In the 20th century, commercial whaling devastated the world’s great whales.
Some populations were pushed close to extinction before international protections gave them the chance to recover.
Whales grow slowly. Mature slowly. Reproduce slowly. So when their numbers collapse, recovery takes time.
But recover they have.
Several populations have rebounded dramatically.
Blue whales have multiplied more than fivefold since 2000. Sperm whales more than doubled.
Threats remain: ship strikes, fishing gear, underwater noise, warming seas. Conservation isn’t finished – but it is working.
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