Humpback whales in the South Atlantic have recovered from near-extinction

A new count shows the population off Brazil went from about 450 in the 1950s to 25,000 now

Humpback whale

Humpback whales in the South Atlantic are recovering so well that the researchers estimate that the population should reach its level prior to commercial exploitation in the year 2030.

L. Candisani/Courtesy Insituto Aqualie

Once hunted almost to extinction, the population of humpback whales that swims the seas between South America and Antarctica has bounced back.