Kimberley whale nursery under threat, says green group

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by sweet east pearl | August 13, 2008 at 09:41 pm
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Humpback Whale fluke at sunset

Humpback Whale fluke at sunset

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The environmental group feared one of the world's biggest humpback whale nursery grounds - which has been discover recently - will be destroyed if  Japanese Gas company's proposal to build its plant approve by local authorities.

The Wilderness Society said the whale playground recently discovered at Camden Sound off the coast of Broome would be in grave danger if proposed gas projects for the area go ahead.

Japanese company Inpex want to build a Natural Liquid Gas processing plant on Maret Island, which sits 300km from the area used by whales to teach their young to feed, breach and navigate currents.

“You can be guaranteed if the proposals go ahead the use of barge tankers in the area will have a significant impact on humpback whales and it would interfere with their breeding, their calving and general migration,” The Wilderness Society’s WA state coordinator, Robert Robertson said.

Source: news.com.au

Whale maternity ward discovered

HUNDREDS of baby whales have been discovered in a bay in the Kimberley, making it one of the world's biggest humpback whale nursery grounds.

WA scientists say the natural maternity ward, 160km north of Derby, is being used by humpback whales to teach their calves important marine lessons.

Discovered in Camden Sound, one of the Kimberley’s largest bays, 381 pods were found schooling their calves to feed, ride the tides and breach.

WA Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) chief executive Dr Steve Blake said the movement of pregnant females, whales with young calves and bulls into the region was astounding.

“It is a natural maternity ward, the place where mothers teach their calves how to feed and how to utilise the tides and currents,”  Dr Blake said.

“It was like taking a three-year-old to a children’s playground,” he said.

Source: news.com.au

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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)

recommend This comment thread is now closed
Paschen
Paschen
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:50 on August 14th, 2008

Since the project is not in Japanese waters it can only be halted or postponed by local authorities! The 200 miles zone does apply here and is international law! Has there for nothing to do with the Japanese!

0
BruceC
BruceC

at 08:16 on August 14th, 2008

We should halt all ships, all cars, all planes and trains, stop all logging, all farming, all building, all electric generators NOW.....  Vote Obama.....

This story was created over 3 months ago, the comment thread is now closed.

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Paschen
First Flagged at 7:50 AM, Aug 14, 2008 by Paschen
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