North Pacific Humpback Whales Face Decline Due to Climate Change

After decades of recovery, a significant population drop linked to marine heatwaves highlights the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.

Recovering North Pacific humpback whale populations have declined by about 7,000 individuals from 2012 to 2021, reversing decades of growth due to a massive marine heatwave.
The marine heatwave, known as 'The Blob,' disrupted the marine ecosystem, leading to a shortage of prey and affecting the whales' food availability.
Artificial intelligence-based image recognition of whale photographs, submitted by researchers and the public, has played a crucial role in tracking individual whales and understanding population changes.
The decline in humpback whale numbers reflects broader ecosystem changes and underscores the importance of monitoring and addressing the impacts of climate change on marine life.
Despite the decline, researchers remain hopeful that humpback whales will not face extinction due to climate change, but emphasize the need for continued vigilance against threats like ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.