Film Science: Questions for Dangerous Migrations

1. Historically, the cold waters off the eastern coast of Canada have been how productive?

2. Name three fishes that have been harvested in the area for years.

3. What is the traditional migration route of the Northern Right Whale?

4. Why was this species of whale a favorite target of 15^th century whalers?

5. For the past 500 years, about how many Northern Right whales were killed annually?

6. a) Of an original population of hundreds of thousands, what percentage is estimated to be alive today?

b) This translates into what estimated actual number of individuals?

7. Why do the disentanglers attach a buoy to the line trailing from the whale?

8. How does teamwork help Right whales obtain food?

9. What fish brings the whales into the nets of fishermen?

10. a) What used to be the attitude of fishermen when a whale became entangled in netting?

b) Why are they now interested in efforts disentangling the whales?

11. Whales of what age group most commonly become entangled?

12. About how many whales are saved each year?

13. What devices attached to netting help whales avoid entanglement?

14. What percentage of disentanglements are successful these days?

15. a) How does Dr. Moira Brown's group obtain DNA samples from whales?

b) Why?

16. What aspects of the Right whales' lifestyle put them at risk from entanglements and collisions?

17. Charles Mayo's examination of a dead Right whale revealed what injuries from a collision?

18. While at the surface, how does whale 2030 try to warn away the disentanglers?

19. What is the benefit of the satellite buoy attached to whale 2030?

20. How does weather affect the disentanglement efforts?

21. What device did Bob Bowman develop to help with disentanglements?

22. What percentage of Right whales are scarred by netting?

23. What are three long term solutions to the problem of the survival of the Northern Right whale?