Weizhou orders sea patrols to protect Bryde鈥檚 whales
Print Edition
South China鈥檚 Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has started regular marine patrols to protect a herd of whales that have returned after decades of absence.
The tourism authority of Weizhou Island on Monday launched the patrols along with coast guards to target illegal hunting and killing of the whales. The patrols will continue on a regular basis.
The action came after a pod of more than 20 Bryde鈥檚 whales have been frequently spotted near the island since last year, indicating an improving marine ecosystem under China鈥檚 stricter pollution control.
This is the first time that such a whale herd has been found frequenting an offshore area of the Chinese mainland since 1980, said Chen Bingyao, associate professor of life sciences at Nanjing Normal University, whose team spotted the marine mammals during a survey last year.
鈥淲hales are a top ocean predator and a barometer of a marine ecosystem鈥檚 health,鈥 Chen said.
In a widely circulated video clip filmed by Chen鈥檚 institute, a giant whale jumps out of the sea and sprays water.
The scientist said the whales, the largest being 12 meters long, are active in the sea around the island between December and May, attracted by the good water quality and abundant prey.
Since last spring, fishermen and tourists on Weizhou Island, a tourist boomtown, have reported seeing the whales on multiple occasions.
鈥淭he whales I saw yesterday were only 200 meters away,鈥 said Deng Keshun, a local fisherman, who said they usually appear around noon.
Lin Deguang, director of the island鈥檚 tourist zone administration, said the city government of Beihai, which administers Weizhou, set up a protection zone for whales in July last year and that they will continue the efforts to protect marine biodiversity.
Weizhou Island, located in the Beibu Gulf, is the largest and youngest volcanic island in China. A national geological park was established on the island in 2004. Whales are under state protection in China.
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