Investigate

- Which types of whales are closest to extinction?
 * Knowledge:**

Blue Whales and Grey Whales are critically endangered, while the Fin, North Pacific Right Whale, North Atlantic Right Whale and the Sei Whale are endangered. Even though these whales are protected by law, they are still being hunted and their numbers are quickly depleting.

The Blue Whale was almost hunted to extinction until a law against hunting them was made in 1966. A 2002 report showed that the result of the hunting of the Blue Whales reduced their numbers from 239,000 to 5,000 - 12,000.

The Fin Whale, also known as the Finback Whale, Razorback or the Common Rorqual, was hunted during the 20th century, resulting in the deaths of 250,000 whales before a law was made against hunting them. However, an estimation of 3,000 Fin Whales remained, and with Iceland and Japan still hunting these whales, who knows how long it will be until these endangered whales face extinction.

The people hunting the whales use specialised whale hunting ships called 'whalers' to hunt the whales. These ships have huge built- in harpoon guns that shoot out poisoned or electrified harpoons to kill the whales.

- Why do people hunt whales?
 * Comprehension:**

People are hunting whales to try and get their baleen, oils, blubber, bone and meat, all of which are worth a lot of money.

Whale meat is considered a delicacy in some countries, so is worth quite a lot, which results in whales being hunted.

Baleen is used to make many of our everyday items, for example, jewelry, nets, brushes and umbrella hoops, all of which are very high in demand.

Whale oils and blubber is used to make soap, leather and cosmetics, and was also used as a source of food for Eskimoes (NOT INUITS), and other civilisations living in similar conditions, because of its high energy value. = =

**Application:** - What questions would you ask whalers if you had the opportunity? How do they feel about what they're doing?


 * Zihan: I would ask: how would you feel if you were the whale and you were beening and tortured.

Zach:** **I would ask the whalers if they feel and remorse for the whales they kill, and if they want to stop whaling.** - Was there more or less whaling in earlier years?
 * Analysis:**

Whaling can be traced back as far as the prehistoric times, though the lack of technology required to hunt whales limited the number of whales killed. However, the demand for the materials from the whales' bodies grew, and the technology to hunt whales more quickly and easily was developed.

To answer the question, there was less whaling before the 19th century, but only due to lack of technology and demand for whale materials.

- Can you see a solution to whaling?
 * Synthesis:**

**Zihan: If the world leaders put whaling into death sentence for anyone in the world, I think it might help.**

- How effective are the laws against whaling?
 * Zach: Working harder to enforce the laws on commercial whaling, or stopping the production of the tools used for whaling.**
 * Evaluation:**


 * Zihan: I think it is effective in some countries and not the others, for example Japan or Norway

Zach:** **Not very, as whaling is still a major problem worldwide.

To avoid the extinction of some of the largest known mammals on earth, laws have been made by the ** IWC (International Whaling Commission) against the hunting of whales. However, many countries, such as Iceland, Japan and Norway still continue to hunt whales for commercial purposes. - What are your views on whaling?
 * Other:**


 * Zihan:** **I think it is very cruel to hunt whales or any other animals.**

**Zach:** **I think that it is awful of people to kill creatures that have done nothing to harm them for their own selfish benefits. I somehow doubt people would like the idea of whales hunting us to extinction just to get valuable materials from our bodies, or even just because we're there.** - How is the human race effected by whaling?

Many organisations have been formed to try and stop whaling, such as the IWC (International Whaling Commission) and Greenpeace. Arguments have been made over whether the fact that the whales have rights are irrelavant, or that they are sentinent beings like humans, and don't deserve to be hunted. A lot of money has been wasted on the cause, yet whaling continues.

- Should more laws be made against whaling?


 * Zihan:** **Yes, I think there __should__ be more laws against whaling becaue people are not caring for the whales extinction.**

**Zach:** **Yes, as the current laws are currently quite slack, as whaling continues. Perhaps the breakage of these laws should result in stricter consequences, to try and save the whales from extinction.**