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Humpback whales, enjoy the warm waters of Tonga, Pacific Ocean. Every year humpback whales migrate north from the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean to give birth and breed in the sheltered waters of the Pacific ocean. Like other large whales, the humpback was a target for the whaling industry. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, its population fell by an estimated 90% before a 1966 moratorium. While stocks have partially recovered to some 80,000 animals worldwide, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships and noise pollution continue to impact on the species. Photo: Paul Hilton for Earth Tree Images

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Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
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Whales
Humpback whales, enjoy the warm waters of Tonga, Pacific Ocean. Every year humpback whales migrate north from the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean to give birth and breed in the sheltered waters of the Pacific ocean. Like other large whales, the humpback was a target for the whaling industry. Once hunted to the brink of extinction, its population fell by an estimated 90% before a 1966 moratorium. While stocks have partially recovered to some 80,000 animals worldwide, entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships and noise pollution continue to impact on the species. Photo: Paul Hilton for Earth Tree Images