Sei Whales Make Triumphant Return to Argentina’s Coast After a Century
For the first time in a hundred years, the majestic blue-grey sei whales have been sighted along Argentina’s Patagonian coast. Once vanished due to relentless hunting in the early 20th century, their return marks a significant milestone in global conservation efforts.
In the 1920s and 1930s, heavy whaling activities decimated the sei whale populations along Argentina’s shores and beyond, pushing these gentle giants to the brink of extinction in the region. The global ban on commercial whaling enacted over the last five decades has been instrumental in allowing sei whales and other species to slowly recover.
“They disappeared because they were hunted; they did not become extinct but were so reduced that no one saw them,” explained Mariano Coscarella, a biologist and marine ecosystems researcher at Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET). “It took over 80 years for their numbers to recover to the point where they could be sighted again.”
The process of recovery has been painstakingly slow. Sei whales breed every two to three years, which means population growth is gradual. “It took almost 100 years for them to have appreciable numbers for people to realize they were there,” Coscarella added.
Last month, Coscarella’s team embarked on a mission to better understand these elusive creatures. They fitted several sei whales with satellite trackers to map their migration patterns, funded by National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project. The team captured remarkable footage of the whales from boats, drones, and even underwater, providing valuable insights into their behaviors and habitats.
“We can consider this a success of conservation on a global scale,” Coscarella said, emphasizing the critical role of the international moratorium on whaling. However, he cautioned that this recovery is fragile. “Countries pulling out of this agreement would jeopardize the recovery.”
The return of the sei whales to their historical habitats stands as a powerful testament to the impact of sustained conservation efforts. “After hunting reduced their population to a minimum, almost 100 years later, this population started to bounce back, and now they come to the same places they used to before they had been hunted,” Coscarella reflected.
The resurgence of the sei whales offers hope and underscores the importance of global cooperation in protecting endangered species. It serves as a reminder that with time, commitment, and effective protective measures, it is possible to reverse the damage done to our planet’s biodiversity.
Reference(s):
Whales return to Argentina's coastline for first time in 100 years
cgtn.com
