SYDNEY, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The world's first interactive map tracking whale migration has revealed that Australian waters are becoming increasingly dangerous for the ocean's giants, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia said on Wednesday.
The newly launched BlueCorridors.org platform, developed by WWF and over 50 international research groups, visualizes for the first time how whale migration routes intersect with escalating threats, such as ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement, and climate change, particularly in Australian waters, according to a press release from WWF-Australia.
Its launch ahead of World Oceans Day on June 8 underscores urgent conservation challenges facing Australia's marine ecosystems, experts said.
The platform combines more than 3.2 million km of satellite tracking data from over 1,400 migratory whales, mapping their journeys and highlighting the mounting dangers they face in Australian and global waters.
"Blue corridors are more than migration routes, they're lifelines for the ocean's giants and the ecosystems they support," said Chris Johnson, Global Lead for WWF's Protecting Whales and Dolphins Initiative.
"Ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear and shark nets are a growing concern on Australia's east coast, especially during humpback whale migration season," said Johnson, adding climate change is disrupting their migration and food sources.
WWF-Australia is calling on the government to create a Western Pacific Blue Corridor Initiative with Pacific nations and scientists, establishing protections from the Pacific to Antarctica, which would safeguard whales and support ocean health and climate by preserving these vital marine ecosystems, the release said.
"Healthy whales lead to healthy oceans," Johnson said, noting that whales help fertilize the seas, boost phytoplankton, and support the planet's oxygen supply. ■