In the past, humans have used their knowledge of the annual humpback whale migration to a devastating advantage. Whaling stations existed on Moreton Island and at Byron Bay in the 1950s. Whaling ceased in the Southern Hemisphere in 1962, Humpback whales numbers are slowly recovering from this large-scale decimation.
It is encouraging to know, that there is an annual increase of 13.5% reported since 1990, but the Humpbacks are still the third most endangered species of all the big whales. This is something that we all hope will improve more as the years go on and as Exploitation of Humpback Whales stops.
| SPECIES | AREA | ORIGINAL(i) | PRESENT |
| Sperm | Southern Hemisphere | 1,200,000 | 920,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 1,100,000 | 1,000,000 | |
| Blue | Southern Hemisphere | 200,000 | 8,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 10,000 | 1,000 | |
| Fin | Southern Hemisphere | 500,000 | 90,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 55,000 | 15,000 | |
| Sei | Southern Hemisphere | 200,000 | 35,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 70,000 | 15,000 | |
| Bryde’s | Southern Hemisphere | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 60,000 | 60,000 | |
| Minke | Southern Hemisphere | 450,000 | 360,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 150,000 | 120,000 | |
| Grey | Southern Hemisphere | – | – |
| Northern Hemisphere | 25,000+ | 15,000 | |
| Right | Southern Hemisphere | 120,000 | 3,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | – | 1 000 | |
| Bowhead | Southern Hemisphere | – | – |
| Northern Hemisphere | 35,000 | 5,000 | |
| Humpback | Southern Hemisphere | 100,000 | 3,000 |
| Northern Hemisphere | 20,000 | 6,000 |
(i) Original ‘ means ten best estimate of the population before intense exploitation began.
Exploitation of Humpback Whales Stopped?
Note: The above figures are an indication of stocks in the worlds oceans, however the data obtained to formulate these estimates has come under criticism from many scientific groups around the whole due to the nature of data used and their analysis.
Today, enlightened attitudes and the FIOMA legislation ensure the conservation of the species. The 1980 Whale Protection Act banned the import of whale products and goods containing whale products from 1981.
Whale Life Span: In years
| Whale Types | Life Span: Years |
| Sperm Whales | 60-70 years |
| Blue Whales | 80-90 years |
| Fin Whales | 94 Years |
| Sei Whales | 70 Years |
| Bryde’s Whales | 50-70 Years |
| Minke Whales | 50 Years |
| Grey Whales | 80 Years |
| North Pacific Right Whales | 70 years |
| Bowhead Whales | 200 Years |
| Humpback Whales | 45-50 years |
| Killer Whales | 29 years |
| Beluga Whales | 35-50 Years |
| Short-finned Pilot Whale | 45 Years |
| Long-Finned Pilot Whale | 35-45 years |