Scientists have made an alarming discovery about the mass departure of sperm whales from the waters near Mexico, signaling a worrying shift in the larger ecosystem.
What's happening?
According to The Hill, a study published in PeerJ Life and Environment followed sperm whales in Mexico's Gulf of California over the course of nine years, from 2009 to 2018. In the first seven years, scientists observed a "super population" in the area that dropped to zero from 2016 to 2018.
The departure of the sperm whales followed the exodus of jumbo squid, their chief source of prey. Researchers attributed the jumbo squid and whales' leaving the area to environmental factors, like ocean warming and El Niño weather extremes.
Why is the disappearance of the sperm whales important?
"The departure of sperm whales from the Gulf of California serves as a sentinel signal, reflecting significant shifts in marine ecosystems," lead author Héctor Pérez-Puig, of the Prescott College Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies, said in a statement to The Hill.
He added, "As the environment changes, so too does the delicate balance between predators and prey."
Sperm whales and other whale species serve crucial functions in the oceanic ecosystem, including carbon storage and cycling nutrients when they dive and surface or migrate. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that sperm whales are "somewhat resilient" to climate change, but are susceptible to issues when the food chain changes, as appears to have happened in the Gulf of California.
Losing species from the food chain disrupts the ecosystem and can have a ripple effect that worsens ocean temperatures, weather patterns, and even the fishing industry.
What's being done about the disappearance of sperm whales?
Pérez-Puig and the scientists emphasized the need for continued research on the impact of climate change on ocean environments, especially what they called the "tropicalization" of the Gulf of California.
Some places are working to protect sperm whales, like the island nation of Dominica, which established the first ever sperm whale reserve this year.
Other threats to all species of whales, like fishing lines causing entanglements, are also being mitigated and warned against by scientists and governments. Reducing ocean pollution by limiting single-use plastics and working on coastal clean-ups is another ongoing effort to help protect the whales, and the future of the planet in turn.
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