In the Caribbean, the First Marine Reserve for Sperm Whales is Being Established
The Caribbean island of Dominica has decided to create the world's first marine protected area for one of the largest mammals on Earth – sperm whales.
This was reported by the Associated Press.
"We want to ensure these majestic and highly intelligent animals are safe from harm and continue keeping our waters and our climate healthy," said Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in a statement.
It is expected that the reserve will cover about 300 square miles (800 square kilometers) of royal blue waters on the western side of the island nation. Currently, these areas are where sperm whales feed and reproduce. According to scientists' estimates, about 500 sperm whales live in the waters around the island of Dominica. These individuals are part of a population that migrates along the Lesser Antilles chain, swimming south to Saint Vincent and north to Guadeloupe.
The protected status of the reserve will help preserve a significant portion of the world's largest animals. Currently, in the waters around Dominica, sperm whales face threats from ship strikes, entanglement in fishing nets, and the impacts of agricultural runoff.
"The government of Dominica has realized that the sperm whales, which were probably here before humans, are also citizens of Dominica. These whales will spend most of the year offshore the island. So, they are taking care of some of their citizens in a way that few nations have ever done before," emphasized National Geographic resident researcher Enric Sala.
At the same time, the island's authorities plan to maintain the possibility for the local population to conduct a small local industry within the reserve and outline an international shipping route to avoid future harm to sperm whales. According to the Prime Minister of Dominica, the island's administration will appoint a special officer and observers to ensure compliance with protective restrictions within the reserve.
Before the whaling period, there were approximately 2 million sperm whales in the Earth's deep waters. However, after fishermen began hunting these mammals for their fat, used for lamps and lubricating machinery, the sperm whale population decreased to 800,000 individuals.