Small whales are disappearing from the world’s oceans and waterways as they fall victim to fishing gear, pollution, and habitat loss – compounded by a lack of conservation measures such as those developed for great whales, according to a new WWF report.
Small Cetaceans: The Forgotten Whales, released today, states that inadequate conservation measures are pushing small cetaceans – such as dolphins, porpoises and small whales – toward extinction as their survival is overshadowed by efforts to save their larger cousins.
“Although great whale species of the world are by no means secure and still require conservation attention, the situation is just as critical for these smaller, seemingly forgotten species,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of the Species Programme for WWF-International.
While great whales are now protected (to an extent) by the international commercial whaling moratorium, in effect since 1986, small cetacean hunts continue around the globe, largely unmanaged and unchecked by the international community.
For example, the hunt of 16,000 Dall’s porpoises every year in Japan is considered unsustainable. Yet several of the pro-whaling nations taking part in the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting this week object to discussing small cetacean conservation.
“It is time for the IWC and its members to take full responsibility for the conservation future of all whales great and small. The IWC – and the world – must not ignore the small whales of our planet until it is too late,” said Dr. Lieberman.
A significant disadvantage smaller whale species face compared to great whales is a crippling lack of data on their numbers and habits. Forty of the 69 small cetacean species, or 58%, are classified by IUCN as ‘data deficient’, meaning that there is not enough information available to even determine whether they are threatened or not.
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