Key facts
- A humpback whale supergroup of 299 individuals was sighted off the coast of South Africa.
- Scientists attribute the recovery of whale populations to the 1986 international whaling ban.
- Humpback numbers have rebounded from less than 10,000 to over 100,000 in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Increased shipping traffic around Africa's southern tip, driven by Middle East conflicts, poses a new threat to whales.
- Experts are advocating for ship speed limits to reduce whale-ship collisions.
A rare sighting of nearly 300 humpback whales, described as a 'supergroup,' off the coast of South Africa has highlighted the significant recovery of some whale species following an international whaling ban implemented in 1986. Chris and Monique Fallows documented the extraordinary gathering, which scientists say is indicative of successful conservation efforts in the southern hemisphere.
Humpback whale populations have rebounded from fewer than 10,000 individuals to over 100,000 in the southern hemisphere, according to assessments by scientists and the International Whaling Commission. These supergroups, typically seen in food-rich areas where whales feed on krill or small fish, have been observed more frequently since around 2012, a phenomenon attributed to their recovery from commercial whaling.
While humpbacks have experienced a notable comeback, other whale species face a more mixed recovery and persistent threats such as entanglement in fishing gear, ship collisions, and climate change. Seven out of 14 great whale species are classified as endangered or vulnerable, with North Atlantic right whales critically endangered.
A new and significant threat has emerged for whales around South Africa: increased shipping traffic. Due to conflicts in the Middle East, particularly the Israel-Hamas war and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, shipping routes have been diverted around Africa's southern tip. This surge in maritime activity, quadrupling since December 2023, escalates the risk of collisions between ships and whales. While detailed statistics are scarce as most whale carcasses sink, evidence of propeller strikes on beached whales indicates the severity of the problem. Experts are now lobbying for official speed limits for ships in these waters to provide whales with more time to evade vessels.