Humpback whale
© Philip Thurston/Getty Image
Where the humpback whale sings. World Oceans Day
Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth's surface, so it's no surprise they play a crucial role in our planet's climate and ecosystem. These gargantuan seas support a vast ecosystem of marine life, including the beautiful humpback whale. The humpback whale once was known for its 'singing', which researchers attributed to possibly be a sign of loneliness. The good news is that as the whale population has risen with the end of commercial whaling, there is less need for whales to sing a song of loneliness.
While whales may no longer be lonely, their aquatic environment is still at risk from climate change and human actions. It is only right that today, on World Oceans Day, we contemplate the importance of these beautiful resources and how our actions can have a negative impact on them.
Magellanic penguins, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands
Atlantic spotted dolphins near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
European river otter, Lelystad, Netherlands
Humpback whale mother and calf, Tonga
A green sea turtle swims in the Pacific Ocean near the French overseas territory of New Caledonia
California sea lion in a forest of giant kelp, Baja California, Mexico
Herd of walruses in northern Spitsbergen, Svalbard archipelago, Norway
Sea otter, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA
