Whale populations expand through conservation and climate-driven migration

Whale populations are showing significant shifts due to both conservation successes and climate change. In Brazil, humpback whales have seen a historic recovery. After being near extinction in the early 1990s with estimates of only 1,500 to 2,000 individuals, the population visiting the Brazilian coast to breed has grown to over 30,000, according to a 2022 aerial census. This recovery is attributed to sustained protection and scientific monitoring, such as the Projeto Baleia Jubarte established in 1988.

Simultaneously, warming ocean temperatures and receding sea ice are altering ecosystems in Greenland. Approximately 14,500 whales, including humpbacks and various rorquals, have recently colonized the eastern coast of Greenland. This movement, part of a process known as borealization, is driven by melting ice opening previously inaccessible territories. While reflecting a recovery from past hunting, this influx poses a threat to the local capelin fish population, as the whales consume nearly a million tons of prey annually, potentially impacting the regional fishing sector.