Hi I am Emily and I would like to ask you about blue whales. Are the blue
whales species in extinction and if they are for what reason have they
became extinct?
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Emily,
Blue whales are not extinct, however, they are listed as endangered by the
U.S. Endangered Species Act. Blue whales were hunted extensively (=whaling)
for their large quantities of baleen, blubber, and meat. Although blue
whales are protected, many populations show few signs of recovery. In fact,
some stocks (such as those that feed off California) have shown encouraging
signs of recovery. Blue whale numbers appear to at least be on the rise in
the eastern North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific. The world population
of blue whales is approximately 7,000-10,000 with 2,000 of these whales
found in California. The California population has been noted to be growing
and is the highest population in the world.
Hope this helps,
Dagmar Fertl
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