Why study marine mammals?

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Marine mammals fall into two major groupings. The first group is cetaceans and consists of the various species of dolphins, whales and porpoises. The second group, pinnipeds, consists of walruses, seals and sea lions. The study of marine mammals is a vital endeavor as the survival and flourishing of marine mammals as well as their habitats affect most people’s lives indirectly, if not always directly. The socio-economic value of marine mammals cannot be overstated.

Marine mammals have strong cultural significance to indigenous coastal and island populations. For example, Inuits and Eskimos of the Arctic have a treasury of folklore surrounding the interaction between the native population and polar bears.

Marine mammals, of course, also have economic importance, such as tourism. For example, the industries of many coastal towns are heavily reliant on whale watching and other aquatic recreational activities. One example is the Pacific whale-watching industry, which has been valued at $21 million per year. Other areas of economic importance include nutritional supplementation and medical discoveries, along with all the attendant industries.

Studying marine mammals is essential in promoting public awareness, encouraging government protection of resources and maintenance of public aquariums and marine parks. It is also important to learn how to interact with marine wildlife. A guide to proper ocean etiquette can be found on the website of the National Marine Sanctuaries. Careless interaction in marine environments endangers both humans and the marine ecosystem. Damage can be done to vital natural resources and endangered species.

The potential for damage to marine mammals when humans interact in the marine mammals’ environment can most dramatically be shown by the recent BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Since the onset of this environmental disaster, the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources has identified a dead sperm whale, which is an endangered species, and at least 45 stranded dolphins within the oil spill area. The spill has also taken a tremendous economic toll on local industry, affecting the economic well-being of coastal residents dependent on marine mammals and their ecosystem.

Drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is certainly not the only controversial issue surrounding marine mammal ecology. Another prominent example is the economic importance of seal hunting in Canada, which is the largest commercial marine mammal hunt anywhere in the world. Aboriginal people, such as the Inuits of Newfoundland as well as coastal communities bordering the Gulf of St. Lawrence, hunt seals primarily to sell their fur domestically and internationally. In these areas, seal hunting is the most lucrative and, at certain times of the year, the only means of attaining a livelihood.

The study of marine mammals has increased public awareness of the threats posed by humans to marine mammal ecology. These threats include pollution, shipping and boat traffic and entanglement and stranding resulting from unregulated commercial fishing.

The study and knowledge of marine mammals has also led to a multitude of conservation efforts, ranging from non-profit conservation groups to government-enacted legislation. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), enacted in 1972 by the United States Congress, extends protected status to all marine mammals and prohibits citizens from capturing marine mammals as well as the importation of marine mammals or marine mammal products. The non-profit Association of Zoos and Aquariums is particularly active in marine mammal conservation, providing financial support, research and government lobbying efforts on behalf of polar bears, dolphins and sea lions.

Resource by A.Moore

I just moved to Michigan from South Carolina. This is my first winter here and so far it's freezing. I enjoy traveling, drawing, camping, writing, and doing community service in my spare time. I work for a education company and help them with their outreach to teachers and students. Hope everyone enjoys my articles.

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