WHALES
AND
DOLPHINS




The first 65 years of the twentieth century were particularly difficult for humpbacks; they were intensively hunted for their exceptionally thick blubber, which yielded considerable amounts of oil that was rendered into soap, margarine, or similar products. The tendency of humpbacks to feed in near-coastal waters and gather in concentrations at their winter grounds made them relatively easy targets for whalers. As humpback numbers perilously declined, one geographic region after another was closed to hunting. The last region to be closed was the North Pacific. There, member nations of the International Whaling Commission prohibited the killing of humpbacks, beginning in 1966. At that time, it was estimated that only 1,000 members of this species remained alive in the North Pacific. The original population may have numbered 15,000 or more.

In Hong Kong's scenic western harbour, a population of around 120 Indo-pacific Humpback Dophins, or Chinese White Dolphins (Sousa chinensis) are fighting to survive against a barrage of threats: pollution, habitat loss, overfishing, and boat traffic. As you can see from the pictures, these dolphins are pink. People who have seen both say they're even pinker than the South American Boto. Although Sousa chinensis is found from South Africa to North Australia, this coloration is unique to Southeast Asia.

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