Most populations of humpback whales are no longer on the United States endangered species list thanks to global conservation efforts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced yesterday.
Advertisement
What does that mean for the humpback whales that swim and feed off Ventura County? But earlier this week, 9 of the 14 distinct groups of humpback were taken off the endangered list. While the whales’ body color is primarily grey, some individual whales have a variable amount of white on their pectoral finds and belly. Four remain endangered and one remains “threatened”.
Known for their acrobatic leaps from the sea and complex singing patterns, humpback whales were almost hunted to extinction for their oil and meat by industrial-sized whaling ships well through the middle of the 20th century.
The International Whaling Commission’s whaling moratorium, which was imposed in 1982, also played a major role in the comeback of humpback whales and remains in effect, the NOAA said.
“Today’s news is a true ecological success story”, wrote Eileen Sobeck in a release.
However, a scientific review noted that the humpbacks – which were divided into 14 distinct populations, have recovered their numbers enough to avoid being in the endangered list.
The Western North Pacific group can be found in the Bering Sea and near the Aleutian Islands and will remain on the endangered list. The decision downlists the Mexico population (that feeds off California, Oregon and Alaska) to threatened, although the Fisheries Service says current protections will be kept in place because of the increasing number of West Coast whale entanglements.
The National Marine Fisheries Service said Tuesday humpback whales that breed in Hawaii waters in the winter are being taken off the list.
Animals being constantly added to the list of endangered species is concerning authorities more and more.
Once hunted to the brink of extinction because of their oil and meat, humpback whales have benefitted from recent worldwide efforts to restore their numbers, according to a new population survey. They are vulnerable to collisions with ships, entanglement in fishing gear and noise pollution.
NOAA, however, says that all humpbacks-even those removed from the list-are safe because of other federal regulations and protections provided by the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
“With the humpbacks and blue whales, we just never know”, Kalez said.
Worldwide, humpbacks have made a dramatic recovery since the 1970s, when the marine mammals were first protected. “Most of the humpback populations have increased and increased substantially from where they were”.
Advertisement
Federal authorities are taking most humpback whales off the endangered species list.
