Scientists are reporting encouraging signs that humpback whale populations are continuing to recover, with unusually large gatherings known as “supergroups” being observed off the coast of South Africa. The sightings suggest that conservation efforts following the 1986 international ban on commercial whaling have helped the species rebound significantly.
Wildlife photographers Chris and Monique Fallows recently documented an extraordinary gathering of 299 humpback whales, believed to be the largest such group ever recorded. Researchers from the conservation organization Happywhale confirmed the count, explaining that the whales were identified through photographs of their unique tail flukes. Scientists believe these massive gatherings occur in areas with abundant food supplies and reflect the growing health of the population.
According to marine researchers and the International Whaling Commission, humpback whale numbers in the Southern Hemisphere have increased from fewer than 10,000 animals during the peak of commercial whaling to more than 100,000 today. Many conservationists describe this as one of the greatest success stories in marine wildlife protection.
Despite this recovery, experts warn that whales face a growing threat from increased commercial shipping. Ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have redirected many cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa, dramatically increasing traffic through important whale feeding and migration areas. Preliminary research indicates that shipping in the region has increased roughly fourfold since late 2023, raising the likelihood of fatal collisions between ships and whales.
Marine biologists note that many ship strikes go unrecorded because whale carcasses often sink before they can be found. However, whales that wash ashore sometimes bear deep propeller wounds, highlighting the seriousness of the problem. Researchers are therefore calling for lower vessel speeds and adjustments to shipping routes near South Africa to reduce the danger to marine mammals.
Although humpback whales have made a remarkable recovery, conservation organisations stress that seven of the world’s fourteen great whale species remain endangered or vulnerable. Alongside ship collisions, entanglement in fishing gear, ocean pollution and climate change continue to threaten whale populations around the globe.
