![Picture](/uploads/7/9/9/9/79993200/179796669.jpg?250)
The Humpback Whales’ feeding, mating, and calving are close to shore and they are also slower swimmers. For these reasons the humpback whales were an easy target for early whalers. These species were hunted to extinction for its fur and flesh for meat. The population decreased by 90%. In 1966, the International Whaling Commission gave them worldwide protection status, but there were illegal kills by people from the Soviet Union until the 1970's. Currently they have 30,000-40,000 present and about 30-35% of the original population.