Everyday is a good day to show your love to the whales!
Whales are some of the most amazing creatures on the planet, and they’ve been captivating us for centuries. So, why are they so important, and why must they be saved?
Carbon Capturers. Whales help churn the seas by feeding, diving, migrating, and bringing vital nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the surface. Whale waste acts as a fertilizer for phytoplankton, nourishing organisms that produce 50% of our oxygen and store 37 billion metric tons of carbon every single year.
Ocean Giants. Whales are some of the largest animals that have ever lived. The blue whale can grow to 90 feet or more and weigh more than 330,000 lbs!
Timespan Travellers. Some whales, like killer whales, can live over 100 years, but bowhead whales are estimated to live up to an astonishing 200 years! Bowheads are right whales' most closely related species. Whales are around to see the changing world for more than double human lifespans.
Smart and Sassy. Whales are known for their complex social structures and intelligence. They exhibit communication behaviors through songs and calls, as well as cooperative hunting techniques.
Storytellers. Whales hold symbolic and spiritual significance in cultures around the world. They appear in myths, folklore, spiritual beliefs, and even modern novels and often represent themes such as wisdom, strength, and harmony with nature.
Biodiversifiers. The life cycles of whales influence the distribution and abundance of other species in their habitats. By maintaining healthy ecosystems and preserving biodiversity, they contribute to the resilience of our oceans.
Tourists Like Us. Whales contribute to local economies through whale-watching and tourism along their migration routes and main habitats. In fact, gray whales swim 10,000 miles round trip on their annual migrations, which helps provide jobs and economic benefits to coastal and Indigenous communities while fostering appreciation for marine conservation.
Friends Forever. Even when whales die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean and start a new life as a nourishing oasis for an entire ecosystem of marine creatures from fish, octopus, and crabs, all the way down to microbes, which can be sustained for years and even decades on the remains of large whales.
Whales are truly unique in the animal kingdom and absolutely vital to our ecosystem. This Valentine’s Day, we thank you for your support of a new national marine sanctuary for right whales, where we can make sure animals are protected, calves can thrive, and our waters remain clean and safe.
Steady on,
Rob
