RP175 Whales' Silent Tears

 RP175 Whales' Silent Tears

We humans think more and more about the effect of our actions on our environment. We are starting to understand how destroying animal populations can have far-reaching effects on our planet. We' re even starting to consider the rights of animals as we think about hunting them. However, we rarely discuss how our actions affect animals' psychological states.

Whales are very intelligent and social. They behave in complex, moral ways. They babysit young whales while their mothers look for food. They can be grateful for being rescued. One whale, after being freed from a net, didn't swim away but instead approached and touched every diver who had helped save her.

Whales need company to thrive. They play and interact with many of their species as they travel through the water. Now, however, there are far fewer animals in many whale species. One French naturalist, Yves Paccalet, believes that whales are getting lonely. He thinks that the effect hunting has on whales affects not only their bodies, but their minds as well. The small numbers of whales left behind are confused. They may not understand where the other whales have gone or why. Paccalet warns that lonely, depressed whales could lose their will to live. That means that they don't care about living anymore. They may stop eating or do other unhealthy things. He thinks that when whales get too lonely, they may stop breeding.

It's not only hunting that lowers whale populations. Net s and other dangerous fishing gear, environmental pollution, and the use of sonar (using sound waves to navigate) are all creating a new, frightening environment for whales. They may decide that they just don't want to live in it anymore. Then, unfortunately, whales themselves will finish the job that overhunting started.RP175 Whales' Silent Tears

We humans think more and more about the effect of our actions on our environment. We are starting to understand how destroying animal populations can have far-reaching effects on our planet. We' re even starting to consider the rights of animals as we think about hunting them. However, we rarely discuss how our actions affect animals' psychological states.

Whales are very intelligent and social. They behave in complex, moral ways. They babysit young whales while their mothers look for food. They can be grateful for being rescued. One whale, after being freed from a net, didn't swim away but instead approached and touched every diver who had helped save her.

Whales need company to thrive. They play and interact with many of their species as they travel through the water. Now, however, there are far fewer animals in many whale species. One French naturalist, Yves Paccalet, believes that whales are getting lonely. He thinks that the effect hunting has on whales affects not only their bodies, but their minds as well. The small numbers of whales left behind are confused. They may not understand where the other whales have gone or why. Paccalet warns that lonely, depressed whales could lose their will to live. That means that they don't care about living anymore. They may stop eating or do other unhealthy things. He thinks that when whales get too lonely, they may stop breeding.

It's not only hunting that lowers whale populations. Net s and other dangerous fishing gear, environmental pollution, and the use of sonar (using sound waves to navigate) are all creating a new, frightening environment for whales. They may decide that they just don't want to live in it anymore. Then, unfortunately, whales themselves will finish the job that overhunting started.