A humpback whale is a medium sized baleen whale. They are large and majestic. Living in New England, going on a whale watch in the summer and observing these beautiful creatures is a common occurrence. Unfortunately, these whales that have become part of our culture are endangered.
They were declared endangered not just in Massachusetts but under the federal government as well. Humpbacks are getting caught in fishing lines, run over by boats and their propellers, and being driven out of their homes by too much human activity and pollution. Even the whale watches are contributing to their endangerment. The massive whale watch boats are harassing them and sometimes even colliding with the whales.
If changes are not made soon, this beloved baleen whale will face extinction.
Is it just the baleen whales that are being impacted by the fishing boats and such?
ReplyDeleteHow many years can you estimate till the whales are gone extinct, if we don't do anything about it?
ReplyDeleteThere is a possibility that the humpback may be removed from the endangered animals list. There are currently 14 populations Segments of humpback whales. 10 of these segments may be removed from the endangered animals list. All the whales would still be protected. I am unsure whether or not this is good for the whales.
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