New research published in the journal Science Advances suggests that the industrial hunting of great whales such as sperm, blue, fin and right whales has “masked” the ability of these underwater giants to live to great ages. The findings are not unexpected, as body size is highly correlated with longevity and whales are the largest living animals on Earth. The report suggests that without human predation, whales could regain their natural longevity, which is critically important to species that produce small numbers of young. Human-caused mortality – once hunting, now maritime industries – is shortening the whales’ natural lifespan and reproductive period so much that they are threatened with extinction. The report comes in the wake of news that Iceland wants to kill more fin whales, the second-largest animal on Earth, and Japan wants to resume hunting them.
Read more about this story on The Guardian, and scroll down to sign the Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) letter to protect North Atlantic right whales from extinction.