Quarter1 Article2

1) Quarter 1 Article 1

2)Wildlife and Habitat Conservation News:
Posted using ShareThis

3) From: R. Greenway, ENN

Published September 29, 2009 07:26 AM

5) Miller Ch. 12

6) National

7) The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service may remove the humpback whale from its list of endangered species. The species was on the brink of extinction in the 1960's until an international ban was placed on whaling which has resulted in a population increase of 4.7% each year. Humpbacks were hunted for their oil, meat and whalebone which reduced the population to between 5 and 10 percent of the original stock. This drastic population increase gives good reason to remove the species from the endangered list but many remain skeptical because of the risks humbacks continue to face. Driftnets, huge nets that range from 2 to 9 miles wide and 8 to 15 feet deep, continue to entrap and drown thousands of humback whales each year. Humpback whales may also be affected by climate change and ocean acidification which adds to the skepticism of taking them off the endangered species list.

8) I agree with many of the viewpoints in this article. While the humpback whales are making many large strides away from endangerment, there are still factors that plague their existence. Driftnets and the current climate problem may prove to be detrimental to this species of whale and it may be too soon to remove them from the endangered species list.

9) U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service: division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the United States' Exclusive Economic Zone.

Driftnets: huge nets made of lightweight nylon which measure between 1.25 to 90 miles in length and 8 and 15 feet in depth. They are left to "drift" in the open ocean for periods of 8 hours or more