"are killer, cautious and fearful whispers Don Nicola. The master of sailing dinghy in which not the slightest interest in moving closer to a group of orcas to be seen in the distance.
is April 14 and participated along with government authorities in the campaign of scientific observations of humpback whales in the waters of Marine and Coastal Protected Area (MCPA) Francisco Coloane, in the Strait of Magellan. The output is organized by the Foundation Biomar and Petrobras.
few meters further, a group of them around the boat that travels a delegation from the Ministry of the Environment, headed by Minister Maria Ignacia own BenÃtez.
"I counted five or six forward. Just when you're getting soaked and we do not. And suddenly we heard a bang," will then Alexandre Hernandez, an adviser to cabinet minister.
"On the left side of the RIB one, then another ... then we heard another snort and displayed other two. The last came out from behind the boat and the noise was so loud that we stopped to watch. And that's when we saw it, was the most awesome, we went out back. We were surrounded. We were told that they were chiquititas, but when you see beside you realize that are some moles. It was a unique experience. "
From" Forrest ", the mother ship of the expedition, marine biologist Anelio Aguayo, who leads the project, noted with interest the singular event. Five years ago I had not seen orcas in the Strait of Magellan during his surveys and you still see another group will be playing them the next day, in the Seno Otway.
"is a signal of ecosystem recovery," he notes. Because the orcas arrive by the growing presence of humpback whales, dolphins and sea lions, since being the top predator they are all on the menu.
Hence also its unjust reputation as a "killer" reason that some fishermen are afraid and to attack them.
Intelligent and curious
For marine biologist at the Universidad Austral Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete, this fear is unfounded. "If you are not disturbed, there is no danger. There are no records of attacks on humans, however if there is evidence of living together and are the most popular attractions of marine parks, "he says.
" They are very intelligent and curious and so approach boats. Are turned aside and look at you, "he says.
Jorge Acevedo, a researcher at the Foundation Center for Quaternary Studies (ceque), who also works in the project Biomar-Petrobras, stresses that this year has been particularly innovative in terms of records of orcas in the Strait. "We're seeing groups almost every month, but do not know much of them, if they are residents or are on their way from Antarctica to warmer areas.
confirmed, first, the species could become an additional attraction for the protected area, as are today at the Peninsula Valdes, Argentina.
As Aguayo work is limited to the months of January to May, the remainder of the presence of orcas is a mystery. "There must be more," he says. With the data already collected in both the narrow as in Antarctica, have material for a preliminary publication on the animal.
orcas have also been observed in front of Chiloe, highlights Hucke-Gaete, who works there in the blue whales. "In Melinka point we have records, sometimes spend six to ten animals, but we could not follow. There is no specific monitoring. Suddenly someone that saw them, but when you are no longer. We have at this moment the ability to predict where whales will be, that would be wonderful. A lot of people like this kind. "
Richard Garcia - Via Mercury
0 comments:
Post a Comment