Discoveries

February 13, 2023

Drowning Out Life

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In 2021, marine scientists discovered a new species of whales living in the northern waters of the Gulf of Mexico, a region known for its shipping activity and oil exploration.

Known as Rice’s whales, their discovery was an exciting moment for the scientific community, albeit a short-lived one, according to National Geographic.

Recent estimates found that the species is critically endangered: Only 51 whales remain, making them one of the rarest marine mammals on the globe.

With such dwindling numbers, researchers at the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are trying to better study the filter-feeding cetacean to protect them and help them thrive.

Reaching 40 feet in length and weighing up to 30 tons, Rice’s whales primarily swim around an area prone to vessel movements, military training activities, and environmental contamination.

The 2010 Gulf oil spill was a catastrophic event for them, killing 17 percent of the remaining population and leaving nearly a quarter of females with reproductive problems.

Recent studies on the whales found that human-made noise – such as tools used for fossil fuel exploration – can interrupt the whales’ unique calls which they use to communicate and navigate.

Researchers also discovered that the animals sleep floating on the surface, which makes them vulnerable to potential ship strikes.

Another paper determined that whales can travel outside of their main habitat, as far west as the coast of Texas.

While the NOAA has developed a recovery plan to better protect Rice’s whales and their habitat, other conservationists and scientists are putting more pressure on authorities to step up their efforts.

“We really want to do everything possible to keep these guys alive and get their population going again,” said researcher Kaitlin Frasier, who co-authored the paper on how human-made noise interrupts the whales’ vocalization.

This story originally appeared in the February 13, 2023 newsletter, Revolt of the Incas.