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Whaling has been going on since at least 6 000BC, while traditional Artic Whaling has developed rapidly with many fleets organised by the governments of those countries in the 17th century. The whales are also killed for their oil and in the 18th,19th and early 20th century they were killed for their baleen as it was used for hairbrushes etc.

Their meat was the biggest resource though as it was used for food, the whalers only used 10% of the whales meat. Whale numbers started to decrease in the mid 1800's which lead to many species becoming endangered.

In addition, Japan has embarked on a series of research programmes (allowed by the IWC), and annually killed up to 700 minke whales, mainly from the Southern Ocean, but also from the north-western Pacific. However, several populations remain endangered (numbering 500 or less), including most stocks of bowhead whales, western Pacific grey whales, northern right whales, Humpback whales, Minke Whales and various stocks of blue whales.

Now in 2008 the japanese are still whaling and our Australian Government is trying to take action to solve the problem. As the japanese are whaling they are covering it up as scientific research and they have found a new discovery. . . . The Humpback Whales have decreased in weight in the last 10 years by 300kg.

Although the Humpback Whale may be in lowest risk of becoming endangered we still don't want to take that risk of losing a beautiful and graceful creature.To find out ways to help the whales visit the What we can do to help page.

By Maddy Short