The Blue Whale seems to be enjoying a limited comeback: its presence in the waters of New Zealand is increasing.
Near Sri Lanka, where the waters are extremely deep even close to the shore, due to the limitrophy of the continental shelf, the blue whales can make passage and be seen by people transiting or even on the shore.
Blue whales are by nature timid and elusive. Seeing one is a lifetime fulfillment of one's curiosity and tourists flock to the regions where they are sighted.
Sighting of blue whales collected between 1979 and 1999, and sighting between two seismic events in 2011 were compared.
The movement of the Blue Whale and its apparent thriving might be due to a large plankton release in the oceans due to specific ocean movement.
Blue Whales were believed to only transit through New Zealand waters during migration, but the new sightings show otherwise. They are increasingly seen, and with some degree of regularity in the South Taranaki Bight.
This discovery is prompting scientists to ask for protection of foraging areas, even as they are discovered. Unfortunately the South Taranaki Bight, is a natural oil and gas exploration site. The activity of shipping and exploration has shown to impact the blue whales directly.
Source : China Daily/ 7.2.13
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