SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The Santa Barbara Zoo is taking part in a new effort to help protect endangered whales that migrate through the Santa Barbara Channel.
The Zoo recently became the first accredited zoo in the nation to join the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program, an initiative that works with shipping companies to reduce the risk of whale strikes and improve air quality along California's coast.
The announcement comes as conservation groups continue to raise concerns about the impact of commercial shipping traffic on marine mammals.
"About 40% of all imports come through California ports. And unfortunately that shipping traffic is also overlapping with very important whale habitat," said Becca Tucker, director of corporate engagement for the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program.
Blue, fin and humpback whales migrate through the Santa Barbara Channel each year, sharing the waters with some of the world's largest cargo vessels.
According to Tucker, ship strikes remain one of the biggest threats facing whales along the West Coast.
"Off the U.S. West Coast alone, about 80 whales a year are fatally struck," Tucker said.
The program encourages shipping companies to voluntarily reduce their speed to 10 knots or less in designated whale habitats. Program leaders say slowing vessels can reduce the risk of fatal whale strikes by approximately 40 percent while also decreasing underwater noise pollution.
"These ships are very loud," Tucker said. "When the ships slow down to that 10 knots or less, it gives whales more time to hopefully avoid that collision."
The Santa Barbara Zoo's role as an ambassador is tied in part to its purchasing practices. Zoo officials say some of its vendors already use shipping companies that participate in the voluntary vessel speed reduction program.
Estelle Sandhaus, vice president of conservation and science at the Zoo, said the partnership highlights the connection between everyday consumer choices and wildlife conservation.
"Thinking about where our purchasing comes from can help save whales and help us have a healthier community," Sandhaus said.
The Zoo also hopes to educate visitors about the environmental impacts of global shipping. With nearly 500,000 annual visitors, officials say the Zoo can help raise awareness about how commerce and conservation intersect.
The program's benefits extend beyond whale protection. Organizers say slower vessel speeds can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve regional air quality and lessen underwater noise that can interfere with whales' ability to communicate, navigate and feed.
Since launching in 2014, the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program has partnered with more than 76 shipping companies. Those companies have voluntarily reduced speeds across more than two million nautical miles of California waters, creating what organizers describe as safer conditions for whales migrating along the coast.
The Santa Barbara Zoo hopes its involvement will encourage more public awareness and support for efforts to protect marine wildlife in the Santa Barbara Channel and beyond.
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