What would happen if whales went extinct?

What would happen if whales went extinct?

Were it not for whaling, the animals might have removed 2 million tons of carbon from Earth’s atmosphere. In other words, sperm whales fight climate change without trying. So if the whale population dwindled to zero, that would result in boatloads more carbon remaining in the atmosphere.

How humpback whales affect the ecosystem?

The ecosystem services provided by whales, including increasing primary production, directly and indirectly sequestering carbon, and providing nutrients and habitat to myriad marine species, also have an economic value. Such values have been calculated for other species, including bats and pollinators.

Why are whales important to the environment?

Whales are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. Whales play a significant role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere; each great whale sequesters an estimated 33 tons of CO2 on average, thus playing their part in the fight against climate change.

Are sharks going extinct?

Scientists say sharks and rays are disappearing from the world’s oceans at an “alarming” rate. The number of sharks found in the open oceans has plunged by 71% over half a century, mainly due to over-fishing, according to a new study. Three-quarters of the species studied are now threated with extinction.

Where are sharks most endangered?

Some Basic Facts About the Most Endangered Sharks

1. Pondicherry Shark (Carcharhinus hemiodon) Habitat: Indo-Pacific; coastal waters and possibly the mouths of rivers.
2. Ganges Shark (Glyphis gangeticus)
3. Irrawaddy River Shark (Glyphis siamensis) – Recently found to be a juvenile Ganges Shark, not a separate species!

What’s the deadliest thing in the world?

Of all the species in the world, the largest—and most dangerous—is the saltwater crocodile. These ferocious killers can grow up to 23 feet in length, weigh more than a ton, and are known to kill hundreds each year, with crocodiles as a whole responsible for more human fatalities annually than sharks.