Every year on July 23, World Whale and Dolphin Day is celebrated in a number of countries around the world.
According to sea-news.az that this notable day was established to commemorate the anniversary of the ban on whale hunting, which was introduced by the International Whaling Commission on July 23, 1982, and entered into force in 1986. This ban remains in effect today, providing for the prohibition of whaling and the trade of whale meat worldwide.
However, commercial hunting is not the only threat to these animals. The pollution of seas with plastic and other domestic waste, the damage caused by such waste to their digestive systems, as well as their hunting for entertainment centers (dolphinariums), play an important role in the decline of whale and dolphin populations. For this reason, July 23 is considered an international day dedicated to the protection of all marine mammals, not just whales.
It should be noted that the blue whale (weighing up to 200 tons and reaching a length of 35 meters), the largest living creature on Earth, the killer whale (orca), which is considered the largest predatory dolphin, and other marine mammals are key pillars of the ocean ecosystem. Protecting these giant yet vulnerable creatures is of great importance for the sustainability of life in the sea.
