Hope for a New Whale

 
A Bryde’s Whale
Picture credit: Sophie Webb NOAA


Just found this awesome story this morning in my email, that must be shared.
Russell McLendon of Mother Nature Network has gathered and presented an extremely compelling work and you simply must read it in its entirety.
Please see the link to it below.
If the DNA checks out, this newly discovered Whale in the Gulf of Mexico, may be the newest and absolutely most Endangered Whale on Earth, surpassing even the critically Endangered Right Whale.
This is both exciting and terrifying news.
For many years, the Whales in the Gulf near the Florida Panhandle, were thought to be a variation of the species of Bryde’s, but now the thinking is that this new Whale may an entirely new species altogether.
As Russell  says:   “They’ve long been classified as Bryde’s whales — pronounced Brooda’s, thanks to 19th-century Norwegian whaler Johan Bryde.  Bryde’s whales are found in warm seas around the world, growing up to 55 feet long and 90,000 pounds as they feast on plankton, crustaceans and small fish.”
Of course this newest Whale already has a myriad of potential dangers facing it.
The new evidence indicates that many more  of them used to exist and that something is eliminating them.
Hmmm……
Let’s see.
So, how much oil did BP flood into the Gulf of Mexico?
The clean up from this nightmare is still plaguing the entire Gulf Coast.
The area where this new Whale is calling home, are the Desoto Canyons, near the mouth of the Mississippi, on the borders of the states of Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
This huge area has been a most inhospitable place for sea life for many years.
Dolphin’s and several other Whale Species are continuously being poisoned in their Ancestral homes, so to speak here.
This toxic soup that is now the Gulf of Mexico, has been polluted for so long, by so many, it is no wonder the depth of decimation to all the sea life there.
It is as far as I can see, an entirely 100% man-made destruction of a Habitat.
And, we are irresponsibly, completely responsible for it all.
Please do read this wonderful story that Russell has put so much thought and effort into.
We have a lot of thinking to do on this news, if we are to reverse a terrible,  long over due trend by ignorant Humans.
Could it be, could we for a change, have hope for a new Whale Species?
 
Places to learn more:
50 whales may be a new (and very endangered) species
Bryde’s Whale – Wikipedia
Baleen Whales – Wikipedia