Whale (Blue) - In Danger

In recent decades the huge size of the blue whale has made it a prime target for the whaling industry. Antarctic whalers slaughtered 30,000 during the season of 1930-1931. The body was reduced into oil for use in food manufacture, and the baleen used for ‘whalebone’ (ladies’ corsets once contained this).

Since 1986 commercial whaling has largely ceased and the whales have shown some signs of breeding success. Although, according to the WWF, there are currently only 10,000 to 25,000 Blue Whales.