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Humpbacks No Longer in Danger

Spectacular success for conservation

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 12, 2008 9:56 AM CDT

(Newser) – Humpback whales, once feared to be on the verge of extinction, have made such a dramatic comeback that the International Union for Conservation of Nature has removed them from its list of vulnerable species. A ban on humpback whaling in the 1960s has allowed their numbers to grow to 55,000 worldwide, reports the Guardian.

"This is a great conservation success and shows what needs to be done to ensure these ocean giants survive," said a spokesman for the conservation organization. The future, however, remains bleak for other whales, dolphins, sharks and porpoises—with some 10% classified as endangered or critically endangered.

The humpback whale has made such a remarkable comeback that a major conservation group has taken it off its list of endangered species.
The humpback whale has made such a remarkable comeback that a major conservation group has taken it off its list of endangered species.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
A humpback whale off Okinawa, Japan. The humpback has made a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts and a ban on whaling.
A humpback whale off Okinawa, Japan. The humpback has made a remarkable comeback thanks to conservation efforts and a ban on whaling.   (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye, File)
A humpback whale off Maui, Hawaii. The humpback has made a remarkable comeback thanks to a ban on whaling the massive mammals.
A humpback whale off Maui, Hawaii. The humpback has made a remarkable comeback thanks to a ban on whaling the massive mammals.   (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
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