Exact Photo Source Attribution Not Known
7-2-10
NOAA Conducts Tests to Determine Fate of Whale
Found Dead in Gulf of Mexico
Whale Not Found in Oiled Water, but Cause of Death Unknown
6-17-10
NOAA Ship Pisces.
High resolution (Credit: NOAA)
On Tuesday, June 15, the NOAA Ship Piscesreported a dead sperm whale floating 77 miles due south of the Deepwater Horizon spill site. NOAA is currently in the process of conducting thorough testing to determine the circumstances surrounding the mammal's death, as well as collect information about its life. This is the first dead whale reported since BP's rig exploded on April 20 It was not found in oiled waters; however, its location of death is unknown.
As soon as the whale was sighted, Pisces Field Party Chief Paul Felts called the marine mammal hotline to report the finding to the Wildlife Branch of the Unified Command and NOAA's marine mammal experts.
Based on the estimated size of the whale, scientists believe it is a sub-adult. Its condition suggests it may have been dead for between several days to more than a week. Although it was not found in oiled water, NOAA marine mammal experts are using hindcasting analysis to look into the location from which the whale carcass may have drifted.
While it is impossible to confirm whether exposure to oil was the cause of death, NOAA is reviewing whether factors such as ship strikes and entanglement can be eliminated. Samples collected from this carcass will be stored under proper protocols and handed off when the Pisces comes to port on July 2, or possibly if another boat is sent to meet the Pisces. Full analysis of the samples will take several weeks.
In accordance with the Wildlife Branch protocols, NOAA's Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator Blair Mase requested that the NOAA field crew take photographs of the approximately 25-foot whale, collect skin swab for oil analysis, collect blubber and skin samples for analysis, and measure its height in the water. Although the whale is very decomposed, the photographs and samples will help scientists better understand how long it has been dead. The blubber and skin samples will be used for genetic analysis and to determine the sex of the animal. Measurements of the whale floating in the water will be used to determine how far and how fast it might have floated from where it died. The carcass has been marked so that aerial reconnaissance teams will be able to identify the individual and will not report it as a new mortality.
NOAA and the Unified Command Wildlife Branch have had numerous reports of sperm whales seen swimming in the oil, but this is the first confirmed report of a dead whale since the BP oil spill began. NOAA remains concerned about sperm whales, which are the only endangered resident cetaceans in the upper Gulf of Mexico. Sperm whales spend most of their time in the upper Gulf offshore area, live at depth in areas where subsurface dispersants and oil are present, and feed on deepwater squid, which may also be impacted by the oil and dispersants.
The NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter sailed yesterday for a multi-week cruise to do photo identification, assessments, tagging, biopsies, and prey-density studies for sperm whales and Bryde's whales. Nearshore and offshore response efforts are continuing, and include investigations to determine cause of death or illness for dolphins that have stranded and aerial surveys for cetaceans throughout the area. The information gained from these efforts will help assess the impacts of this event on cetaceans in the Gulf of Mexico.
Another story on this outrage... http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/18whale.html?_r=1

Views: 120

Comment

You need to be a member of 12160 Social Network to add comments!

Join 12160 Social Network

Comment by Marklar on July 5, 2010 at 1:57pm
Feaking weird. Looks like some Australian got out of control with what he was throwing on the barby.

"Destroying the New World Order"

TOP CONTENT THIS WEEK

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SITE!

mobile page

12160.info/m

12160 Administrators

 

Latest Activity

Doc Vega posted a blog post
10 hours ago
tjdavis posted a photo
17 hours ago
james will is now a member of 12160 Social Network
18 hours ago
Burbia replied to cheeki kea's discussion Tartaria
18 hours ago
Burbia posted a video

Mossad: we create a pretend world, we are a global production company... the world is our stage

60 Minutes interviews alleged Mossad agent"we create a pretend world, we are a global production company......the world is our stage."_______________________...
18 hours ago
Doc Vega posted a blog post

The Alvin II Encounter: Was There A Living Dinosaur Involved?

The year is 1965 in the Caribbean islands at a 5-thousand-foot depth in the dark Atlantic waters.…See More
yesterday
Doc Vega posted blog posts
Monday
rlionhearted_3 posted photos
Monday
Burbia posted a video

All In The Family | Mike Meets Archie For The First Time | The Norman Lear Effect

Gloria (Sally Struthers) has a new boyfriend called Michael (Rob Reiner) and she is very excited to introduce him to her parents (Carroll O'Connor and Jean S...
Monday
Shawn H is now a member of 12160 Social Network
Monday
Doc Vega posted a photo

entitlement

Congress makes Social Security that we paid in our whole lives into to some government giveaway and…
Sunday
Doc Vega posted a blog post

Death Threats for Assisting ICE?

An Idaho Bar Helped ICE And Faced This Sick Backlash From DemocratsDecember 10, 20254 minute read…See More
Sunday
tjdavis posted videos
Sunday
Sandy posted a video

'They’re Waiting for Us to Die': Area 51 Veterans Plead for Trump’s Help | Elizabeth Vargas Reports

Congress quietly killed the one fix that could have helped America’s “Area 51 veterans” prove where they served — and get the care they say they’ve earned.WA...
Sunday
tjdavis posted a blog post
Saturday
tjdavis favorited Burbia's video
Saturday
tjdavis favorited rlionhearted_3's photo
Saturday
cheeki kea favorited tjdavis's blog post Under An Ionized Sky
Dec 12
cheeki kea commented on Doc Vega's blog post To Each and every One of you here Happy Thanksgiving
"Hope you enjoyed your thanksgiving day. I've often thought it'll good if I could send…"
Dec 11
cheeki kea posted a photo
Dec 11

© 2025   Created by truth.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

content and site copyright 12160.info 2007-2019 - all rights reserved. unless otherwise noted