Marine Conservation

By Lisa Litwak

I hope to be a marine conservationist some day because marine animals have always fascinated me. I want to be able to discover new things about them and protect the world’s delicate ecosystems. I think that the ocean is the most critical area to protect since it makes up 2/3 of the planet and is home to many animal; some have not even been discovered.

I think the most important factor in conserving marine life is educating the public. For example, the Florida manatee is the most endangered animal in the United States. 30% of all manatee deaths in Florida are caused by humans and the number one cause is from the manatees getting lacerated by boat propellers (the second is getting trapped in flood control gates). If boaters were educated on the injuries inflicted on the manatees from these collisions, then maybe they would be more careful when riding their boats through a manatee’s habitat.

Conservation laws have made slow but steady progress over time. One example is commercial whale hunting, where many species of whales are near extinction. Baleen whales were hunted for different parts, particularly their baleen plates and their blubber, which is turned into oil. The largest toothed whale, the Sperm whale, was also commercially hunted. The Blue Whale is 100 feet long and weighs 150 tons, which makes them the largest animal on earth. There used to be 300,000 of these gentle giants, but now less than two percent of their population remains. Fortunately, after years of perseverance, conservationists have made whaling illegal. Hopefully it will not be too late and many species of whales can be saved from extinction.

Toxic effluent affects every marine animal and their environment and over 2 million gallons of effluent is dumped into our oceans every day. The most destructive kind of pollution has been oil spills. The most publicized disaster has been the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. The Alaskan wilderness is a very delicate ecosystem home to many animals. It is where eutrophication in the water results in plankton growing every summer, which feeds krill, which is the main food source of the baleen whales. The Salmon that migrate there are a favorite food of ceticeans and the rare Alaskan Salmon Shark. When oil pollutes the waters, the pinnipeds, such as the sea otters, are affected the most. Sea otter, their smooth coats trap air in the fur, which provides warmth and buoyancy. It’s almost like a built-in wetsuit! However, if their coats get covered in oil they will be unable to collect air, which will cause the otter to freeze in the cold Arctic waters.

Humans are the biggest threat to every marine species. We should be responsible to protect the oceans and the amazing creatures that live in them. I hope we can co-exist with marine animals so future generations can enjoy them.

“We have not Inherited the world from our forefathers, we have borrowed it from our children”

— Kashmiri Proverb