[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.42,0:00:04.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the 1600s, there were so many\Nright whales in Cape Cod Bay
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.91,0:00:06.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,off the east coast of the U.S.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.74,0:00:10.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that apparently you could\Nwalk across their backs
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.39,0:00:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from one end of the bay to the other.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:13.23,0:00:16.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Today, they number in the hundreds,\Nand they're endangered.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.57,0:00:21.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like them, many species of whales\Nsaw their numbers drastically reduced
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.73,0:00:24.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by 200 years of whaling,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.17,0:00:29.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where they were hunted and killed\Nfor their whale meat, oil and whale bone.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.01,0:00:33.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We only have whales in our waters today
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.41,0:00:37.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the Save the Whales\Nmovement of the '70s.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.06,0:00:40.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was instrumental in stopping\Ncommercial whaling,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.46,0:00:44.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and was built on the idea that\Nif we couldn't save whales,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.23,0:00:46.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what could we save?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:46.15,0:00:49.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It was ultimately a test\Nof our political ability
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.08,0:00:52.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to halt environmental destruction.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.68,0:00:56.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So in the early '80s, there was\Na ban on commercial whaling
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.24,0:00:59.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that came into force\Nas a result of this campaign.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.95,0:01:02.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whales in our waters are still\Nlow in numbers, however,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.76,0:01:07.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they do face a range\Nof other human-induced threats.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.49,0:01:15.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Unfortunately, many people still think\Nthat whale conservationists like myself
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.14,0:01:20.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,do what we do only because these creatures\Nare charismatic and beautiful.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.94,0:01:24.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is actually a disservice,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.02,0:01:28.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because whales are ecosystem engineers.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.50,0:01:32.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They help maintain the stability\Nand health of the oceans,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.87,0:01:37.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and even provide services\Nto human society.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.30,0:01:41.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So let's talk about why\Nsaving whales is critical
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.28,0:01:44.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the resiliency of the oceans.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.81,0:01:49.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It boils down to two main things:
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.33,0:01:52.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whale poop and rotting carcasses.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.55,0:01:58.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As whales dive to the depths to feed\Nand come up to the surface to breathe,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.01,0:02:01.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they actually release these\Nenormous fecal plumes.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.92,0:02:03.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This whale pump, as it's called,\N
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.66,0:02:06.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,actually brings essential limiting \Nnutrients from the depths
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.96,0:02:10.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the surface waters where they \Nstimulate the growth of phytoplankton,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.98,0:02:14.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which forms the base\Nof all marine food chains.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.42,0:02:17.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So really, having more whales\Nin the oceans pooping
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.13,0:02:21.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is really beneficial\Nto the entire ecosystem.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.21,0:02:26.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whales are also known to undertake some \Nof the longest migrations of all mammals.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.76,0:02:32.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Gray whales off America\Nmigrate 16,000 kilometers
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.71,0:02:38.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between productive feeding areas and less\Nproductive calving, or birthing, areas
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.81,0:02:41.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and back every year.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.90,0:02:46.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As they do so, they transport fertilizer\Nin the form of their feces
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.89,0:02:50.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from places that have it\Nto places that need it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.68,0:02:54.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So clearly, whales are really\Nimportant in nutrient cycling,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.12,0:02:57.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,both horizontally and vertically,\Nthrough the oceans.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.81,0:03:04.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what's really cool is that they're \Nalso really important after they're dead.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.47,0:03:08.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whale carcasses are some of \Nthe largest form of detritus
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.56,0:03:12.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to fall from the ocean's surface, \Nand they're called whale fall.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.41,0:03:15.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As these carcasses sink,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.47,0:03:18.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they provide a feast\Nto some 400-odd species,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.50,0:03:22.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including the eel-shaped, slime-producing \Nhagfish.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.02,0:03:25.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So over the 200 years of whaling,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.15,0:03:29.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when we were busy killing and removing\Nthese carcasses from the oceans,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.52,0:03:35.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we likely altered the rate and geographic \Ndistribution of these whale falls
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.25,0:03:37.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would descend into deep oceans,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.56,0:03:41.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and as a result, probably led\Nto a number of extinctions
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.25,0:03:43.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of species that were most specialized
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.39,0:03:47.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and dependent on these carcasses\Nfor their survival.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.88,0:03:55.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whale carcasses are also known\Nto transport about 190,000 tons of carbon,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:55.81,0:03:58.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is the equivalent of that produced
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.11,0:04:01.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by 80,000 cars per year
Dialogue: 0,0:04:01.17,0:04:04.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the atmosphere to the deep oceans,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.00,0:04:07.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the deep oceans\Nare what we call "carbon sinks,"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.51,0:04:11.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because they trap and hold\Nexcess carbon from the atmosphere,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.57,0:04:15.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and therefore help\Nto delay global warming.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.79,0:04:19.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes these carcasses\Nalso wash up on beaches
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.47,0:04:24.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and provide a meal to a number\Nof predatory species on land.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.54,0:04:28.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The 200 years of whaling\Nwas clearly detrimental
Dialogue: 0,0:04:28.46,0:04:31.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and caused a reduction\Nin the populations of whales
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.36,0:04:34.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,between 60 to 90 percent.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.48,0:04:36.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Clearly, the Save the Whales movement
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.30,0:04:40.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was instrumental in preventing\Ncommercial whaling from going on,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.71,0:04:43.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but we need to revise this.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.85,0:04:48.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We need to address the more modern,\Npressing problems that these whales face
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.61,0:04:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in our waters today.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.35,0:04:52.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Amongst other things, we need to stop them
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.48,0:04:57.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from getting plowed down by container \Nships when they're in their feeding areas,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:57.19,0:04:59.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and stop them from getting\Nentangled in fishing nets
Dialogue: 0,0:04:59.98,0:05:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as they float around in the ocean.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.47,0:05:06.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We also need to learn to contextualize\Nour conservation messages,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.84,0:05:13.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so people really understand the true \Necosystem value of these creatures.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:13.98,0:05:18.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, let's save the whales again,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.14,0:05:22.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but this time, let's not just \Ndo it for their sake.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.28,0:05:24.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let's also do it for ours.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:24.81,0:05:27.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.15,0:05:31.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)