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New population of blue whales discovered in western Indian ocean

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Environment
  • Published
    23rd Dec, 2020

Scientists have found evidence of a previously undiscovered population of blue whales living in the western Indian Ocean based on an analysis of sound recordings from the region.

Context

  • Scientists have found evidence of a previously undiscovered population of blue whales living in the western Indian Ocean based on an analysis of sound recordings from the region.

Blue Whale

  • The blue whale(Balaenoptera musculus) is a marine mammal belonging to the baleen whale suborder Mysticeti.
  • It is categorized under the endangered list of animals.
  • Aggressive hunting in the 1900s by whalers seeking whale oil drove them to the brink of extinction.
  • They finally came under protection with the 1966 International Whaling Commission.

International Whaling Commission

  • The IWC is the global body charged with the conservation of whales and the management of whaling. 
  • The IWC currently has 88 member governments from countries all over the world.  
  • The Commission's role has expanded since its establishment in 1946. 
  • In addition to regulation of whaling, today's IWC works to address a wide range of conservation issues including bycatch and entanglement, ocean noise, pollution and debris, collision between whales and ships, and sustainable whale watching.

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