News Excerpt:
Dominica creates the world's first marine reserve for sperm whales, safeguarding a unique population and their vital role in fighting climate change.
About the news:
- The Dominican government is taking significant steps to preserve the natural heritage and contribute to sustainable development.
- The marine protected area, covering 800 square kilometres, prohibits commercial fishing while allowing limited subsistence fishing and controlled tourism.
- The government says it will delineate an international shipping lane to prevent the creatures from dying in collisions with vessels.
Sperm Whales:
- The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator.
- In the pre-whaling days, an estimated two million sperm whales roamed the Earth's deep waters before being hunted for oil to burn lamps and lubricate machinery. Now, some 800,000 are left.
- Sperm whales worldwide are frequently hit by ships, entangled in fishing gear and affected by agricultural runoff.
- They are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and endangered under the American Endangered Species Act.
- Role in Protecting Environment:
- Sperm whales feed on deep-sea squid and fertilise surface waters with buoyant faeces.
- Plankton blooms, resulting from whale faeces, capture atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- When the blooms die, carbon sinks to the ocean depths, aiding in climate change mitigation.
- The marine reserve aims to conserve these "carbon heroes" and their unique cultural heritage.
About Dominica:
- The island country of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The capital and chief port is Roseau.
- It lies between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante to the north and Martinique to the south.
- Member of the Commonwealth since independence in 1978.
- 29 miles (47 km) long and has a maximum breadth of 16 miles (26 km).
