Okay, here’s a revised version of the article, incorporating verification of claims and corrections where necessary. I’ve focused on ensuring accuracy and updating data where the original article might be outdated.
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## Southern Right Whales Showing Signs of Stress as Calving Intervals Lengthen
Commercial whaling ceased in australia in 1979 and was banned by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in the 1980s. Following severe depletion, the southern Right Whale population in Australia is recovering, with current estimates ranging between 2,346 and 3,940 individuals as of 2023, representing approximately 16% to 26% of pre-whaling levels.
Southern right whales are known for their slow, deliberate feeding style, often described as “tractors of the ocean”, according to Dr. Peter Corkeron, a marine ecologist and adjunct senior research fellow at Griffith University. The whales methodically seek out dense patches of zooplankton and “go back and forth like they’re mowing the lawn” to consume them.
Recent research indicates a concerning trend: an increase in the intervals between calving. This change suggests that conditions in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic feeding grounds are deteriorating, impacting the whales’ ability to successfully reproduce.
“As mammals, the choice to have a baby is demanding,” Dr. Corkeron explained. “If a female wants to maximise her lifetime reproductive output, she has to balance having babies and living a long time. When conditions are getting worse, you pull back on having as many babies.”
“Anthropogenic climate disruption affects everything… It’s just another message, if people choose to pay attention to it, that we’ve got to do something about this.”
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