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Editor's Pick

Otters capture enough CO2 to fly New York-Paris 1.2million times

A new study has revealed the startling carbon capture abilities of marine animals. 

Research conducted by Ocean Science & Technology looked at how much ‘oceanic blue carbon’ individual types of marine animals can absorb and store. Collectively, seals, sharks, turtles and otters have been found to trap 11.5million tonnes of CO2 per year. 

Equivalent to 401,000 square metres of forest, these species could fuel 11.2million return flights between New York and Paris, with otters alone capable of capturing the same amount of carbon as is produced by 6million diesel cars in a year 

According to the team behind the investigation, a combination of hunting and rising pollution levels almost wiped British otters out during the 1950s, and had this happened the current state of the country’s environment and atmosphere could have been far worse than it already is today. 

Seals, sharks, turtles and otters were the second highest group of animals in terms of carbon capture, falling only behind mesopelagic fish and ranking ahead of sperm whales. Between them, they save enough CO2 to offset almost 1.4million households annual fossil fuel consumption.

In particular, the group specialises in Trophic Cascade Carbon management by keeping herbivore numbers in check, allowing underwater plants to thrive. Only mesopelagic fish – those living at depths between 200 and 1000 metres – ranked higher for carbon capture.

‘Marine based science technology is key to unlocking many innovative and combative ways to fight climate change,’ said Mike Rees, Founder and CTO of Ocean Science & Technology. ‘As long as the right funds and resources are being put into amazing research like the work that’s being done on blue carbon, who knows what the future holds.’

CO2 emissions blue carbon can capture relatively throughout their lifetime:

 

Marine Animal No. of one-way flights from New York to Paris No. of car journeys from Edinburgh to London No. of households one year average
Mesopelagic fish 13,850,000 253,795,812 3,419,753
Otters, seals, sharks and turtles 5,625,000 103,075,916

 

1,388,889
Sperm whales 1,000,000 18,324,607 246,914
Any dead fish carcass 96,350 1,765,576 23,790
Blue whales 70,000 1,282,723 17,284
Yellowfin tuna 31,250 572,644 7,716
Sperm whales 300 5,497 74

Top Carbon Storing Marine Animals 

 

Rank Scientific name for type of blue carbon Marine Animal Carbon storage (metric tons per year) Equivalent Forest Carbon Storage (sq km) Country size equivalent (sq km)
1 Twilight Zone Carbon Mesopelagic fish 27,700,000 484,129 Sweden
2 Trophic Cascade Carbon Otters, seals, sharks and turtles 11,500,000 401,985 Iraq
3 Whale Pump Sperm whales 2,000,000 34,955 Taiwan
4 Deadfall Carbon Dead fish carcass 192,700 3,368 French Polynesia
5 Food Web Carbon Blue whales 140,000 2,447 Luxembourg
6 Biomass Carbon Yellowfin tuna 62,500 1,092 Faroe Islands
7 Biomixing Carbon Sperm whales 600 11 Gibraltar

 

More on climate change and net zero:

Image: Michael Steinman

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