A Bryde's whale surfaces in the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Supplied, File
A Bryde's whale surfaces in the Hauraki Gulf. Photo / Supplied, File
OPINION
We are pro-extinction. You might have seen this already, we're shouting it from the rooftops.
Sound counter-intuitive? Hear me out.
Next time you throw on your jandals and head to the beach, think about life under those green waves. There's an incredibly delicate ecosystem in our waters but it'sbeing trashed. And one of our most precious and at-risk species, the Bryde's whale, is struggling to survive.
We can help this beautiful beast, if we make some behaviours extinct, right now.
The Bryde's - pronounced Broo-dus: think, brooding - is huge, longer than most buses and weighing an extraordinary 40,000kg. It's a playful whale, a sort of panda of the ocean, basking in the sun, enjoying the rays, frolicking in the waves.
The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana / Te Moana-nui-ā-Toi is one of just three places in the world with a resident Bryde's whale population.
Part of the WWF campaign to save the Bryde's whale. Image / Supplied
Astoundingly, few people know this gentle giant swims among us. It's almost been forgotten and now, there are only 135 left - a "nationally critical" species.
Its food sources have shrunk because we have overfished our waters. Fish stocks have halved, undermining the natural ecosystem, and forcing these huge mammals to change their diet to subsisting on zooplankton which contains harmful microplastics.
A recent study shows they're ingesting around 25,000 microplastics with each mouthful.
Those microplastics come from our plastic pollution. As well as being ingested, it can also entangle, suffocate, and drown marine life.
Whether intentional or not, we seem to be indifferent to the impact of our decisions on the environment.
This is why WWF is pro-extinction. And we're asking you to join us by making these three harmful human behaviours extinct: Make overfishing extinct; make plastic pollution extinct; and make indifference extinct.
Livia Esterhazy. Photo / Supplied
Science shows making these behaviours extinct will have a significant and long-lasting impact on our ocean, and help the survival of the Bryde's whale.
Instead of overfishing, take only what you need and help the Hauraki Gulf regenerate. Refuse single-use plastics, instead buy goods unpackaged or in biodegradable or recyclable packaging. Pick up plastic rubbish.
And reject indifference. This is the single most important change you can make. Think actively about your decisions and the impact they will have on the environment. Look at the businesses and leaders you support - are they part of the change? Together, we can create positive change.
From buying pre-loved clothes, wasting less food, using public transport, and urging our leader for stronger ocean protection: WWF has solutions.
We know if New Zealanders start with these three changes, we can go big.
Healthy whale populations are an indicator of a healthy ocean. A healthy ocean is an indicator of a healthy planet. By helping save the Bryde's, we will not only be revitalising our ocean but building a future where we live in harmony with nature.
We have called this campaign "pro-extinction" because we wanted your attention. I hope we got it. Because we need you.
So does the Bryde's whale.
• Livia Esterhazy is chief executive officer of WWF-New Zealand.
