Whales showing more sun damage due to rising levels of ultra violet radiation.

Heard this on Radio 2 news this morning. On a lighter note Richard Medley said" at least they don't BLUBBER about it" Very funny Richard. To my mind this is real evidence of a depleted ozone.
www.abc.net.au...

Abbie Thomas
ABC
whale skin cancer

Large marine mammals are not able to protect themselves from the sun as well as tourists
Related Stories


Ozone hole Whales are showing signs of acute sun damage that researchers believe is due to rising levels of ultra violet radiation.

The research by British and Mexican researchers and published today in Proceedings of the Royal Society B suggests that continued depletion of the ozone layer could put whales at risk of developing skin cancers.

Researchers from the University of London , the Instituto Politecnico Nacional , and the Universidad Autonoma de Queretaro photographed and took skin biopsies from over 150 fin, blue and sperm whales in the World Heritage listed Gulf of California.

The ocean-going life of a whale is one of almost constant sun exposure. Although they dive for some food, much of their socialising, feeding and breeding time is spent very near the surface, where the clear water provides little protection from burning UV radiation.

news.bbc.co.uk...

Good lord.

This is frightening.

I don't buy it. I really don't. What about dolphins? Manatees? It just sounds too odd to me. Other animals would be affected too. I could be dead wrong, but excuse the pun.. Something smells fishy.

I'd be more accepting of water born pollutants being the cause.

reply to post by PayMeh


What is there not to get, whales spend most of their time swimming along the surface filtering plankton other marine animals don't.