Researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) had collected and obtained whale blow (equivalent to human mucus) from a sample population of Humpback whales. The target sample were derived from those returning to the west of Australia. This whale blow had been analyzed and noted that there was a reduced microbiota abundance and diversity compared to before their migratory voyage to the Antarctica.
The lead author of this research, Dr Catherina Vendi, has a background in veterinary science and had stated the richness of a whale's airways is a strong indicator of the humpback whale's overall health. Prior to this research, Dr Vendi, had studied literature based on humans implicated with respiratory diseases with it being confirmed those experiencing these diseases showed a lack of microbial diversity within their airways.
The decline in the whale's health has been said to be due to prolonged period of fasting during their 8,000km migratory route from Queensland to the Antarctica. Over fishing is thought to be the primary contributing factor where the United Nations FAO's 2020 State of World Fisheries & Aquaculture report had revealed that global fisheries have been over fished with 34.2% of these fisheries poached beyond sustainable limits resulting in a 49% decline in fisheries between 1970 to 2012.
These humpback whale populations rely on schools of fish such as cod, sardines, mackrel etc and so this reduction in fish populations will apply significant pressure onto the humpback whale population reducing fertility rates, immunity, adaption to environmental change etc.
This reduction has been a consequence of over fishing, pollution and climate change working in conjunction with one another. Pollution has also had an influential direct impact on the humpback whales which along with fasting is likely to reduce their immune system.
- Catharina Vendl, Eve Slavich, Bernd Wemheuer, Tiffanie Nelson, Belinda Ferrari, Torsten Thomas, Tracey Rogers. Respiratory microbiota of humpback whales may be reduced in diversity and richness the longer they fast. Scientific Reports, 2020; 10 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69602-x [Accessed 11 August 2020].
- Msc.org. 2020. Oceans At Risk | Marine Stewardship Council. [online] Available at: <https://www.msc.org/what-we-are-doing/oceans-at-risk?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg8n5BRCdARIsALxKb953AGrXGCLtPRD6ZBIweMxCEbPXr8sy0OVoMZykyp0z4V2-f_SXNwQaAl0IEALw_wcB> [Accessed 11 August 2020].
