Julianna Flanagan, Freshman
The month of March is dedicated to dolphin awareness. Dolphins are considered cetaceans, or marine mammals. Among cetaceans, more than 2,400 are being held in captivity. Since the 1950s more than 5,000 dolphins have died in captivity. These dolphins are used for profit and are harmed in the process. Another issue the dolphin population faces is hunters. Around 100,000 dolphins a year are killed by hunters. In addition to these issues, dolphins also face pollution. 300,000 dolphins die from waste like discarded fishing nets every year. Many people are aware of these problems but aren’t aware of what extent it has gotten to.
Dolphins have been around for what is believed to be 23 million years. Cetaceans, like the vaquita, are very unheard of but are also going extinct. The vaquita is known as the smallest known cetacean and it is believed that no more than ten of them are left in the whole world. They rank second on the world's most endangered animals list and hardly anything is being done to save their population. Therefore, March is meant to spread awareness for cetaceans, like the vaquita, to those who may not be aware of these marine animals declining population.
Out of the 44 species of dolphins, many are in extreme risk of going extinct or being put on the endangered species list. The most common species is the bottlenose dolphin, and they are considered “ the least concern” while other species of dolphins are not nearly as lucky. The Maui Dolphin is believed to only have a population of no more than 55, and 2 of the 5 species of river dolphins are on the brink of extinction. These lesser known species are facing serious threats. Ganges River dolphins, Hector's dolphins, Indus River dolphins, and Irrawaddy dolphins are all greatly endangered species. On this list there are a large number of dolphins that are considered vulnerable as well.
Dolphins are very important to keep balance in their environment. Their prey and predators would be widely affected if their population decreased drastically. Our goal is to not allow this to ever happen. Not to mention dolphins are extremely intelligent and have, in many situations, helped humans. Articles from 2007 state that a pod of dolphins circled surfers for more than thirty minutes to ward off aggressive great white sharks. Another story states that a young teenager fell into the water while sailing with his family. The boy didn’t know how to swim and just when the parents had lost hope, a dolphin pushed the boy to the surface of the water, ultimately saving his life. In 2014, a swimmer found himself in the middle of shark infested waters when a pod of dolphins helped him remain safe on his journey. These stories are endless as dolphins have gained the reputation of helping humans in the ocean when they need it the most. It is now time to return the favor. This month is dedicated to raising awareness for dolphins and to share the story of these amazing, unique creatures. Everyone during this month is encouraged to spread the word on the problems that humans have created for the dolphins. Captivity, overfishing, and pollution has had an extreme negative impact on these cetaceans and it is important to educate others on how to help.
Sources
https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/dolphin-awareness-month-its-time-to-turn-our-back-on-the-captive-dolphin-entertainment-industry/
https://www.britannica.com/explore/savingearth/dolphin-awareness-month
http://awesomeocean.com/trending-now/its-march-dolphin-awareness-month/
https://content.dolphinsplus.com/blog/dolphin-awareness-month
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