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A28 SCIENCE
Wednesday 6 March 2019
Unusual alliance to save blue whales stalled by Sri Lanka

By MARIA CHENG
Associated Press
When the feeding grounds
of blue whales overlap with
busy shipping lanes, busi-
ness interests often super-
sede those of the endan-
gered marine mammals.
But in Sri Lanka, an unusual
alliance has been forged:
local conservationists and
international shipping
companies have aligned
in a bid to move the heav-
ily trafficked lane about 28
kilometers (17 miles) away
to help avoid collisions be-
tween whales and freight-
ers.
The only holdout is the gov-
ernment of Sri Lanka, which
has so far declined to sign
off on the proposal, jeop-
ardizing the future there
of the biggest animal ever
known to have lived on the
planet, scientists say.
The hundreds of blue In this Nov. 6, 2007, file photo, people walk past the dead body of a whale in Colombo, Sri
whales in Sri Lankan waters Lanka. Associated Press
— marine biologists esti- in the world where we can officials during the past six there is no easy solution to cially susceptible to local
mate there are 600 to 1,500 physically separate ships years, Sri Lankan officials the convergence of ships threats such as ship strikes,
— feed on tiny shrimp in the from where the whales have demurred from sup- and cetaceans. Leaper said.
shipping lane, and are also are,” Wood-Thomas said. porting the shipping lane For example, scientists have “It’s a very unusual popula-
believed to mate and give “Yes, it adds a little dis- shift. long been worried about tion because they’re very
birth nearby. tance, fuel and money to Rear Adm. Rohana Perera the sperm whales that live isolated and they are in Sri
Shipping executives say shipping costs, but the ex- of Sri Lanka’s Marine Envi- in the Straits of Gibraltar, Lanka all year around,” he
they would gladly relocate tra cost is really minor.” ronment Protection Author- but have few solutions. said.
the traffic corridor, recog- He said it was no small feat ity said the government is “It’s an incredibly busy “Removing that one threat
nizing their ships would be to get the majority of the concerned about the eco- area for shipping, but un- of ship strikes would make
safer in waters not already world’s shipping compa- nomic impact of the pro- fortunately, there’s not a very large contribution to
clogged with fishing ves- nies to agree to move the posed shipping lane move much scope for moving saving them.”
sels, whale-watching boats shipping lane in Sri Lanka. on its ports, fearing passing the shipping lane because Although statistics on how
and the whales them- “There are other places in ships might not be as in- the straits are so narrow,” many whales are killed by
selves, which can grow to the world where doing this clined to stop in Sri Lanka. said Russell Leaper, the sci- ships are patchy, some
more than 33 meters (100 would incur significant fuel He said a decision would entific lead for blue whales studies estimate dozens
feet), more than twice the costs or add a lot of time to “hopefully” be made in at the International Fund of blue whales are fatally
length of a Tyrannosaurus the journey that businesses March. for Animal Welfare, a con- struck by ships in Sri Lankan
Rex dinosaur. will not be happy to ab- The recent political turmoil servation group. waters every year.
Bryan Wood-Thomas, vice sorb,” he said. in Sri Lanka has also compli- Once hunted to the brink Scientists say they believe
president of the World For a shipping lane to be cated matters; a new gov- of extinction, the blue that for every blue whale
Shipping Council, said the moved, the country whose ernment was only formed whale population has slow- identified in a ship acci-
group wrote to the Sri Lank- waters are most affected in late December after the ly begun to rebound since dent, up to 50 others go un-
an prime minister in 2017, must submit a formal pro- president sacked the prime being granted protection detected, largely because
affirming that all major in- posal to the International minister, prompting a con- from commercial whaling once whales are struck
ternational shipping orga- Maritime Organization, the stitutional crisis. in 1946. and killed, they sink to the
nizations believed Sri Lanka U.N. agency that regulates Perera acknowledged Sri Due to their size, the bottom of the ocean.
should work with the United shipping. Lanka had other priorities whales’ only known preda- Michael Fishbach, execu-
Nations to move its traffic Despite numerous meet- at the moment, but said tors are orcas and humans. tive director of the Great
lane. ings between scientists, the they also recognized the Conservationists estimate Whale Conservancy, said
“This is one of the few cases shipping industry and U.N. importance of protecting there are between 5,000 that protecting blue whales
blue whales. and 15,000 blue whales is crucial not just for the
“Conservation problems globally and although their species, but for the planet.
are usually so complex, but numbers are believed to He explained that whales
this one is very clear-cut,” be increasing, they are help stimulate the produc-
said Asha de Vos, execu- still classified as “endan- tion of plankton, which in
tive director of Oceanswell, gered.” turn produces more oxy-
a Sri Lankan marine non- Scientists warn that blue gen to offset the impact of
profit. “This is a situation whales in Sri Lanka are climate change.
where Sri Lanka could re- particularly vulnerable be- “For the health of the
ally shine by taking the ini- cause they are the only oceans, we really need
tiative.” population that doesn’t mi- more whales,” Fishbach
In many parts of the world, grate, making them espe- said.q