Whales shouldn't die for research!
I have been working on a very exciting project for Greenpeace for the past 6 months.
Unlike the thousands of humpback whales in the North Atlantic - many of which migrate past Bermuda where I live - the humpbacks from the South Pacific now risk being harpooned by the Japanese whaling fleet this year in the Southern Ocean. The small populations of humpbacks that breed in the waters surrounding several South Pacific islands are also a lot less lucky than their Atlantic relatives since they have hardly recovered at all from commercial whaling.
Greenpeace is now satellite tracking humpback whales from small endangered populations in the South Pacific to their feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean in order to prove that the whaling fleet is a serious threat to these whales. These populations are treasured by Pacific islanders and provide a great source of income for the Pacific whale watching industry. In Tonga for example one humpback whale is estimated to provide over $1 million dollars to the economy through whale watching.
The Great Whale Trail was created by a team of Greenpeace folks and whale scientists that I have coordinated since the beginning and I am so proud this week to see it being beamed around the world! Non lethal research including satellite tagging provides scientists with everything they need to know about the whales - proving that whales don't need to die for research!
You can now follow the Great Whale Trail along with me and find out how you can help make the oceans a safer place for whales and other marine life!
- Sing up to receive regular updates
- Check out the interactive Google map showing the whales' migrations
- Name a whale!
- Support an end to whaling and a global network of marine reserves!
You can watch the first episode of Great Whale Trail TV
- and meet some of the team that I have been working with all this time. They are totally cool!
I hope you will join me on the Great Whale Trail!
Thanks!
Lisa