Blue Whales and Whaling: An Exploration

The video features Susanna Calderon discussing her research on blue whales, focusing on their characteristics, the impact of industrial whaling, and modern acoustic tracking techniques. She highlights the challenges in studying these marine mammals and the efforts to understand their recovery post-whaling.

What is one of the main challenges in studying blue whales?

• They are nocturnal and only active at night.

• Their populations are still recovering from heavy exploitation.

• They are primarily found in freshwater.

• Their small size makes them hard to spot.

What was the primary reason for the establishment of the International Whaling Commission?

• To promote whale watching tourism.

• To ensure the profitability of the whaling industry.

• To protect whales from extinction.

• To study the migration patterns of whales.

How did the Soviets continue to impact blue whale populations after the ban on whaling?

• They started breeding blue whales in captivity.

• They funded global whale research.

• They illegally continued whaling activities.

• They developed new conservation techniques.

What is the purpose of using sonar buoys in blue whale research?

• To track the migration of fish.

• To measure ocean temperatures.

• To listen for and locate blue whales through their vocalizations.

• To capture images of the ocean floor.

Why are blue whale calls particularly useful for long-distance tracking?

• They are only produced during the day.

• They are unique to each individual whale.

• They are loud and low frequency, which travels long distances in water.

• They are very high frequency and travel far.

What unique feature is used to identify individual blue whales?

• The size of their fins

• The mottling pattern on their flanks

• The shape of their tail

• The color of their eyes

What significant change has been observed in the blue whale population around South Georgia?

• A recovery in population numbers

• A decrease in sightings

• A shift in migration patterns

• An increase in ship strikes

Which of the following is a major threat to blue whales today?

• Pollution from plastics

• Ship strikes

• Hunting by humans

• Predation by sharks

How does climate change pose a threat to blue whales?

• By increasing ocean temperatures

• By disrupting krill life cycles

• By causing more frequent storms

• By increasing sea levels

What is the primary food source for blue whales?

• Small fish

• Seaweed

• Krill

• Plankton