A humpback whale breaches far in the air above the Pacific Ocean.
Celebrate the Comeback of Humpbacks With These Fabulous Photos
Forty years after they were near the brink of extinction, most populations of humpback whales have been removed from the endangered species list.
Humpback whales continue to surprise scientists, who see increasing evidence that the large aquatic mammals are capable of sophisticated thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and communication. There are hundreds of incidents where they appear to be protecting other animals from killer whale attacks.
And now, efforts to protect humpbacks from their most fearsome predator—human beings—are having an impact. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced that most populations of humpback whales, which had been on the brink of extinction, are being removed from the endangered species list.
The announcement, described by NOAA as a “true ecological success story,” comes after 40 years of federal protection that have allowed the whales’ numbers to rebound.
Still, four of the 14 distinct population
