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Dominica Creates World's First Marine Reserve For Endangered Sperm Whales

The tiny Caribbean island of Dominica is creating the world's first marine protected area for one of earth's largest animals: the endangered sperm whale.

Nearly 300 square miles of royal blue waters on the western side of the island nation that serve as key nursing and feeding grounds will be designated as a reserve, the government announced Monday.

"We want to ensure these majestic and highly intelligent animals are safe from harm and continue keeping our waters and our climate healthy," Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said in a statement.

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS URGE EMERGENCY MEASURES TO PROTECT ENDANGERED WHALES FROM SHIP COLLISIONS

Scientists say the reserve not only will protect the animals, but it will also help fight climate change.

Sperm whales defecate near the surface because they shut down non-vital functions when they dive to depths of up to 10,000 feet. As a result, nutrient-rich poop remains along the ocean surface and creates plankton blooms, which capture carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and drag it to the ocean floor when they die. And sperm whales in Dominica are believed to defecate more than whales elsewhere, said Shane Gero, a whale biologist and founder of the Dominica Sperm Whale Project, a research program focused on sperm whales in the eastern Caribbean.

It's unclear why sperm whales seem to defecate more in Dominica. Gero said it could be they're eating twice as much, or maybe there's something particular about the type of squid they're eating.

"In some respects, sperm whales are fighting climate change on our behalf," Gero said in an interview.

Less than 500 sperm whales are estimated to live in the waters surrounding Dominica, part of a population that moves along the Lesser Antilles chain, swimming as far south as St. Vincent and north into Guadeloupe. Unlike sperm whales elsewhere in the world, the ones around the eastern Caribbean don't travel very far, Gero said.

A whale mural by Marcus Cuffi is photographed along a street in Roseau, Dominica, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Clyde K Jno-Baptiste)

He noted that sperm whales are a matrilineal society, with young males leaving and switching oceans at some point in their lives. As a result, protecting the species is key, especially if few female calves are born, he said.

"One calf being entangled can mean the end of a family," he said.

Sperm whales can produce a single calf every five to seven years.

In waters around Dominica and elsewhere, sperm whales have been hit by ships, entangled in fishing gear and affected by agricultural runoff, limiting their survival. In the pre-whaling days, an estimated 2 million sperm whales roamed the Earth's deep waters before they were hunted for oil used to burn lamps and lubricate machinery. Now, some 800,000 are left, Gero said.

The government of Dominica said the reserve will allow sustainable artisanal fishing and delineate an international shipping lane to avoid more deaths of sperm whales, which have the largest brain in the world and can grow up to 50 feet.

Once the reserve is created, the prime minister said his administration will appoint an officer and observers to ensure the area is respected and that whale tourism regulations are enforced. Visitors can still swim with sperm whales and see them from a boat, but in limited numbers.

The move was praised by scientists and conservationists including Enric Sala, an explorer-in-residence at National Geographic.

ENDANGERED, EGG-LAYING MAMMAL SPOTTED FOR FIRST TIME IN 60 YEARS

"The government of Dominica has realized that the sperm whales, which were probably here before humans, are also citizens of Dominica," he said. "These whales will spend most of the year offshore the island. So, they are taking care of some of their citizens in a way that few nations have ever done before."

An estimated 35 families of sperm whales spend most of their time in waters surrounding Dominica. Gero said some are likely more than 60 years old, and they communicate via clicking sounds in a vocalization known as codas.

"That's kind of like asking, 'I'm from Dominica, are you?'" Gero said. "It's a symbolic marker."

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Gero and his team of researchers also have named individual whales. One is dubbed "Snow" because one scientist was reading a Margaret Atwood book with a character named "Snowman." Another sperm whale was nicknamed "Fruit Salad" because a researcher happened to be snacking on that at the time. That whale's calf was named "Soursop," in keeping with the theme.

Explaining Aging To My Grandchildren: Lessons From An IguanaGUEST COMMENTARY

FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2013 file photo, a green iguana expands a pouch of skin underneath the lower jaw called a dewlap, as it sits in the sun on Key Biscayne, Fla. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter, File) (J Pat Carter/AP)

My 5-year-old granddaughter, Emma, and I were playing shark attack in the pool where she lives in Costa Rica. We paused, and I mentioned the rubber alligator that I had brought from the states that grows to six times its size when left in water. My granddaughter gently reminded me that when we opened the package, we discovered that it was not an alligator at all, but rather an iguana because it had a fold of skin under its chin.

"Remember, Tita, it is an iguana. It has that thing hanging from its neck." And then with a tilt of her head and a look of puzzled curiosity, Emma said, "Tita, you have one of those too, just like the iguana." With a smile, I said, "Emma, you are absolutely right. Sometimes when people get older, they do have some skin that hangs from under their chin."

