Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Hunted or Not?

Here is the conservation status of the six porpoise species:

Harbor Porpoise: Until the end of the 19th century, these porpoises were hunted in Denmark for meat and blubber. In prehistoric times, it was hunted in Sweden. Today, it is hunted for food and Greenland. Fishing nets, overfishing, and pollution are the biggest threat to this species. Fortunately, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUNC Red List.
Harbor Porpoise

Dall's Porpoise: Many of these species are killed as bycatches in fishing nets. They are harpooned each year by Japanese whalers. The number of species killed in 1988 was 40,000. Today, 16,000 are still killed in Japan in hand harpoon hunts, but it is listed as Least Concern on IUNC Red List.

Dall's Porpoise
 Spectacled Porpoise: This species lives in the waters of Antarctica and is not known to be hunted. The total population is not known, and it is listed as Data Deficient on the IUNC Red List.
Spectacled Porpoise
Finless Porpoise: Like other porpoise species, many of this species are killed in fishing nets. They were hunted briefly after World War ll, but have never been widely hunted in Japan. Due to ships in the lakes they live in in China, they sometimes have difficulty finding their food. The IUNC Red List has the species listed as Vulnerable.


Finless Porpoises
 
Vaquita: This species has never been hunted directly. Many are killed in fishing nets each year though. They are said to be the most endangered marine mammal, and is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUNC Red List.
Vanquita
Burmeister's Porpoise: Like all porpoise species, this species is vulnerable to be entangled in fishing nets. This is common in Peru, Chile, and Uraguay. The annual estimated catch of these porpoises is largest in Peru, being 2,000. They are also harpooned deliberately for food and to be used as bait to catch sharks. The number of the animal's population is unknown, and is listed as Date Deficient on the IUNC Red List.
Burmeister's Porpoise

2 comments:

  1. I see you have done some research. Very interesting information. It seems so sad to kill porpoises. Keep getting the word out my dear.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, but I learned a lot from it. I'm glad that you find it interesting!

    ReplyDelete