Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, are returning to the coastal Californian waters in larger and larger numbers, with sightings on whale-watching trips becoming increasingly common.
According to a 2014 study investigating the impact of ship strikes on the blue whale population, the western Pacific population of these cetaceans has reached 97% of its pre-whaling levels.
"It's not just one entity that is contributing to the success of the populations rebounding; it's really the efforts of everyone," Jennie Dean, Vice President of Education and Conservation at the Aquarium of the Pacific in LA, told KTLA.
Commercial fishing tackle can harm whales, and so the industry took measures to reduce this and it worked.
Too many blue whales were killed every year in ship strikes, and so Pacific shipping narrowed their lanes to avoid areas where whales congregate, and are now agreeing to reduce their speeds when entering and exiting harbor areas.
The blue whale population's recovery is evidence of the value of ocean protection and the strength of group effort. It serves as a reminder that, with cooperation, even the worst circumstances can be turned around.
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