Title: New Hybrid Whale Discovered in Arctic
Author: Brian Handwerk
Published: January 25, 2011
Link: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110125-whales-hybrids-antarctica-arctic-science-animals/
Summary:
Scientists have recently discovered a new Hybrid Whale. It is a cross between an Antarctic Minke Whale and an Arctic Minke Whale. These two whales were never expected to meet because they live in different hemispheres with different climate changes. The hybrid whale was discovered by Norwegian hunters. Many DNA tests were conducted to prove that the whale is infact a hybrid. As for Antarctic Minke Whales moving north is another discussion. Studies have shown that the amount of krill, a tiny crustacean that whales feed on, have decreased over the past years in the southern hemisphere, causing the Antarctic Minke Whales to leave there area and search for food. Some of them have searched all the way to the Arctic circle and have mated with the Arctic Minke Whales.
Opinion:
I think that the decrease of krill in the south is bad for the Antarctic Minke Whales. It is forcing them to leave their habitat and go somewhere else to search for food. If the Antarctic Minke Whales continue to leave the southern hemisphere, then it might affect the way other animals live in the southern hemisphere. Since there is a decrease in krill, whale species mating with different whale species might not be the best thing because more whales are being produced when there is already a shortage in food. However, I also believe that newHybrid Whales can be interesting to study and can open new ideas about the whale species.
Questions:
1) Do you think whale hunting is good or bad? Why? Or why not?
2) What do you think about a new Hybrid Whale speices?
3) Do you think it is okay for Southern Minke Whales to travel to the Northern Hemishere?
1. I think that whale hunting is good until you kill too many. It is good because you can get their resources, and bad because you are lowering their population.
ReplyDelete2.I think a new Hybrid Whale species is pretty cool especially because these two whales live so far apart.
3.I think that we should be worried about the whales traveling to the northern hemisphere because something bad is obviously happening down south. :)
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ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting how two whale species that theoretically are not supposed to ever meet, met and produced a hybrid. I wonder how these two species actually met. How was it possible that two whale species that live in different hemispheres met and produced an offspring. After intense analysis of whale DNA scientist now must analyze whale kills. One of the main questions is whether this hybrid is a fluke or a sign of things to come. Could this hybrid be a sign that Antarctic minke whales and northern minke whales will continue to meet and produce whales like the one found? I do not know, but this is certainly a possibility. All in all, I thought that it was very fascinating to read about two distinct species meeting and producing another organism, which theoretically should not happen.
ReplyDeleteExpansion: http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw_united_states/save_animals/whales/common_minke_whale_-_antarctic_minke_whale.php This is an interesting link that tells all about the minke whale and how the Antarctic and northern minke whale are nearly complete opposites.
Questions Answers
Answer to # 1: I think that whale hunting is bad for our world and environment. It is bad because we use whales for many things and by hunting them we are decreasing their population and forcing them to being on the verge of extinction. One thing that we use whales for is lighting oil, although not as popular because of petroleum, this is one of the many things we need whales for. All in all, I think that whale hunting is not a great idea.
3 Questions:
1. How were these two whale species able to meet?
2. Why was the whale in 1996 overlooked and not examine more closely?
3. Did these two species meet in the Arctic or somewhere else while they were migrating?
Opinion:
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very bad thing. The whales that moved south because of the krill shortage will leave the krill to populate more and other things that eat krill will populate more. Then, with the abundance of whales in the southern hemisphere, there will be:
1) Competition for food.
a) Shortage of food in the south
2) Overpopulation of whales.
3) Since the abundance of whales will most likely die of starvation, unless all 3 species migrate back north, and end up on the ocean floor. The dead carcasses will decompose and release an unnecessary amount of Carbon Dioxide into the ocean which will just add to our collection of greenhouse gasses already in our atmosphere. In all, I think this will lead to a plethora of problems that will disturb our ecosystem.
Answer to questions:
2) I think hybrid species are extremely fascinating. This new whale species is probably pretty cool. I just don't think it should have happened since it was the two opposites sides of the world that bred.
3) I don't think it is okay for more whales to inhabit one condensed area. As I stated in my opinion...this could cause a serious imbalance in the ecosystem and should be monitored.
Extention:
ReplyDeleteI think that it is very bad that the whales are moving because something is going wrong with their habitats. I hope that the krill population will increase because then the whales will be able to go back to where they were from. This relates to us because some people in starving countries move to get more food. Do you think that the whales will ever return to their habitat?
Extention:
ReplyDeleteThis website goes into hybrid whales more:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110125-whales-hybrids-antarctica-arctic-science-animals/
I kind of disagree with Annette. On one hand, it could mess up the food chain in the southern seas. On the other hand, it could possibly increase the population of whales. They are endangered species, and are slowly dying out as the years go by. If many different species of whales mate with each other, it could increase the population. It would also give scientists something cool to study.
ReplyDeleteAnswers to questions:
1. Whale hunting is pretty bad. They are almost extinct as they are, and lowering them would only mess up the food chain and biodiversity and it's just horrible.
3. I think it's great that the whales are traveling north. It means they are smart enough to know where to go. And if they need food of course they are going to move to get it.
Asked Questions:
1. Will new species of whales actually increase the population?
2. Is it bad that they are moving north since they are not usually accustomed to warmer water?