Scientists Investigate Surge in Baby Whale Deaths Off Argentinian Coast
Researchers are examining a high number of calf carcasses along the Patagonian coast, with infections and environmental factors being leading hypotheses.
Investigators in Argentina are working to understand why an unusually large number of baby whales are washing ashore dead along the country’s Patagonian coast. Scores of calf carcasses have been found near Peninsula Valdes, a significant breeding ground for southern right whales.
Marcela Uhart, a veterinarian with the One Health Institute at the University of California, Davis, and head of the Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, stated that the event is unusual based on 23 years of monitoring this whale population. The leading hypothesis among researchers is that the whale calves are suffering from bacterial infections, potentially entering their bodies through injuries inflicted by kelp gulls. These seabirds have a history of pecking at whales, and while adult whales can avoid attacks by surfacing carefully, calves are more vulnerable.
Researchers are examining the carcasses to collect samples for testing. Bacteria have been detected in the tissues, but scientists are still working to identify the specific microbes and confirm if infection is the cause of death. Even if bacteria are implicated, the question remains as to why they have become so deadly this year.
Potential contributing factors include changes in marine conditions, such as warming sea temperatures, which could be linked to climate change or El Nino. Uhart suggested these conditions might create a "perfect storm" where bacteria can overcome the calves' immunity. Pinpointing the triggers for this massive die-off is a key objective.
Southern right whales, once hunted to near extinction, have been gradually recovering since gaining international protection in 1935. However, their recovery is threatened by factors like declining food supplies, entanglement in fishing gear, oil spills, and ship strikes. If losses of this magnitude continue, they could impede the species' recovery. By identifying the cause of these calf deaths, researchers hope to implement measures to protect the vulnerable whale population and prevent a recurrence that could endanger the whales once more.