Essays on Marine Mammal

Introduction

Simply put, sonar is the use of an echo. This involves the use of sound navigation and ranging techniques for the propagation of sound underwater, with the overall intention of navigating, communicating or detecting objects that are in or on water surface. Specialized machines and sea creatures such as whales have the ability to use reflect waves for sensing shape and movement of objects and for locating these distant objects. Because there are different ranges of frequencies for sonar, there are low-frequency, mid-frequency and high-frequency sonar. Like any other use of technology or technological enhancement, sonar testing has its ...

British Petroleum – Perspectives on Gulf of Mexico’s Oil Spill

Introduction The Deep Horizon oil spill caused by British Petrouleum’s improper operations in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, marked an environmental catastrophe, although BP has tried to minimize its effects and its outcomes. In her article, “BP’s Deep Secrets”, Julia Whitty investigates precisely the outcomes of the oil spill on a long term, focusing mostly on the Gulf ecosystem and following how are the flora and fauna from this area are affected by this catastrophe. The current essay, based on Julia Whitty’s article will be supported by other sources that have treated ...

SeaWorld Adventure Parks (SeaWorld) is a chain of oceanariums, marine mammal parks and animal theme parks in the United States. The first SeaWorld Park was opened in San Diego in 1964 and since then, more than 100 million people have visited the famous parks (Malloy). SeaWorld currently operates parks in California, Orlando, San Antonio, Texas and Florida in United States with the three main parks located in San Diego, Orlando and San Antonio.

The experience of being at SeaWorld is breathtaking. Gigantic water-filled tanks, the numerous monstrous sea mammals, spectacular underground exhibitions and the constant water splashing conjure feelings of ...

Introduction

The Florida manatee is part of the species Trichechus manatus latirostris and their closest relative on earth now is the elephant. Florida manatees are part of the scientific order Sirenia and the family Trichechidae. They are a migratory species and move from ocean waters of Brazil to those of the Gulf of Mexico. The shift due to climate change has caused them to migrate further north.

They have a low basal metabolism causing them to move slowly as they look for warm water such as the warm natural spring fed rivers of Florida (Reynolds & Clay 2000), the warm water effluent ...