[Animal News]The whales in Sai Kung waters have been surrounded by ships at close range recently, and they are under great pressure. Ocean Park and Ocean Park Conservation Fund issued a press release today, revealing that the whale’s dorsal fin was damaged by a propeller. The safety situation is now worrying. The Ocean Park and Ocean Park Conservation Fund team is taking action to confirm the species of the whale and its health status, and to study the best way to protect the whale. Zheng Jiatai, president of the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society, said that the whale’s wound is deep and may be dangerous. The government may consider temporarily sealing off the waters and prohibiting ships from approaching.
Zheng Jiatai said that the photos provided by Ocean Park showed that the wounds of the whales were quite deep. Although there was no immediate danger to their lives, it might be dangerous to stay in the shallow waters of Hong Kong. He believes that the government may consider temporarily closing the area to prohibit ships from entering, or implementing speed limit arrangements in the area.
Ocean Park and Ocean Park Conservation Fund stated in a press release that since the whale was found foraging in the waters of Sai Kung, Ocean Park and Ocean Park Conservation Fund Hong Kong have been cooperating with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to closely monitor the situation. The photos taken on July 22 showed that the whale had a propeller wound on its back. The safety situation is worrying. The team is taking action to confirm the species of the whale and its health status.
According to the press release, it is believed that the whale is a Bryde’s whale that lives in the tropical regions of the world. Hong Kong belongs to their secondary activity zone. Therefore, although it is rare to see Bryde’s whale in Hong Kong waters, it is a normal phenomenon. The staple food of Bryde’s whale is mainly fish such as sardines, anchovy, mackerel and herring. In the past week, some citizens found that this whale hunted by “trap feeding”, that is, it opened its mouth wide on the water surface, swallowed a large amount of water and the target food together, and then passed the baleen plate to filter the sea water to leave the food and swallow it.
According to photos and videos taken by experts, the whale is estimated to be about 7 meters in length. Ocean Park and Conservation Foundation continues to work closely with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to monitor the whale’s presence and assist the whale in the best way possible.
Ocean Park and Ocean Park Conservation Fund emphasized that close contact with whales by citizens will make the whale nervous, and may make it difficult for him to rest or eat and be traumatized, posing a threat to life. Ocean Park and Conservation Foundation has always been concerned about the health and well-being of whales, hoping to protect them from any nuisance or harm. Ocean Park Conservation Fund Scientific Director Chen Zinan said: “Whales are sensitive species and are easily affected by noise, sudden movement and human disturbance. Therefore, getting too close to whales can disrupt their natural behavior and migration patterns, and have long-term negative effects on their health.”
Ocean Park experts believe that this whale needs special attention from experts, and the team is working closely with the Fisheries and Conservation Department to monitor the whale’s condition. Huang Yongkang, Chief Curator of Animals and Conservation Department of Ocean Park added: “Except for the days when there is a typhoon, the team has been frequently observing the waters of Sai Kung since July 14. The relevant work will continue, and when whales are found again, we will take seawater samples for environmental DNA analysis to try to identify the species of whales.”
Ocean Park and Conservation Fund strongly urges the public not to go out to sea to chase whales, as this behavior will pose danger to both whales and citizens. The park reminds everyone to keep a safe and appropriate distance from whales.
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2023-07-25 13:48:07
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