Author: Brandon A. Weber / Source: Big Think
Once hunted to near-extinction, humpback whales living in southern oceans near Antarctica are making a comeback.
Some quick facts about humpbacks:
- They live long lives, about the same as humans.
- Treaties were signed to protect them in 1959; otherwise, they probably wouldn’t be here anymore.
- Estimates are that, before the treaties were signed, whale populations were down to less than 10 percent of their pre-whaling levels.
- A new study found there were more pregnant females in a group of humpback whales on the Western Antarctic Peninsula than had previously been noted. In addition, the number of pregnant females has been trending upward for several years.
- Humpback whales are actually benefiting from global warming; there are now 80 more ice-free days per year, which allows them to feed on krill in the open water
However, that last fact is not likely to last; krill stock is being fished by some countries, and reduced sea ice actually…
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