Humpback whale

Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae

Found in all major ocean basins, humpback whales are one of the most widespread whale species. Historically, the primary threat faced by these marine mammals was hunting, with commercial whaling playing a substantial role in their decline. Ship strikes, pollution, entanglement in nets, and climate change also significantly contributed totheir decline.

The outlawing of commercial whaling has allowed populations to recover. Various sanctuaries and other humpback whale protection programs have also been established worldwide. The humpback whale is now classified as least concern by the IUCN and has an estimated population of over 80,000.