Relevance: GS III (Environment & Ecology) | Source: The hindu

1. What is happening?

• The Oil Rush: Because of wars in the Middle East, global oil prices are very high. To get more oil, the US government wants to drill in the sea (Gulf of Mexico).
• Breaking the Rules: Normally, strict laws protect marine life from such drilling. But the government bypassed these laws by calling the oil drilling a “national security” need.
• The Victim: This aggressive push for oil directly threatens the Rice’s Whale—one of the rarest marine animals on Earth.

2. Know the Rice’s Whale

UPSC loves asking about unique habits of newly found animals. Memorize these points:

• Home Address: It lives only in the Gulf of Mexico. It stays there all year round and does not migrate.
• Extremely Rare: There are less than 100 of these whales left in the world. (Status: Critically Endangered).
• New Member: Scientists officially recognized it as a completely new and distinct whale species very recently, in 2021.
• Daily Routine (Very Important): * Day Time: It dives very deep to the ocean floor to hunt for fish.
  • Night Time: It comes up and sleeps near the water surface.

3. The Big Dangers

If oil drilling increases, these last 100 whales face three deadly threats:

• Oil Spills: In 2010, a massive oil spill in this area already killed many of these whales. More drilling means a high risk of another toxic spill.
• Deafening Noise: Oil companies use extremely loud underwater blasts to search for oil. This noise makes the whales go deaf, so they cannot talk to each other or find their food.
• Ship Accidents: Because these whales sleep near the water surface at night, heavier traffic of oil ships means a higher chance of ships accidentally hitting and killing them in the dark.

The “UPSC Trap”

• The “Migration” Trap: UPSC will try to trick you by saying, “The Rice’s Whale travels thousands of kilometers from the Arctic to the Indian Ocean every year.” Incorrect. It does not migrate. It stays only in the Gulf of Mexico.
• The “Old Animal” Trap: A statement might say it is a well-known whale documented 100 years ago. Incorrect. It was officially recognized as a new species only in 2021.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to the recently recognized Rice’s Whale, consider the following statements:

1. It is a highly migratory marine mammal found primarily across the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
2. The species exhibits a unique behavior of making deep foraging dives during the day and resting near the water surface at night.
3. Due to a steep decline in its population, its conservation status is currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)