#humpback-whales

#humpback-whales

"In a way, we're reading the mind through the nose," says neurobiologist and study co-author Noam Sobel, referring to how breathing patterns could indicate physical or mental states.

Humpback whales, which now number between 30,000 and 50,000, have made a remarkable recovery, returning from near extinction due to aggressive hunting efforts in the past.

Despite their large eyes, humpback whales possess limited visual acuity, comparable to nearsightedness, which significantly increases their risk of entanglement in fishing gear.

More than 200 confirmed sightings of newborn humpback calves across a vast area, suggesting a shift in the perceived calving range for these whales.

"Based on the department's own data, in the last three seasons, 33 humpback whales out of a total of 38 were first sighted entangled after the central California crab season closed," Dr. Geoff Shester, Oceana's California campaign director and senior scientist, said in a statement.