - National Wildlife Federation." National Wildlife Federation. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

"Stop Whaling." WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.