IFAW and the USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Conduct Urgent Study of Endangered Whale Sharks in Oiled Waters

[Pathfinder]

IFAW and the USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Conduct Urgent Study of Endangered Whale Sharks in Oiled Waters

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass., Aug. 10/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) scientists are concerned that the protected whale shark, the world's largest fish, may be a quiet victim of the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. IFAW is responding to an urgent appeal for assistance from the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (USM-GCRL) to conduct research on whale shark biology, behavior and movement patterns in the Gulf before it's too late.

The newly discovered essential whale shark feeding area may already be contaminated. It's been three weeks with very few sightings of whale sharks in what are usually normal congregate areas of the northern Gulf of Mexico, leading scientists to worry they may be the unseen victims of the Gulf oil spill.

Not only are whale sharks the biggest fish in the sea but they may also be one of the most vulnerable to the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Despite their large size, whale sharks feed on the tiniest of creatures ? plankton, fish larvae and small crustaceans. However, whale sharks in the northern Gulf may be adding oil and toxic oil dispersant chemicals to their diet as they have been found in areas within and surrounding oiled
waters.

"These whale sharks are facing a lethal one-two punch," said IFAW biologist Jacob Levenson. "First is the impact on the animal's ability to breathe as a result of the oil physically coating its gills and secondly is the long term impacts of passively accumulating toxins from oil and liberal dispersant use."

.../

Read more:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...d-whale-sharks-in-oiled-waters-100346224.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: IFAW and the USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory Conduct Urgent Study of Endangered Whale Sharks in Oiled Waters

Research Needs to Assess Oil-Related Impacts on Whale Sharks in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

The Problem

The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) provides essential habitat for many shark and ray species, including the whale shark, Rhincodon typus (Hoffmayer et al., 2006). The oil spill resulting from the explosion of the BP/Deepwater Horizon platform on April 20, 2010 in the northern GOM is currently located in whale shark essential habitat (Hoffmayer et al, 2005) and is posing a critical threat to this species in the region. From 2002 to 2009, over 300 GOM whale shark sightings were reported to the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory's (GCRL) Whale Shark Sightings Survey, and over a third of the sightings were within the ever expanding oil coverage area (Figure 1).

Given the amount of time whale sharks spend at/near the surface of the water (Figure 2), there is considerable potential for harm or death to these individuals resulting from direct exposure to and contamination from the spill (via oiling or clogging of their gills), as well as from depletion of prey, or consumption of oil-contaminated prey (Figure 3). In addition, the dispersants currently being used to ?break up? the oil will significantly increase the potential for exposure of sharks throughout the water column. What is unknown is if whale sharks are able to detect the oil and dispersants in the water and will avoid the areas affected or if they will directly encounter the oil without warning.

...

Read more http://www.usm.edu/gcrl/whaleshark/oil.impact.php