The body size of Pacific gray whales has declined by an average of 13 percent in just 20 years, according to a new study. This “shrinkage” could threaten the reproduction and survival of marine mammals, they say.
The researchers focused their research on a small group of about 200 gray whales in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Considered ‘guardians of the ecosystem’, these marine mammals tend to stay close to shore and feed in shallower, warmer water than other gray whale populations.
Shrank by an average of 13 percent
The researchers analyzed drone images and found that the size of adult whales decreased by an average of 13 percent between 2000 and 2020. This is “possibly an early sign that the population is declining,” says scientist Kevin Bierlich.
The females in particular are getting smaller
According to the research, the development is especially clear in female gray whales: they used to be larger on average than males and now they are on average the same size. The researchers cited disruption of the ocean cycle caused by climate change as a possible cause of the shrinking number of baleen whales.
In particular, the scientists pointed to changes in ocean currents, which are important for the growth of plankton, the whales’ food.
Source: Krone
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