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Sei Whales Return to Argentina’s Coast After Century-Long Absence

In a remarkable conservation success story, giant blue-grey sei whales have started to reappear off Argentina’s Patagonian coast after a century-long absence. The resurgence of these majestic creatures is attributed to global bans on commercial whaling implemented over the last 50 years.

Sei Whales Return to Argentina's Coast After Century-Long Absence
Sei Whales Return to Argentina’s Coast After Century-Long Absence
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Key Highlights

  • Vanishing Act: Sei whales vanished from Argentina’s Patagonian coast due to relentless hunting during the 1920s and 1930s. Whaling ships operating along and beyond Argentina’s shores decimated the sei whale population, leading to their disappearance from the region.
  • Conservation Efforts: Thanks to worldwide bans on commercial whaling, sei whales are returning to their erstwhile waters. Mariano Coscarella, a biologist and marine ecosystem researcher at Argentina’s CONICET scientific agency, explained that they did not become extinct but were so reduced that no one saw them. It has taken decades for sei whale numbers to rebound sufficiently for sightings to occur again, with this case taking over 80 years.
  • Sei Whale Characteristics:
    • Belong to the baleen whale family.
    • Characterized by sleek, streamlined bodies, typically bluish-grey in color.
    • Distinctive tall, curved dorsal fin and relatively small, pointed flippers.
    • Can reach lengths of up to 62-66 feet and weigh up to 28-45 metric tons.
    • Feed on small fish and plankton by filtering water through their baleen plates.
  • Satellite Tracking: Argentina’s CONICET team recently fitted some sei whales with satellite trackers to monitor their migration patterns. The project was funded by National Geographic’s Pristine Seas project.
  • Global Conservation Success: This resurgence is a testament to the ban on whaling and the spirit of conservation on a global scale.

View More Sources:

  1. NDTV
  2. RTÉ

These magnificent creatures remind us of the resilience of our oceans.

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