In the last 7 years alone, two hundred ocean giants have been found washed up on the shore.
Since 2016, scientists have been observing an unusual and harrowing phenomenon along the entire east coast of the United States: the corpses of stranded humpback whales occasionally appear on beaches. This causes concern among researchers and they don’t understand why, writes IFLScience.
The last 7 years have been a real test for the entire east coast, from Maine to Florida: higher-than-average death rates for marine giants have been recorded here. So, since 2016, about four dozen humpback whales have been found stranded in New York, Massachusetts – 35. In total, during this time, a total of about two hundred bodies of dead humpback whales were found on the shore.
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In 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) described the mass whale death as an “extraordinarily deadly event,” defined as an unexpected stranding. Scientists are concerned that such mass death of humpback whales is accompanied by the demise of the population as a whole, so this event calls for an “urgent response.”
Scientists autopsied 9 dozen whales over 7 years and found that nearly half of them either collided with a ship or were trapped in fishing nets. But scientists aren’t sure it was these events that caused the mass death of whales. The researchers note that further research, observations and continued monitoring will be required to discover what actually caused the mass death of humpback whales on the U.S. East Coast.
Another theory of the researchers suggests that wind farms being built off the coast of New Jersey could cause mass death of whales. At the same time, the Marine Mammal Commission notes that there is currently “no convincing evidence” that the construction of the power plant actually affected the marine giants.
Another alleged cause of the mass mortality of whales is the increased use of shipping, which has even led to strikes in the ports of New York and New Jersey. It should be noted that according to statistics, the highest cargo transportation in history was observed in the past 2022.
Additionally, climate change may also be a possible cause of mass whale deaths. Scientists note that ocean warming is affecting ocean krill, which is food for humpback whales. Scientists are also investigating the effect of microplastics on the health of humpback whales.
Previously Focus He wrote that scientists say where the whales disappeared and where Greenland’s ice sheets were.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.