Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Wednesday 16 august 2017

Accidental deaths of endangered whale threatens its survival

By PATRICK WHITTLE nerable to hazards now Asaro, marine mammal
Associated Press because they’re traveling and sea turtle branch chief
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A more because of changes for NOAA’s Greater Atlan-
high number of acciden- in food availability or warm- tic Region.
tal deaths this year among ing ocean waters. The regulatory Fisheries and
the endangered North At- “When whales travel more, Oceans Canada is using
lantic right whale threaten they put themselves in a host of new methods to
the survival of the species, harm’s way more,” Kraus try to help the whales, in-
according to conservation said. cluding surveillance flights
groups and marine scien- The 12 deaths are only the along the Gulf of St. Law-
tists. observed mortalities, and rence coastline and clos-
The right whales, which there could have been ad- ing a snow crab fishing
summer off of New England ditional natural deaths in area, said Sarah Gilbert, a
and Canada, are among the wild, Kraus said. spokeswoman for the de-
the most imperiled marine The future of right whale partment.
mammals on Earth. There In this April 10, 2008 file photo, a North Atlantic right whale breaks rescue efforts has been a The Canadian government
are thought to be no more the ocean surface off Provincetown, Mass., in Cape Cod Bay. subject of debate since also recently announced
than 500 of the giant ani- Associated Press veteran whale rescuer Joe new speed restrictions for
mals left, and there could has been the worst season ing gear and at least one is Howlett died on July 10 af- ships.
be fewer than 460, as pop- for right whale deaths since still pending a necropsy, As- ter freeing a right whale off However, the department
ulations have only slightly hunting them became ille- mutis-Silvia said. Some were New Brunswick, Canada. has suspended responses
rebounded from the whal- gal 80 years ago. too badly decomposed to The National Oceanic and to entangled right whales
ing era, when they nearly “This level of deaths in such determine the cause of Atmospheric Administration following Howlett’s death.
became extinct. a short time is unprecedent- death, she said. responded by suspending “While the entanglement
Twelve of the whales are ed,” she said. “I just don’t Asmutis-Silvia and other efforts to free whales tan- of a whale is an extremely
known to have died since know that right whales conservationists said the gled in fishing lines, and lat- difficult and distressing situ-
April, meaning about 2 have time for people to fig- deaths are evidence that er announced that rescue ation, our first priority is the
percent of the population ure it out. They need help regulations to prevent teams would resume most safety of those involved in
has perished in just a few now.” strikes and entanglements operations. marine mammal response,”
months, biologist Regina Ten of the deaths were need to be strengthened Marine regulators in the U.S. Gilbert said.
Asmutis-Silvia of the Plym- off the Atlantic coast of in the United States and and Canada said govern- Charles “Stormy” Mayo, se-
outh, Massachusetts-based Canada while two were Canada. ment is putting a focus on nior scientist at the Center
group Whale and Dolphin off Massachusetts. Four of Scott Kraus, head of the protecting right whales. for Coastal Studies in Prov-
Conservation told The As- the animals showed evi- New England Aquarium’s Speed restrictions have incetown, Massachusetts,
sociated Press this week. dence of ship strikes while right whale research pro- dramatically reduced the said the whales will need
She and others who study another appeared to have gram, said it’s possible that number of right whale ship more immediate action if
the whales said this summer become entangled in fish- right whales are more vul- strike deaths, said Mike they are to recover. q

More than spectacle: Eclipses create science and so can you

By SETH BORENSTEIN if you are in the right place ground, using telescopes, more than 70 high-altitude Scientists will focus on the
AP Science Writer for the best solar eclipse in cameras, binoculars and balloons . sun, but they will also ex-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The the U.S. in nearly a century. whatever else works. They’ll “We expect a boatload of amine what happens to
sun is about to spill some of Astronomers are going full look from the International science from this one,” said Earth’s weather, to space
its secrets, maybe even re- blast to pry even more sci- Space Station and a fleet Jay Pasachoff, a Williams weather, and to animals
veal a few hidden truths of ence from the mysterious of 11 satellites in space. College astronomer who and plants on Earth as the
the cosmos. And you can ball of gas that’s vital to And in between, they’ll fly has traveled to 65 eclipses moon totally blocks out the
get in on the act next week Earth. They’ll look from the three planes and launch of all kinds. sun. q