Whales and climate change

Text: Brigitte Photos: firmm

Some time ago, an article was published on the website of the World Economic Forum, which we would like to recommend to you.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has estimated the value of a single large whale at more than $2 million.

But how was this amount calculated?

Apart from the impact whales have on fisheries through their position in the food chain and the money earned through whale watching, they play a significant role in the fight against climate change.

When whales die, they sink to the ocean floor, where they hold on to the carbon they have accumulated over the course of their lives. Even during their lifetime, they provide a better climate thanks to the so-called "whale pump". Simply explained: the animals surface and descend, breathe, eat, digest, excrete and thereby transport important nutrients to the water surface, where these in turn create excellent growth conditions for e.g. phytoplankton. Not only is 50% of the oxygen produced by phytoplankton, but it also binds about 40% of the CO2 produced.

This shows once again how important it is to maintain the balance of species in our oceans, because each individual species has an important task to fulfil. If we disturb the balance, we endanger our own survival.

You can read the whole article here.

We also recommend that you watch the explanatory video “How Whales Change Climate” , which addresses exactly the topic of the article.