After 40 Years, a Blue Whale Population Bounces Back
6:26 minutes
It took four decades, but after being hunted to near-extinction, the California blue whale population has finally bounced back. According to a new paper in Marine Mammal Science, these behemoths (found primarily along the coasts of California and Mexico) have reached 97 percent of their original population size. Researcher Trevor Branch discusses the conservation strategies that helped bolster the population and whether they can be applied to other threatened species.
Segment Guests
Trevor Branch
Trevor Branch is an assistant professor in aquatic and fishery sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.
Meet the Producer
About Becky Fogel
@beckyfogelBecky Fogel is a newscast host and producer at Texas Standard, a daily news show broadcast by KUT in Austin, Texas. She was formerly Science Friday’s production assistant.