Not a day without holidays!

19 February - Monday

Whale Day or World Day of Protection of Marine Mammals
This ecological date is considered the day of protection not only of whales, but also of all marine mammals and various other living creatures living in the seas and oceans of our planet. This Day was established in 1986, when the whaling moratorium introduced by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) entered into force. This moratorium is still in effect and means that whaling, as well as whaling, are prohibited all over the world. Currently, whale fishing is allowed only to meet the needs of the indigenous population (so-called aboriginal) and the seizure of whales for scientific purposes under special authorizations of IWC member governments.
First of all, Whale Day is to draw the attention of the public, representatives of the authorities and the whole of mankind to the protection of this unique species of animals and, in general, all marine mammals, which by now only 119 species have survived on our planet. The intensive and merciless extermination of marine mammals and, in particular, of whales, which has been going on for more than 200 years, has had a detrimental effect on their numbers - many members of this detachment were on the verge of extinction. But they are the most sensitive indicators of the state of marine systems of the planet and an important link in the supply chains of the World Ocean, they create the stability of the biological cycle of substances in the ecological system. Therefore, a reduction in the number of whales and other marine animals leads to a disruption of biological equilibrium in marine ecosystems. After all, every disappeared species is an irreplaceable loss - everything that disappears in the animal world - disappears forever. Despite the fact that the moratorium on the whale fishery is still in effect and whaling is prohibited by the laws of most countries, the destruction of these animals does not stop. In addition, a person with his activity, unfortunately, is not always reasonable, has long had a negative impact on nature, changing it. For example, large losses to marine mammals are caused by fishing gear, as well as pollution of the oceans by oil products due to the expansion of the geography of oil production on the sea shelf.
This state of affairs does not suit defenders of marine mammals and all not indifferent people to the future of our planet. To preserve marine life, public attention is drawn to this problem. In many countries there are clubs and societies of lovers of these animals, marine reserves are created where their lives are not threatened. And directly on this day each year, various environmental groups, environmental organizations and the public hold all sorts of actions in defense of whales and other marine mammals and various information events or devote this day to the protection of one unique species that faces a deadly danger. In Russia, the Day of Protection of Marine Mammals has been celebrated since 2002 and is of particular importance, since several dozen species of whales, dolphins, fur seals and seals live in the seas of our country, many of which are endangered and listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and the International Union protection of nature.
For information The seas and oceans of the Earth were mastered by marine mammals long before the appearance of humans. Finds of paleontologists confirm the existence of whales and seals 26 million years ago. Cetacea (Cetacea) - a group of aquatic mammals, which include whales, dolphins and porpoises. Whales breathe air with the help of the lungs, are warm-blooded, feed the cubs with milk. The blue whale is the largest creature on Earth, its weight sometimes reaches 200 tons. Whales have given a lot to people: whalebone and spermaceti, whale oil and bone meal. And recently, physicians have become seriously interested in studying whales. The whale is a beautiful symbol of life in the sea, large and powerful, but at the same time quite defenseless. And this is important to remember ...

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