CLIMATE change could wipe out species of dolphins, whales and porpoises, a report warns.
Rising temperatures and sea levels could be the death knell for some of the creatures, it says.
The loss of icy habitats caused by hotter weather and the decline in levels of krill – tiny shrimp-like creatures which are the main food for many whales – could also spell disaster.
Climate change could be the final nail in the coffin for the 300 remaining North Atlantic right whales, says the study by the WWF and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
Other species of cetaceans – whales, dolphins and porpoises – at risk include the beluga (or white) whale, river dolphins including those in the Ganges, and white-beaked dolphins found off the coast of Britain.
Emily Lewis-Brown, of the WWF, said: ‘Climate change could not only lead to dramatic declines of some species but could contribute to pushing some critically endangered cetaceans to extinction.’
The report, called Whales In Hot Water?, warns that, as sea ice cover disappears in previously untouched areas, human activity such as shipping and oil exploration will increase there.
The two charities are urging the International Whaling Commission to introduce conservation plans to help cut the dangers to the creatures.
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