While the whale watching companies are happy about the increased whale sightings during winter, I wonder if this is simply a sign of changing times. Due to the rising temperatures, the anchovies migrate to the warmer waters of the Monterey Bay, causing a spike in their population. In return, other bigger animals that feed on anchovies flock over there to feast on them.
I can't help but wonder about what happens to the other parts of the ocean, if most of the whale, sea lion, and pelican populations remain at the Monterey Bay. If this carries on for a long time, the food chain at both areas will be affected. The absence of the top predators will cause organisms at the lower level of food chain to increase. In addition, as the article reports, the explosive number of anchovies caused the oxygen at Santa Cruz harbor to run out. That resulted in a major anchovies die-off. No matter how good it seems, too much of a good thing can lead to bad thing.
Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/25/us/with-extra-anchovies-deluxe-whale-watching.html?_r=0
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