The humpback whale is making a comeback into existence!
After humans hunted them close to the brink of total extinction, the south Atlantic humpback whales have recovered to about 90% of their historic population.
It is estimated that whale hunters in the late 1700s all the way to the mid-1900s killed at least 300,000 humpback whales.
With whale protection policies being put into place in the 1960s, the total population of the humpback has ever since grown from 440 humpbacks in 1958 to the current 24,900.
There are seven different species of the Southern hemisphere humpbacks. Each of these species can uniquely be identified by their distinct genetic and migratory behavior.
This comeback is set to have an ecosystem impact on all south Atlantic based sea animals. For this reason, it’s really important to keep monitoring the continuous shifts in distribution of predators and prey of the south Atlantic humpback.
Because of this dramatic recovery in numbers, the humpback whale was in the late 90s deemed to no longer be at any risk of extinction. What followed was stripped of its environmental protection and biodiversity conservation act of 1999.
The reason I decided to focus today’s show on the humpback comeback is to flip the switch from the constant negative news that’s always on mainstream media.
For once, let’s talk about the positives only.
The humpback comeback is a testimony of how much, we as the human species can accomplish if we take collective action together.
Timestamps
(03:49) What we can learn from the humpback comeback
(06:48) Comeback in other parts of the world
(08:38) Recognizing and appreciating the positives in the midst of our chaos
(12:29) Impacts of the humpback comeback
(15:28) Wrapping up. Appreciating our efforts in preserving the humpback
Selected links and mentions.
Smithsonian Magazine – South Atlantic Humpback Whales Have Rebounded From the Brink of Extinction
LiveScience – Facts about the humpback whales
Time – Humpback Whales Have Made a Remarkable Recovery, Giving Us Hope for the Planet
National Geographic – Humpback whales make a stunning comeback in southern Africa.
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