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Of course, Emma was referring to my "turkey wattle." That is the unfortunate term that is used to describe the excess tissue that hangs under an older person's jaw line. For iguanas, this fold of skin, called a dewlap, can unfold to attract mates, and warn off rivals. I want to believe that my appendage has an equally noble purpose. But to be honest, I have been feeling self-conscious about my aging face and my "turkey wattle."

This exchange with my granddaughter caused me to think about my own body image as I near the age of 70. I have been thinking about what kind of messages I would like to give my grandchildren about my changing form. Children are influenced by how adults around them think and speak about their bodies. Innocent, negative comments that we make about ourselves like, "These pants make me look fat" or "I wish I did not have so many wrinkles; they make me look so old" are quickly internalized by children. They learn as much from what we say about ourselves, as they do from what we say to them directly.

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I want my grandchildren to know that old age, as in all stages of development, brings both gains and losses that are appropriate for our stage of life. At 5 years of age, Emma has lost the ability to fit in the baby carriage, but she has gained the ability to walk, run and skip. She now has the freedom to choose where she wants to go. Emma may sometimes feel sad about what she has lost. When her brother, Ian, was still a baby he could snuggle in his parent's lap while taking a bottle. Sometimes, Emma wistfully thought that she would still like to be fed a bottle too. Yet now, she also appreciates that she can feed herself independently and can choose the foods she wants to eat. Emma's body intuitively knows how it needs to change to prepare her for her next stage of life.

This process of losing and gaining abilities is also happening to me. My arms have lost some muscle, which may lead to looser skin, and I no longer have the strength of my youth. I have less energy. My body intuitively knows that, as an elder, I will not need the strength and muscle that was once essential. My body leads me in the direction I need to go. There is much, however, that I have gained. I have a different perspective on life's ups and downs. I have stories to tell. Most importantly, I have more time: time to think, time to write and time to sit and play with my grandchildren. I know that, when my body and mind fail me as I age, I will feel sad about these losses, but I hope to appreciate the person I will become.

I want my grandchildren to know that in another 10 or 15 years, I will not look like, or act like, the grandmother I am now. What I hope to focus my attention and my grandchildren's attention on, is what I am still able to do with my body and mind. I hope to have the time to sit with them and listen and learn about their world. I could share stories about my world. We could snuggle on the couch and read a book together; we perhaps could take walks. I hope we will be able to share our sadness about the many losses in our lives and the joys that can come with change. We can certainly still laugh together. I want my grandchildren to know that my body is doing just what it is supposed to do as it ages. They do not need to be frightened of the changes they see in me, and together, we can explore what they mean.

As my body and mind change with time, I will find a new role in the world, which utilizes the abilities I have gained and adjusts to the abilities I have lost. Finding a new role while aging is done by elder bison in their herds. Without the strength and energy of their youth, the elders sit and surround the youngest bison to protect them from the frigid and bitter wind. The new role of the elders is to shield the next bison generation and to ensure their safe passage into young adulthood. In my next stage of life, I hope that I too, can contribute to the safe and secure passage of our next generation's journey into adulthood.

Mary Mueller (marymueller1013@gmail.Com) is a social worker who provides mental health services in Baltimore.

Iguana Invasion: Thailand Rounds Up Rogue Reptiles

Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said 134 iguanas had been captured in Lopburi alone Handout

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Thailand has captured more than 150 rogue iguanas that were rampaging through the countryside, raiding farms and damaging the local environment, officials said.

The lizards are not native to the kingdom, hailing originally from Central and South America, but are increasingly popular as pets in Thailand.

Environmental concerns have been raised over the activities of the herbivorous lacertilians, which are thought to be pets that have either escaped or been deliberately released into the wild.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said Tuesday that 134 iguanas had been captured in Pattana Nikom district, Lopburi, around 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of Bangkok.

A further six were discovered in Udon Thani, in the country's northeast, and 23 more elsewhere in Thailand.

Iguanas are not indigenenous to Thailand but have been increasingly popular as pets Handout

"Many iguanas have been living in the wild in Lopburi province and destroying farmers' agricultural produce," a DNP statement said.

"The rapidly increasing number has affected the environment and ecology systems, causing problems to local people."

The cold-blooded captives -- which can grow to more than 1.5 metres (five feet) long -- will be kept at wildlife centres including one in Nakhon Nayok, northeast of Bangkok.

The department also said around 260 people across 61 provinces have informed officials that they own iguanas -- more than 3,600 lizards in total.

Earlier in the week, officials banned the import of the scaly creatures over environmental concerns.

Authorities said violators will face a maximum of 10 years in jail and a fine of up to one million baht.

The Barron's news department was not involved in the creation of the content above. This story was produced by AFP. For more information go to AFP.Com.© Agence France-Presse

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