A Safe Home for Whales and Dolphins

What makes a safe home?

Everyone deserves a safe home to live in, whatever that home looks like. We all live in different kinds of homes, but it is important that they are safe for you and your families. Think about how it would affect you if you lived somewhere that wasn’t safe. How might that make you feel and how could it have an impact on your life? See if some of the following words can help you: Dangerworrystresshappy childhooddiseasepleaseddeath protectionsupport healthyunhappy fearlonelinesscareguidance

How do you think these images link to the pictures we looked at earlier? Image © Alec Mitchell Image © Ingrid N Visser Image © Lucy Molleson Image © WDC/SarahDolman Image © WDC/Rob Lott

What kind of home do you think these creatures need? Image © WDC/Charlie PhillipsImage © WDC/Rob Lott

A safe haven for whales and dolphins Whales and dolphins (along with lots of other marine creatures) also need a safe environment to live in. Just as we need to be protected and looked after, so do they. Marine Protected Areas – or MPAs for short – describes an area of ocean in which human activity is managed appropriately to conserve the marine environment and the wildlife that lives there. Under this umbrella term there are many different types of protected areas, including marine parks, marine reserves, marine sanctuaries, special areas of conservation and marine conservation zones each with its own level of protection. MPAs are as important for the oceans as protected areas (e.g. nature parks, sanctuaries etc) are on land. The more we learn about whales and dolphins, the more we realise that their homes need just as much care in the design, implementation and enforcement as do the homes or habitats of animals that live on land. Whales and dolphins may travel considerable distances, but they have key areas which are critical to them, as ‘ongoing’ homes or for seasonal breeding or feeding grounds. If we protect these areas well, the chances of survival for whole populations improve.

(Simplified) Marine Protected Areas – or MPAs for short – describes an area of ocean where some activities, such as fishing, may be reduced or restricted. This is so that the creatures who live there are protected. There are lots of different types of protected areas, including marine parks, marine reserves and special areas of conservation, each with its own level of protection. MPAs are as important for the oceans as protected areas (e.g. nature parks, sanctuaries etc) are on land. The more we learn about whales and dolphins, the more we realise that their homes need as much care as the homes of animals on land. Whales and dolphins travel long distances but some areas are special to them, such as where they come to feed and breed. If we protect these areas well, the chances of survival for whole populations improve.

Some key questions to think about Why is it our responsibility to look after whales and dolphins? Why are MPAs so important and what effect would protecting these areas have on the whales and dolphins? How do we know where the key areas of their ‘homes’ are? How can we help when whales and dolphins move around so much?

What do you think these pictures tell us? Think about what links them together. Image © Mark Votier Image © WDC/Rob Lott Image © WDC/Dr Mike Bossley Image © WDC/Charlie Phillips Image © Andrew Sutton

Whales and dolphins are under threat from all of the activities/changes shown on the previous slide. What do you think we can do to help? Try coming up with a list of instructions, telling people what they should/shouldn’t do, then share your ideas with the rest of the group. e.g. Litter in the ocean Never throw rubbish anywhere but in a bin; it can find its way to the sea even from far inland Join in with campaigns to reduce the use of free plastic bags in supermarkets Encourage friends and family to take reusable bags with them when they go shopping

Which dolphins and whales are under threat around British waters? Bottlenose dolphin Common dolphinHarbour porpoise Orca Image © Ingrid N Visser Image © WDC/Charlie Phillips Image © Ingrid N Visser

Harbour porpoise The harbour porpoise is the smallest cetacean* in European waters. The average harbour porpoise is about 1.5 m long and weights about 60kg. They can live up to 23 years of age, but rarely survive beyond the age of 12. They prefer shallow waters near the coast. They are sociable animals and often travel in groups, but they are very shy around boats. Countries in Europe should have laws that protect harbour porpoises. * pronounced ‘set-ay-shun’. It is the group word for all whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Bottlenose dolphin Bottlenose dolphins are mammals. They have lungs to breathe, they nurse their calves with milk, they give birth to live young and the baby dolphins have very fine hair on their snout which falls out soon after birth. Bottlenose dolphins can dive to 200 metres or so below the surface of the ocean. They can stay up to 15 minutes under the surface of the water. They are social animals and they work in groups to help each other catch food. They can grow up to 3.8 metres long, which is the length of a car! Some of the world’s biggest bottlenose dolphins live off the coast of Scotland.

Using the internet, see what fun facts you can find out a species such as bottlenose dolphins or harbour porpoises! Try creating an information poster about one of the whales or dolphins. See if you can come up with a word cloud which contains words you think are important about whales and dolphins.

It is our responsibility to ensure these dolphins and whales have a safe ‘home’ they can live in, free from danger. You can play a vital part in this. Now you have found out about why a safe environment is so important and what dangers these creatures face, you can help to protect them too. Create what you think a safe home for one of these species looks like using the template provided and send it back to Whale and Dolphin Conservation!