Threats to Humpback Whales
With all these winged whales have to offer, one may wonder why these mammals were hunted to the brink of extinction less than 100 years ago. Due to commercial whaling, over 200,000 humpbacks were taken, reducing the global population by over 90%.
Thankfully, in 1946, The International Whaling Commission imposed hunting regulations and created hunting seasons. In 1966, commercial whaling was officially banned bringing their numbers up to about 50 – 80,000 whales worldwide.
Although laws and regulations were put in to effect to protect the lives of these graceful giants, they still encounter threats to their population. From entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, ocean noise, and habitat impacts, humpback whales tend to stay on their tail toes when coasting the deep blue. Many measures are being taken to protect these magnificent creatures but the threats are very real, and in many places, humpbacks are an endangered species. Many changes still need to be made in order to protect the place they call home.