Commercial whaling killed 350,000 blue whales; the giants are slowly returning
After years of protection from whaling, whale populations are gradually reclaiming their ancestral habitats, with sightings of blue and fin whales showing remarkable growth since 2012. While these majestic creatures are bouncing back from the catastrophic effects of 20th-century whaling, they continue to face threats from modern human activity and pollution. Ongoing conservation efforts and…
Commercial whaling wiped out an estimated 350,000 blue whales and 725,000 fin whales during the 20th century. Despite more than 40 years without commercial whaling, these two largest whale species are slowly making a comeback in parts of their former range in the southeast Atlantic. A study published in the African Journal of Marine Science found a clear increase in sightings of these giants since 2012, with 95 percent of all records appearing in that time period.
Led by Dr Bridget James from the University of Cape Town, researchers collected data on confirmed whale sightings and strandings off the coast of Namibia and South Africa from 1964 to 2025. Blue whales were mainly seen between late spring and autumn, while fin whales were spotted throughout the year. While the increase in sightings is encouraging, both species remain far from their pre-whaling population levels.
Blue whales are still classified as Critically Endangered, with only around 3 percent of their historical population remaining, and fin whales are listed as Vulnerable, with their numbers recovering to more than 30 percent of their pre-whaling levels.
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