🐋 Humpback Whales Are Thriving Again
Decades after commercial whaling nearly wiped them out, humpbacks are back in force.
Advertisement
📰 The Good News
The Ocean's Comeback Story
Commercial whaling pushed humpback whales to the brink of extinction by the mid-20th century, with some populations reduced by over 95%. Since the international whaling ban took hold in 1986, humpback numbers have rebounded dramatically.
🐋 Researchers now estimate some humpback populations, like the eastern Australian group, have recovered to levels at or above what existed before whaling began.
It's a species that was written off as doomed just a few generations ago — proof that even a population pushed to the very edge of extinction can fully come back, given enough time and the right protection.
👉 Worth Remembering
The ocean has a longer memory for good news than we usually give it credit for. This comeback took 40 years — and it's still going.
Advertisement