Fw: Time to Protect Chile's Blue Whales

[Guest guest]

WWF Passport Action Alert

WWF

 

The Gulf of Corcovado and Chiloe coast in Southern Chile is one of the most

important feeding and calving grounds for the highly endangered blue whale,

the largest animal ever known to have existed on planet earth.

 

Since the unique importance of the area was discovered in 2003, WWF and its

partners have worked to obtain a government decree to protect an area that

supports not only the blue whale, but dozens of other marine mammals

including humpback whales and the Chilean dolphin.

 

However, rapid economic growth in the area and increasing fishing, tourism

and marine traffic in the Gulf of Corcovado could now pose a threat to blue

whales and the larger ecosystem they inhabit.

 

Take action to help protect blue whales

 

The approval of a new marine protected area has now been endorsed by the

local governments in the region, the Chilean senate, and is strongly

supported by conservation organizations and the scientific community. But

approval by the Ministry of Defense and a Presidential decree are still

needed in order for the area to be finally protected.

 

Following Chile's positive role at the recent International Whaling

Commission meeting, where the Government strongly advocated for whale

conservation, we are now asking the Chilean President to protect blue whales

and their habitat.

 

Act now: Ask the Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, to create the Chiloe

and Corcovado Gulf Marine and Coastal Protected Area

http://passport.panda.org/campaigns/action_epetition.cfm?uCampaignId=1601 & uA

ctionId=2361

 

The blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed, with the

heart the size of a small car and a heartbeat that can be detected from two

miles away!