"Saved By The Whales" - @maestro320 's Notes: This incredible footage was filmed courtesy of #Snotbot Research Assistant, Professional Underwater Wildlife Photographer and Filmmaker, Christian Miller @christian_miller_photo in collaboration with Parley For The Oceans @parley.tv - The old saying is ‘Save the Whales’ It really should be ‘Saved by the Whales’
– Dr. Iain Kerr, Chief Scientist, Parley SnotBot®
With humpback populations rebounding in the Southern Ocean to numbers not seen since whaling began, a new report by @the_imf highlights the role whales could play in helping us mitigate climate change.
According to their math, “the carbon capture potential of whales is truly startling. Whales accumulate carbon in their bodies during their long lives. When they die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean; each great whale sequesters 33 tons of CO2 on average, taking that carbon out of the atmosphere for centuries.” Whales further contribute to oxygen production and CO2 absorption by fertilizing phytoplankton – the tiny ocean plants that provide every second breath we take. The report concludes that “if whales were allowed to return to their pre-whaling number of 4 to 5 million—from slightly more than 1.3 million today—it could add significantly to the amount of phytoplankton in the oceans and to the carbon they capture each year.” Follow the link in our bio to read the full story and the authors’ recommendations for how best to protect these ocean giants 🐋 • Whales are creatures of the open ocean; they feed, mate, give birth, suckle and raise their young at sea. So extreme is their adaptation to life underwater that they are unable to survive on land. Whales range in size from the 2.6 metres (8.5 ft) and 135 kilograms (298 lb) dwarf sperm whale to the 29.9 metres (98 ft) and 190 metric tons (210 short tons) blue whale, which is the largest known creature that has ever lived. The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on earth. Several species exhibit sexual dimorphism, in that the females are larger than males. Baleen whales have no teeth; instead they have plates of baleen, a fringe-like structure used to expel water while retaining the krill and plankto https://www.instagram.com/p/B5lTdG_nFel/?igshid=10yesqw1xa89o
