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Habitat Degradation
Natural habitat of marine life, including cetaceans is being affected by the combination of pollution,
ozone depletion and climate change. Global warming will alter the current pattern of cetacean prey
species and hence cetacean distribution and abundance. Climate change will rob these species of
their vital habitat.
The effects of climate change
Shift in food resources around the world. Whales will have to move to less favourable habitats,
but
populations which have been forced to live in these habitats, become weaker or cannot adapt,
become trapped and die.
Increase pollution. There have been a number of
large scale die offs. Initially these were put down to
disease/infection, but it was later found to be a result
of pollution
Increase risk of and susceptibility to disease
Climatic change increase the threat of new and
existing diseases by: increasing growth, introducing
new viruses, bacteria and parasite. Allowing spread
of tropical viruses with warmer oceans.
Drastic decrease in ice cover over both poles.
The artic is already undergoing large scale warming
leading to the break up of the sea ice. Cetaceans associated with these ice habitats will be
particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of climate change. Areas previously covered in ice
become free, there is an increase in human activity and intervention, therefore whales and other
marine animals lose their refuges. Areas become more open to shipping, oil prospecting and tourism.