Context:
Female right whales may never breed after entanglement in fishing gear, says stydy.
Right Whales:
- Right Whales – A species of large Baleen Whales
- Found in – North Atlantic Ocean.
- Characteristics –
- It feeds on small organisms like zooplankton and krill.
- Use baleen plates in their mouths to filter food from the water as they swim.
- Often seen in coastal waters during breeding season.
- Communicate using low-frequency moans, groans, and pulses.
- Conservation status – Critically Endangered in IUCN List
- Major Threats –
- Entanglement in fishing gears
- Climate change is altering their migratory patterns and breeding ability.
- Conservation efforts –
- U.S. Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act
- Canada’s Species at Risk Act
- Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Which one of the following is the correct sequence of a food chain?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) Diatoms-Crustaceans-Herrings
(b) Crustaceans-Diatoms-Herrings
(c) Diatoms-Herrings-Crustaceans
(d) Crustaceans-Herrings-Diatoms
Answer: (a)