Scientists at Work: The Wonder of Blue Whales

Podcast November 22, 2019

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Stat: 100 feet: At nearly 100 feet in length, blue whales are the largest animal ever known to have existed on Earth.

Story: Blue whales are big but they’re not invulnerable, often falling victim to strikes by ships in the northern India Ocean. Asha de Vos, a Pew marine fellow who founded Sri Lanka’s first marine conservation research and education organization, tells us about the beauty of blue whales and their importance to the health of the ocean.

Source: Blue whale audio courtesy of Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation and Danielle Harris, University of St Andrews, Sea Mammal Research Unit.

Related resources:

Why Are Blue Whales So Enormous?

Oceanswell

Photos of Rare Blue Whales Inspire Conservation

Pew Marine Fellows

Asha de Vos is a Sri Lankan marine biologist, ocean educator, and pioneer in research of blue whales in the northern Indian Ocean. In 2019, the Parliament of Sri Lanka named her one of 12 Women Changemakers. She is also a TED senior fellow, a National Geographic emerging explorer, and a Pew marine fellow.

Photograph by Yasha Hetzel

A blue whale breeches the ocean’s surface in Antarctica. Blue whales can be found throughout the ocean, but the largest populations are located in the Southern Hemisphere. They spend their summers in polar waters, feeding on krill. In winter, they migrate toward the equator to breed. The biggest of them live in the Southern Ocean, near Antarctica.

Photograph from Shutterstock

Asha de Vos sees a diverse array of marine life, such as this school of short-finned pilot whales above, during her field work studying blue whales off the coast of Sri Lanka.

Photograph by Laura Howes

Asha de Vos is also an ocean educator. She co-founded the nonprofit organization Oceanswell to train and mentor youths from countries that do not have international and/or domestic support to protect their oceans. Through research expeditions, writing scientific papers and grant proposals, and guidance on how to discuss their research, they gain the tools they need to help protect their home countries’ marine life.

Photograph by Laura Howes

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