whalesharksagainstclimatechange

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Whale Sharks and Climate Change

Whale sharks, otherwise known as Rhincodon typus, are very important to the ocean's ecosystem. Because whale sharks gather in places with a lot of plankton, the distribution of whale sharks indicates the health of the plankton populations, and that of the oceans.

However, as the ocean heats up, it is expected that the amount of plankton in the ocean will decrease. The warming of the ocean will also move the area whale sharks can live in to well-used shipping lane waters. Lastly, the heating of the ocean will make algae more toxic- and whale sharks sometimes eat types of algae (which keeps down the number of harmful algae blooms). All these things will lead to shorter life spans of whale sharks.

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Scenario

Scientists created models for a high emissions scenario 

They say more than half

Of whale sharks’ habitat 

Within national waters 

Will be lost in a couple decades 

Scientists tell us, the creators of the problem 

Scientists came up with a plan to save them from us

Minimize collisions by

Implementing marine protected areas-

Developing and enforcing guidelines

To reroute shipping lanes

Away from new whale shark habitats-

Reducing emissions to keep

The ocean from warming further-

Scientists tell us, the creators of the problem 

Scientists can’t tell whale sharks, the victims of the problem

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Reincarnation

My grandmother told me about the whale sharks

Large and spotted, they ate plankton and fish

She wanted to be reincarnated as one 

She didn’t know that the days of whale sharks are done

They mate at thirty, late enough it would take a mighty wish

To bring them back when the only thing left in the ocean are seamarks

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Dead zones

Algae blooms in the warming ocean, 

Masses of green sludge 

Conquer the sea water

Produce toxins 

Release gases

And deplete oxygen 

Creating dead zones

Causing sickness to 

Humans and animals alike

Whale sharks eat the algae

That used to be safe

And reduce their life expectancy 

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Mother told me

Mother told me heated water such as this will make me sick

Mother told me we have to swim to colder ocean spaces

Mother told me the water is safer here

Mother told me to watch out for passing ships 

Mother told me I must feed further down

Mother told me “The ships will not stop for you.”

Mother told me “I knew you were hungry”

Mother told me “You should have stayed well below the surface”

Mother told me “Now you will be hungry no more.”

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Food for Whale Sharks

Plankton

Empty stomach, the pups are starving, swimming takes so much energy

Hungry

Traveling for days, searching for more to feed on, always hungry

Starving

The ocean is sick, no longer abundant, not enough safe plankton

[whalesharksagainstclimatechange]

Citations:

World Wildlife Fund Inc. (n.d.-b). Whale shark | species | WWF. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/whale-shark

Reynolds, S. D., Franklin, C. E., Norman, B. M., Richardson, A. J., Everett, J. D., Schoeman, D. S., White, C. R., Lawson, C. L., Pierce, S. J., Rohner, C. A., Bach, S. S., Comezzi, F. G., Diamant, S., Jaidah, M. Y., Robinson, D. P., & Dwyer, R. G. (2024, August 26). Effects of climate warming on energetics and habitat of the world’s largest Marine Ectotherm. Science of The Total Environment. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724059886

Withers, S. (2022, August 31). Climate change threatens endangered whale sharks. Scripps News. https://www.scrippsnews.com/science-and-tech/animals-and-insects/climate-change-threatens-endangered-whale-sharks

Ashworth, J. (2024, October 7). Whale sharks 15,000 times more likely to be hit by ships in warming oceans. Natural History Museum. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2024/october/whale-sharks-15000-times-more-likely-hit-ships-warming-oceans.html

Gajbhiye, S. (2024, October 8). Whale Sharks move into dangerous territory as the climate warms. Earth.com. https://www.earth.com/news/whale-sharks-move-into-dangerous-territory-as-the-climate-warms/

Image Citation:

OpenAI. (2023). DALL-E 3 [ Image generator model].

https://creator.nightcafe.studio/studio?open=model&panelContext=%28modelId%3Adalle3%29