Grey whales starving because of global warming?

[Guillermo]

"The eastern north Pacific grey whale's population was hunted to near extinction 'in the 1850's after the discovery of the calving lagoons, and again in the early 1900's with the introduction of floating factories'. In 1947 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) provided the greys full protection and in the subsequent 60 years, the eastern north Pacific gray whale population 'has made a remarkable recovery and now numbers between 19,000 and 23,000, probably close to their original population size."

Scientists now believe that the current estimates may be less than 25% of the actual population. Genetic testing shows 10 variants on their genome and, at one time, their population would have been anywhere from 76,000 to 118,000 animals with an average of 96,000.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science...ing.whales.ap/
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/graywhl.htm

[safewalrus]

great does this mean that the Japanese experiments have worked, so we'll soon have whale meat back on the menu!

[Guillermo]

I'm afraid this means grey whales in that region are only a mere 25% of the original population and maybe one of the reasons is they are starving to death.
Cheers.

[Landlubber]

Safewalrus, be careful here mate, they may spread to eating yummy walrus meat if they thought it was plentiful, I know it is tough, but they can just boil down the hard parts!

[safewalrus]

And 'lubber theres a lot of 'hard parts' especially on this particular walrus!

[Trevlyns]

You wicked man you!

[safewalrus]

Absolutely, especially at four in the morning! (which it is right now - don't ask)

[Jimbo1490]

If they survived the medieval warming period, which was over 100 years long and a few degrees warmer than it is now, then they will survive this too, as will polar bears, et al.

Jimbo

[safewalrus]

Thing is you just can't blame global warming. Everything comes to pass. the dinosaurs had their day. the dodo did too. Maybe it's time for the whales to go. Be a pity but that's the way of the world and it's a ill wind and all that! Jonah would be happy!

[Guillermo]

The Walrus'

Looking for a Walrus
(to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad")

We've been looking for a walrus
all the live long day.
We've been looking for a walrus
to come with us and play.
Walruses have lots of whiskers
and they're very fat.
Their food is on the ocean bottom
and they suck it up like that (SLURPING SOUND).

We've been looking for a walrus
in the Arctic Sea.
We've been looking for a walrus
so come and search with me.
Walruses walk with four flippers
over ice and snow.
When the want to go swimming
into the water they go. Splash!


The Whales'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_song
http://www.whalesong.net/

[safewalrus]

Shades of Ozzy Osbourne! Walrus's don't sing (not this one anyway! haven't got too many friends don't want to frighten them off as well!) No they just lay in the sun looking intelligent! Works sometimes - then you lot come along what know the truth! Oh well as the say goes; "You can fool some of the people some of the time, most of the people most of the time but not all of the people all of the time!" I've tried, God I've tried (don't say it Frosty, I know your dying to!

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

... Everything comes to pass. the dinosaurs had their day. the dodo did too. Maybe it's time for the whales to go. Be a pity but that's the way of the world...

Too glib, Walrus old friend. Too glib.

May I quote Martin Niemoeller: "When the Nazis took the communists away, I was silent; after all, I was no communist.

"When they put the social-democrats in prison, I was silent; after all, I was no social-democrat.

"When they took the trade-unionists away, I did not protest; after all, I was no trade-unionist.

"When they took me away, there was nobody left to protest."

Substitute communist, social democrat, trade-unionists etc for the dinosaur, dodo, grey-whale whatever...How soon before the human species vanishes unless we 'protest' with firm action.

(Jonah, by the way, was swallowed by 'a great fish' rather than a whale....)

[Landlubber]

and...they do talk, I saw "Happy Feet" on the plane on the way home, they have human voices, just like the penguins, when the camera is around.
It must just be the ones in the zoo that cannot talk. Maybe a shock related injury due to them being captured by humans. See, sometimes we should not interfer with nature, all these poor penguins and walrus can no longer talk because some do-gooder locked them up.

[safewalrus]

Aye Bergalia and your point is? From us walrus's point the sooner we loose man the more fish there'll be for the rest of us!

(Jonah may have been swallowed by 'a great fish' but I heard he was having a whale of a time!

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by Landlubber

and...they do talk, I saw "Happy Feet" on the plane on the way home, they have human voices, just like the penguins, when the camera is around.

Nice observation Lubber. Have suggested to my local Member of Parliament that a committee - and attendant sub-committees be immediately established to study this often overlooked activity. It may fit nicely with the current Australian ‘White Whale’ policy.

However, one problem springs to mind - I’ve observed that when natives of Wales get together they form a choir. Would this follow in nature, with a handful of Whales ? And would we really want the oceans reverberating with a Cetus rather than Celtic version of ‘Land of my Fathers’...