Humpback off critical list
13/8/08
After being hunted to the brink of extinction, humpback whales have bounced back so well that most are nearly clear of danger. This success for whales in a world of continuing species loss is also being claimed as a win by whalers, who advocate a renewed humpback kill. The shift came in the Red List of Threatened Species for Cetaceans released yesterday by IUCN, the World Conservation Union. Humpbacks have been reclassified from “vulnerable” to “least concern”, the lowest level of risk. Small stocks of the species in the South Pacific and Arabian Sea are still endangered. Other conservation wins include a similar downlisting of the southern right whale.
See: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/humpback-off-critical-list-20080812-3u94.html
Tags: Antarctic, Australia, Environment, Pacific, Whales