Photo: Mariano Sironi, Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas, Argentina.Another threat to the survival of southern right whales off the coast of Argentina has been added to the list; seagull attacks.
As the whales surfaces the gulls land and peck through the skin in search of blubber, which is an important source of calories. The bites leave big open wounds, which can reach a half a meter across and have a possibility of transmitting germs. This is not the first time that these attacks have been witnessed. "The attacks around Peninsula Valdes were first noted about 35 years ago but systematic studies have only recently begun. The proportion of whales attacked annually has soared from 1% in 1974 to 78% today"1.
The attacks focus on mothers and calves, as they spend more time at the surface and the calves have softer skin. "The gulls attack force whales to dive and flee, interrupting resting and feeding periods. The animals lose energy normally used to fatten for long migrations or milk production"2. "The mothers spend less time nursing, and we're seeing thinner calves"3.
The gull populations increased with the supply of food from landfills and development of fish processing plants in the areas. Researches fear that if the problem of the gulls is not solved the whales will attempt to travel elsewhere where they could be placing themselves in greater danger.
Photo: Mariano Sironi, Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas, Argentina.1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8116551.stm
2. Marcelo Bertellotti of Argentina's Patagonia University. http://news.softpedia.com
3. Roxana Schteinbarg Director of the Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8116551.stm
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