Heatwaves May Be Driving Whale Decline In Pacific: Study

From 2012 to 2021 the number of humpbacks fell 20 percent from some 33,000 individuals to just over 26,600 (Credit: AFP)

The number of North Pacific humpback whales plummeted 20 percent in less than a decade, and marine heatwaves may be the main culprit, according to a study released Wednesday that spells a troubled future for the majestic sea mammals.

Thanks to conservation efforts and the end of commercial whaling in 1976, the region's humpback population steadily increased until 2012.