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Whale Conservation Quiz
Whale Conservation Quiz
Take our quiz and find out how much you know about whales.
There is a small wait at the end while we tally your score and show your results.
This quiz was last updated in 2020.
Whales can live a long time. How long can the oldest whale species live?
The correct answer is 200 years. The oldest living whale species, bowhead whales, can live over 200 years! This is the second longest lifespan of any animal, only beaten by the North Atlantic clam that can live over 500 years.
True or False: After the 1986 moratorium on whaling, all commercial whaling ended.
The correct answer is false. The moratorium helped to decrease the number of countries that hunted whales but several continue to hunt today. Many of them find a loophole in a rule that allows exceptions for scientific research purposes. The moratorium helped to decrease the number of countries that hunted whales but several continue to hunt today.
Which of the below countries continue to commercially whale today?
The correct answer is all of the above. Though they are members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), Norway and Iceland <a href="https://iwc.int/management-and-conservation/whaling/commercial"objected to the original 1986 moratorium banning commercial whaling and refused to exercise it. Japan left the IWC in 2019 and therefore does not adhere to the moratorium.
True or False: Commercial whaling is the last remaining threat to whales.
The correct answer is false. There are a number of other threats to whale populations, including whales being hit by marine vessels, habitat loss, and pollution of our oceans with manmade debris.
Which of the following is a current threat to whale populations?
The correct answer is all of the above. A 2024 study found that ship collisions are now a leading cause of whale deaths worldwide. Fishing practices can result in vertical fishing lines that entangle large whales, leading to severe injury and even death. Climate change is also a major threat as it alters the locations of whale’s main food sources and their availability as a result of warming ocean temperatures. Shipping lanes can be especially deadly to whales as high speeds are allowed that do not allow for strike avoidance. Fishing practices can result in vertical fishing lines that result in the entanglement of large whales, this can lead to severe injury if not death. Climate change is also a major threat as it alters the life cycles of whale’s main food sources and can decrease overall productivity.
True or False: The longer a whale lives the more positive effects on climate change it can provide.
The correct answer is true. While whales do consume quite a lot, they provide innumerable resources by acting as carbon sinks, nutrient cyclers, and a source of food for other animals and plants.
True or False: Sounds from boats and sonar devices are dangerous to whales.
The correct answer is true. Whales rely on underwater sounds to navigate their way through the ocean, find food, and avoid predators. Ocean noise created by human activities puts whales at risk and threatens their survival by disrupting these activities in a process known as masking.
In terms of carbon sequestration, how much can a great whale be worth over its lifetime?
The correct answer is $2 million. Whales can contribute to over $2 million in ecosystem services over their lifetime by sequestering 33 tons of carbon in their lifetime. For reference, an oak tree only captures about 12 tons of carbon over 500 years.
Which of the following are threatened with extinction?
The correct answer is all of the above. Blue whales, right whales, sperm whales, and sei whales are all listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Whales are some of the largest animals on the planet. Without correspondingly large protections for them, we may be watching some of the most iconic species of all time go extinct. Whales are some of the largest animals on the planet. Without correspondingly large protections for them, we may be watching some of the most iconic species of all time go extinct.
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