More endangered marine animals

_Elsa_

‘Whale Shark - Affectionately considered the gentle giants of the ocean, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are jaw-dropping creatures to behold: they can grow to be up to 40 feet long and tip the scales at around 20,000 pounds! Amazingly, while adults have no natural predators, whale sharks still join the list of marine species who have threatened populations, with reclassification that escalated from Vulnerable (VU) to Endangered (EN) in 2016. Today, their biggest threats include bycatch, vessel strikes, and marine debris. As filter feeders, whale sharks take in large amounts of seawater at a time, pushing primary food sources like zooplankton through a unique filtering apparatus within their mouths. Unfortunately, microplastics are also able to enter through these filtering systems. Since plastics never degrade, they break down into tiny pieces over time, which are then able to be consumed by the filter feeders. Between the invasion of pollution in their daily food consumption to the dangers of being caught in fishing gear, the whale shark’s classification as an endangered species is largely due to anthropogenic, or human-induced, threats.

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle - With a worldwide female nesting population of just about 1,000, the Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) is the most endangered sea turtle in the world, currently listed by the IUCN as Critically Endangered (CR). Fun fact: out of all sea turtles, they’re also the smallest, weighing about 100 pounds (compare that to the leatherback, the largest sea turtle, which can grow to be a whopping 2,000 pounds)! Kemp’s ridleys are also highly migratory, and sadly, they often encounter frequent threats from marine debris like ghost fishing gear and plastic pollution (they’ve been known to mistake plastic bags for their favorite snack, jellyfish). With this, it’s crucial—and quite alarming—to note that out of all seven species of sea turtles that call U.S. waters home, six of them are listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are either Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. Can you imagine a world without sea turtles?

Bryde’s Whale - With a shockingly depleted population of just 33 individuals, the Bryde’s (pronounced BROO-dus) whale (Balaenoptera edeni) qualified for endangered status in 2014, but only gained designation as protected under the Endangered Species Act this year. While we applaud this designation, the plans for this species’ recovery are noted as full of ‘potential potholes.’ Ultimately, the toxic combination of threats like offshore drilling and exposure to oil and failed pregnancies for this species could still prove to be dangerous. We need to communicate to our nation’s leaders that we need to keep precious threatened species like these top-of-mind as oil and gas development discussions occur, as such activities present an enormous threat to endangered wildlife.’ (Source)

“But how can we protect these endangered species?” questions Tiffi. “I will type in protecting endangered ocean and hopefully some group is doing something to protect these species.

Let’s continue - Protecting endangered ocean animals

Back to the beginning - Tiffi learns about the Ocean Ecosystem