The long migration of the Humpback Whale
Humpback annual migrations between feeding grounds in polar waters to mating and calving grounds in tropical waters are amongst the longest of any mammal. Following heavy exploitation during much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Humpback Whales have been legally protected from commercial whaling since 1966, except for aboriginal and subsistence take, and in most areas their populations are showing signs of recovery. However, there is little evidence of significant population recovery in the Oceania sub-population, which migrates between Oceania and the Southern Ocean. Listed as Endangered, this sub-population is estimated to be as small as 3000–5000 animals, less than a quarter of its original size.
Year: 2015
From collection: Living Planet: Connected Planet, Rapid Response Assessment
Cartographer: Riccardo Pravettoni