Whales are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. As of 2018, there are only 3,000 blue whales on record. Although whale numbers around the world appear to be recovering from the carnage that the European and American whalers and sealers inflicted on them, serious concerns remain. Mercilessly hunted for their blubber and other products, the population of these giants of the oceans declined precipitately for almost two centuries and extinction threatened. As of 2018, there are only 3,000 blue whales on record. Increases or decreases in population are indicated within the table, where these have been identified. As an example, the abundance estimate for Southern Hemisphere blue whales is 2,300 with a 95% confidence interval of 1,150 - 4,500. South Georgia’s government is dedicated to managing its fishery the right way, so as not to disturb the whale’s population growth. In February 2020, there were dozens of sightings The International Whaling Commission catch database estimates that 382,595 blue whales were caught between 1868 and 1978, including 7,973 in the North Pacific (2.09%), 10,442 in the North Atlantic (2.73%), 5,383 in the South Pacific (1.41%), and in the Southern Ocean, 13,022 pygmy blue whales (3.40%) and 345,775 Antarcticblue wh… In 2020 alone, surveyors reported 58 blue whale sightings and many other acoustic detections. Blue whale, (Balaenoptera musculus), also called sulfur-bottom whale, the most massive animal ever to have lived, a species of baleen whale that weighs approximately 150 tons and may attain a … In the region around the British territory of South Georgia, the local blue whale population all but disappeared, with only a single sighting between 1998 and 2018. This means that there is a 95% chance that the true number lies somewhere between 1,150 and 4,500. Click here to read more about the establishment and work of the Scientific Committee’s Working Group on Abundance Estimates (ASI). The team took skin samples from 10 blues and hope this will help them to track their genetic diversity and lineage. According to Oestreich, understanding their season movements is key to protecting blue whale populations. Some of the biggest individuals may eat up to 6 tons of krill in 1 day. The information gathered from this fieldwork is used as the basis for population modelling which produces an abundance estimate. In total, 41 blue whales have been photo-identified from South Georgia between 2011 and 2020, although none of these matched the 517 whales in the current Antarctic blue whale … Oregon State University researchers who recently discovered a population of blue whales in New Zealand are learning more about the links between the whales… Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on our planet. Blue whales were nearly hunted to extinction in the 19th and 20th centuries by commercial whalers until the International Whaling Commission banned the taking of blue whales in 1967. In total, 41 blue whales have been photo-identified from South Georgia between 2011 and 2020, although none of these matched the 517 whales in the current Antarctic blue whale photographic catalog. The two main objectives for blue whales are to 1) increase blue whale resiliency and ensure geographic and ecological representation by achieving sufficient and viable populations in all ocean basins and in each recognized subspecies, and 2) increase blue whale resiliency by managing or eliminating significant anthropogenic threats. Vessel-based and aerial sighting surveys, acoustic monitoring, and analysis of individual animal markings are techniques used independently or in conjunction with each other to count whales. Blue whale, (Balaenoptera musculus), also called sulfur-bottom whale, the most massive animal ever to have lived, a species of baleen whale that weighs approximately 150 tons and may attain a length of more than 30 metres (98 feet). Another reason why the blue whales are coming back is the careful and effective management of the coast. Blue whales are among Earth's longest-lived animals. And today, with the oceans crowded with large ships, ship strikes take their toll on … Currently, there is lack of sufficient data with regards to the number of blue whales off the eastern North Atlantic. Whales also beach themselves and die for reasons still not fully understood. Between 1998-2018 only one blue whale was spotted by scientists off the coasts of South Georgia. It is well known that overexploitation by the whaling industry led to serious declines in many of the world’s populations of whales, although thankfully no species was brought to extinction and many are now in the process of recovering, although not all. The efforts to keep the blue whale populations up have been ongoing for a little under a century. You can follow the news on blue whales over at Dr. Trevor Branch’s Twitter account, New evidence suggests that blue whales are making a comeback, 250,000 blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere, Ways to get involved in the 2020 Election. And today, with the oceans crowded with large ships, ship strikes take their toll on … "To think that in a period of 40 or 50 years, I only had records for two sightings of blue whales around South Georgia. Fish and copepods (tiny crustaceans) may occasionally be part of the blue wh… They estimate having seen 55 blue whales. With the establishment of the ASI group it is planned to update this table and fill in the gaps where possible. But conservationists say a growing population of whales … The 2020 biennial Commission meeting of the IWC will be held at the Grand Bernardin Resort, Portoroz, Slovenia, The 2021 meeting of the IWC Scientific Committee will be held in Bled, Slovenia. in 2018 only one blue whale was sighted, but in 2020, 55 whales were seen or acoustically recorded (File photo). President Trump gave Justice Amy Coney Barrett a seat on the highest court in the country while votes in his re-election race... Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. It is impossible for cetacean abundance estimates to be completely precise and IWC estimates are presented as a ‘best estimate’ figure, accompanied by a 95% Confidence Interval, showing the highest and lowest figure within which the actual abundance figure is believed to sit. During the 2017 whaling season, anti-whaling groups were outraged by Japanese whalers slaughtering some 122 pregnant minke whales out of a total hunt of 333 whales. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. In 1997, official estimates of the blue whale population hovered just north of 2,000. The global blue whale population stood at around 125,000 in 1926. 20 Feb 2020 20 February 2020. Sign and send the petition to your U.S. senators: Focus on COVID-19 relief immediately, not Trump’s judicial nominations. Scientists have discovered that by counting the layers of a deceased whale's waxlike earplugs, they can get a close estimate of the animal's age. 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