humpback tagged posts

Humpback whale numbers up around the UK

As part of the annual marine review conducted by the Wildlife Trusts’ Living Seas team, the number of humpback whale sightings around the UK have seen a significant increase. Until recently, sightings were extremely rare, but more than 75 sightings have been recorded since 2019, showing how populations are recovering after bans on commercial whaling. 

The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust saw humpbacks feeding around the islands with one individual, named Pi, staying for over two months. More were seen in the Firth of Forth and off Shetland. Matt Slater, marine conservation officer for Cornwall Wildlife Trusts, says: “Only a few years ago, it would have been extremely rare to see a humpback whale around the UK...

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Humpbacks make ‘incredible’ recovery in B.C. waters

More than 20,000 North Pacific humpback whales spend the summer months in B.C. waters, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Whale enthusiasts are celebrating the return of the humpback to B.C.’s coastal waters, even though it means people need to learn how to coexist with the gentle giants. The Northeast Pacific population of humpback whales, which spend much of their time in B.C. waters during the summer months, has experienced a remarkable recovery in the past few decades.

The migratory whales, known for their underwater ballads, are easily recognizable by their long pectoral fins and knobby heads.

They had been hunted to near extinction by the mid 1900s but there are now more than 20,000 humpbacks in B.C. waters, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

“We’ve never seen so many humpbacks in inshore waters,” said Paul Cottrell, DFO marine mammals co-ordinator.

“It’s been incredible thes...

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