Dr Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete

Blue Whales in Chile: The Giants of Marine Conservation, Chile

Blue Whale.

A blue whale mother-calf pair photographed in the Moraleda Channel during field season.

Photo-id work undertaken on board.

Blue whales were severely depleted by modern whaling to such a degree that it was considered destined to extinction. During 2003, one of the most outstanding blue whale feeding and nursing grounds known to date in the Southern Hemisphere was discovered by our team in southern Chile. To guarantee the protection of the largest animal on Earth and its ecosystem, our objectives are to consolidate a scientific program and apply the obtained knowledge for promoting the establishment of a Marine Protected Area in Chile and also use the emblematic status of the species to generate a change in attitude among stakeholders towards the marine environment.

This project aims at promoting the establishment of a Multiple-Use Marine and Coastal Protected Area (MCPA-MU) while advancing parallel on investigations that allow us to propose scientifically-based guidelines that help the Chilean government establish regulations that control stakeholder activities (such as the salmon farming industry, shipping companies, local communities, future ecotour operators, the Chilean Navy, and others) and possibly generate a positive spillover effect that changes bad-practices currently undertaken into other areas.

Objective 1
Strengthen a research program on blue whales in order to increase knowledge on its ecology and address human-induced conservation impacts together with increasing presence in the study area, Chiloe and Corcovado Gulf, southern Chile.

Objective 2
Provide scientific advice to national authorities on the need of implementing a MU-MCPA, develop workshops with local stakeholders and continue the development of an educational program that increases environmental conscience about endangered species inhabiting the area at both local and national levels.

For more information contact rhuckeg@telsur.cl