
-
Indian army says new exchange of gunfire with Pakistan
-
Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre takes own life in Australia: family
-
Hundreds of buildings damaged, dozens injured in 6.3 Ecuador quake
-
India and Pakistan's Kashmir fallout hits economy too
-
Francis's funeral to be grand farewell to 'pope of the poor'
-
Pogacar faces defiant Evenepoel at Liege-Bastogne-Liege
-
Chelsea eye great escape against Barcelona in Women's Champions League
-
Iran, US to hold new round of high-level nuclear talks
-
'Energy and effort' pay off for Reds as Blues' woes continue
-
Albatross and closing birdie lift China's Liu to LPGA Chevron lead
-
On the horizon? Wave of momentum for high seas treaty
-
Developing countries should fast-track US trade deals: World Bank president
-
Grizzlies' Morant 'doubtful' for must-win game 4 v Thunder
-
Trump in Rome for pope funeral in first foreign trip of new term
-
Trump says Russia-Ukraine deal 'very close' after new Kremlin talks
-
US rookies lead PGA pairs event with McIlroy and Lowry in hunt
-
Trump tariff promises get a reality check
-
Warriors coach Kerr 'relatively optimistic' injured Butler will play game 3
-
Postecoglou hopes 'Stonecutter's Credo' can inspire Spurs
-
PSG lose unbeaten Ligue 1 record ahead of Arsenal showdown
-
Venezuela accuses El Salvador president of 'human trafficking'
-
Own goal takes Sundowns to African final against Pyramids
-
Scores of buildings damaged, 20 injured in Ecuador quake
-
US stocks extend rally as market eyes busy calendar next week
-
Pope's death triggers surge of disinformation he fought against
-
Rovanpera takes control of Rally Islas Canarias
-
Zelensky insists Crimea is Ukrainian as US envoy meets Putin
-
Patel and Mendis help Sunrisers beat Kings in Dhoni's 400th T20
-
Copa del Rey ref statements 'unacceptable': Real Madrid after boycotting final build-up
-
Insurance CEO's accused killer pleads not guilty to federal murder charges
-
FBI arrests Wisconsin judge for shielding undocumented migrant
-
Brazil ex-president Collor de Mello jailed for corruption
-
Zelensky insists Crimea 'belongs' to Ukraine as US envoy meets Putin
-
Real Madrid boycott Copa del Rey build-up over referee complaints
-
Trinidad and Tobago votes for parliament, PM, with opposition in lead
-
IMF chief hails 'constructive' Spring Meetings held under tariff uncertainty
-
Iran FM Araghchi in Oman ahead of nuclear talks with US
-
Dozens of buildings destroyed, 20 injured in Ecuador quake
-
Young Barca must 'enjoy' Real Madrid Copa final fight: Flick
-
Pakistan and India border closure separates families
-
Brazil's Bolsonaro 'stable' after post-surgery setback
-
Catholics in secular Cuba hail Francis as 'bridge'
-
US envoy Witkoff, Putin discuss 'possibility' of direct Russia-Ukraine talks
-
Community seeks answers after French school knife killing
-
German prosecutors seek jail terms in VW 'dieselgate' trial
-
Sabalenka makes winning start at Madrid Open
-
EU, US should de-escalate and negotiate trade deal: IMF Europe director
-
Russia accuses Ukraine of killing general in car bombing
-
Emery wants FA Cup glory and Champions League berth for Villa
-
Buildings destroyed, one injured in Ecuador quake

Dominica to create world's first sperm whale reserve
Dominica is set to create the world's first sperm whale reserve, designating a swath of ocean where large ships and commercial fishing are restricted and visitors can swim alongside the gentle marine giants.
The Caribbean nation said it hoped the new protected zone of 300 square miles (nearly 800 square kilometers) off its western coast -- roughly the size of the island itself -- would boost valuable tourism revenue but also help sequester more carbon in the deep sea, an often overlooked benefit of whale conservation.
"The 200 or so sperm whales that call our sea home are prized citizens of Dominica," said Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit in a statement Monday. "Dominica is honored to establish the first Sperm Whale Reserve on our planet."
Sperm whales are the largest toothed predators on Earth, living in matrilineal societies with distinct cultures and dialects.
Growing up to 50 feet (16 meters) long, they are found across the globe, from Iceland to New Zealand. But they have a particular affinity for the majestic blue waters off Dominica, which provide critical feeding and nursing grounds.
Marine biologist Shane Gero told AFP he began studying the Dominica whales in 2005, with his research showing the population was experiencing a decline as a result of ship strikes and unintentional entanglements in fishing gear as well as plastic pollution.
"We're losing individual animals and the families that researchers and the operators who do whale watching here know very well," he said. Individuals live up to 90 years, and the Dominican whales communicate in a specific series of clicks thought to convey: "I'm from Dominica, are you?"
Several Dominican whales have been given names, such as "Can Opener," "Fingers" and "Hope," and remember certain tour operators they've come to know.
- Ecotourism and climate benefits -
The reserve's boundaries were defined based on studies of where the roughly 50 whale families find food and shelter, though a corridor will be carved out to allow ships to dock at Roseau, the island's capital and largest city, Francine Baron, CEO of the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica told AFP.
Success or failure will hinge on stringent regulations and implementation. A law required to operationalize the reserve should be passed by Dominica's parliament "within weeks," said Baron, a former foreign minister, promising there would be "legislative teeth."
Vessels 60 feet or longer would likely be prohibited, while small-scale, artisinal fishing would be allowed to continue.
Kristen Rechberger, CEO of Dynamic Planets which is advising the government, told AFP the idea would be to do something akin to the mountain gorilla tourism program of Rwanda, where foreign visitors pay $1,500 to hike a whole day then spend an hour with the primates.
Conserving sperm whales also carries climate benefits that derive from their feces.
Sperm whales dive to hunt squid, then return to the surface where they breathe, rest and defecate. Their nutrient-rich feces foster plankton blooms which capture carbon dioxide from seawater. When the plankton dies it becomes a carbon sink, helping mitigate impacts of climate change.
Assuming 250 whales in Dominica's waters, each year they lock up to 4200 metric tons of carbon, equivalent to keeping 5,000 cars off the road -- significant for a small island nation, said Enric Sala, founder of nonprofit Pristine Seas which is also advising Dominica.
"So the whales are part of the climate resilience plan of Dominica," he said. "Whale poop, who would have thought?"
D.Moore--AMWN