Hello, welcome and good day!
OK folks, so the heavy news today is that the United States’ oiling and gassing activities have yet again been endangering another endangered species. Rice’s whales in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s coast. A Rice’s whale you may ask? Some of you may not have heard of this whale before because they were only recognized in 2021 as their own distinct species, a subspecies of the Byrde’s whale. The species is named after Dale W. Rice, the marine biologist who recognized this population of whales was likely distinct from other Byrde’s whales in a 1965 report, which wasn’t confirmed until decades later after careful DNA, skull, and vocalization analyses. Now it turns out, there are maybe only 51 individual whales of this entire species remaining, making it critically endangered. The death of a single female breeding whale could be catastrophic for the entire species. It’s one of the rarest marine animals in the world and it is facing high extinction threats.
Due to increased US oil pursuits, Rice’s whales have become at higher risk of getting smashed to pieces by oil vessels since they spend most of their time near the surface at night. Additional risks: underwater vessel noises disrupt whale communication and navigation. Plus, the uptick risk of oil spills, climate change, plastic trash entanglements, microplastics, habitat degradation, chemical pollution, etc. etc. The 2010 BP oil spill killed over 22% of their population.
Rice’s whale (Balaenoptera ricei) – public domain image via NOAA Fisheries.
Environmental groups’ proposed protections include vessel speed limits, maintaining safe distances, and restricting nighttime travel. As expected, oil companies and political faces opposed these measures in the name of the economy. Over 100 scientists stated that if things don’t change, this will be the first whale species humans blast into extinction land.
Why is this all important? One, it would be a disgrace if we smashed these whales into extinction. Two, whales are majestic, inspire awe and connection to nature. They’re in myths, stories and art. An extinction of the Rice’s whale would be a reminder of our increasing disconnection from nature. It could lead to decline of biodiversity, overgrowth of harmful species, and collapse of fisheries. This could create less reliable seafood and economic loss for fishing communities. Rice’s whales play a key role in pulling CO₂ out of the atmosphere, so that could mean increased climate instability. These whales are like canaries in an ocean coal mine. Their presence indicates a relatively balanced eco system. If they become extinct, it suggests that human pressures have overwhelmed even the most resilient marine species, which could mean other species are next. Failure to protect Rice’s whales would reflect that we care more about our short-term monies over long-term wellbeing. It would increase our sense of grief, anxiety, and sense of helplessness over ecological loss. It would diminish our sense of trust in institutions and in our own sense of personal agency to make any sort of difference. It could diminish our sense of wonder, awe and belonging on this earth.
What the heck can we do about a Rice’s whale in the Gulf of Mexico not getting grinded into tiny bits by an oil vessel backed by a multibillion-dollar business? First and foremost, we need to take a good look deep inside ourselves at our value systems. The current situation reflects that humanity values the wallet bulge inside our pocket more than an entire species of whale. It reflects we don’t want to be inconvenienced by having to change habits like slowing down our boat speeds or not vesseling around at night. It reflects our utter disconnection from nature.
My sense is that we need to love nature, love that Rice’s whale like our life depends on it. Because ultimately it does. We need to summon that innate connection we have with nature and let it matter more than oil. More than gold watches. We’ve been hiding inside our sterile houses hunched over our computers, tvs and various devices sucking our lives away. It’s essential we nurture that connection to nature. Luckily, simply being with nature does the trick. Whether it’s going on a hike. Getting our hands in the dirt. Watching bumble bees buzzing around flowers. Growing a tomato or a potato. Picking a berry. Whatever it takes to fall in love with nature again. Anything we can do to connect with it. That’s the heartbeat of the issue.
Obviously, this whole thing is bigger than our individual effort, no matter how hard we look inside our hearts. Or how many potatoes we grow. It makes sense why we’d throw up our hands into helplessness. But our collective efforts do count. We can pick one thing and start from the ground up. Every little bit helps.
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Small shifts:
o Reduce
plastic use (100% the lowest hanging fruit every time)
o Recycle
less, reuse more: reuse jars, repurpose old containers, repair things instead
of tossing
o Buy
lettuce at a farmer’s market instead of the normal plastic box lettuce
o Buy
sustainable seafood [salmon share link]
o Choose
canoeing over motorboating
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Activism steps:
o Talk
about this with one person this week, share a story (this one?) or write your
own and share it
o Sign
petition to protect Rice’s whales [link] or the Gulf
o Support
organizations working to enforce the Endangered Species Act and know how to
channel our support strategically
§ Earthjustice:
legal defenders of endangered species
§ Defendersof Wildlife: litigation and policy work
§ TheNature Conservancy: land protection and habitat restoration
§ Centerfor Biological Diversity: legal advocacy, species listing petitions, habitat
protection
§ HealthyGulf: protecting the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem
o Vote
for politicians who prioritize environmental justice, biodiversity, clean
energy over fossil fuel extraction
o Email your representative and ask them to protect marine wildlife and reduce offshore oil development
The more we care and connect with nature at an individual
level and eventually at a collective level, the more we can help the Rice’s
whale. I do not want to be part of the story where humans make the first whale
species ever to go extinct, where I didn’t even try to help. One step I want to
add to my rhythm is to check out a farmer’s market and buy a vegetable not
wrapped in saran wrap. And I signed a petition.
Public domain via NOAA Fisheries
