New Delhi: Aquatic animals live in oceans, lakes, and rivers, but as the years pass, they face many challenges like pollution, habitat destruction, and overfishing. By understanding their importance in maintaining life on Earth, we must appreciate them and work towards preserving their habitats for future generations. Today, August 30, is International Whale Shark Day, so let us look at why this marine animal, which is also the largest fish, is important for the ecosystem.
Why is Whale Shark important for the ecosystem?
Whale sharks are incredibly important to the marine ecosystem. They play a critical role in maintaining the balance of the marine food chain by feeding on plankton and small fish.
This helps regulate the population of smaller fish and ensures that other marine species have enough food to survive.
Whale sharks also contribute to nutrient cycling by excreting nutrients in their waste. This supports the growth of phytoplankton, the base of the marine food chain. This process also helps produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Furthermore, whale sharks play a significant role in dispersing nutrients and plankton as they migrate across different regions, benefiting other marine species and indicating the health of an ecosystem.
In addition to their ecological significance, whale sharks have substantial economic value in tourism. Many countries have developed eco-tourism industries centred around whale shark sightings, drawing tourists from worldwide who pay to swim alongside these gentle giants. This provides a vital source of income for local communities and contributes to the national economy.
While some countries catch whale sharks for their meat, fins, and oil, the economic value of live whale sharks in tourism far surpasses their value in fishing. As a result, many countries have banned hunting whale sharks to protect their populations and the tourism industry.
Whale sharks are also valuable for biomedical research and innovation. Scientists have found unique characteristics of whale shark skin that can be used to develop new products, such as antibacterial coatings for medical devices and textiles. The study of whale sharks can also provide valuable insights into the biology and physiology of other marine species.
Whale sharks are important for the ecosystem, and their loss will have severe consequences because it threatens billions of people’s food security and climate. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
