Sightings off Southern Africa suggest blue and fin whales may be rebounding – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Sightings of blue and fin whales have risen sharply along Southern Africa’s Atlantic coast in recent years. A new study documents this uptick in the Benguela ecosystem and links it to possible population recovery after industrial whaling removed nearly all of these animals from the region. The findings come from records spanning more than six decades and show that most observations occurred after 2012.
Past Hunting Left Lasting Scars
Commercial whaling between 1913 and 1978 killed an estimated 350,000 Antarctic blue whales and 725,000 fin whales in the South Atlantic. Both subspecies were driven to the brink of local extinction, with few confirmed presences in the decades that followed. The Benguela ecosystem, stretching along the coasts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, once supported rich feeding grounds but saw almost no large whales for much of the late 20th century. The scale of the loss reshaped marine food webs in the area. Krill blooms that once sustained massive whale populations went largely unexploited by these giants. Recovery, if underway, would mark one of the slowest rebounds among hunted marine mammals.
Recent Sightings Paint a Different Picture
Researchers compiled every verified report from 1964 through March 2025. They recorded 17 blue whale sightings plus one stranding and 76 fin whale sightings plus six strandings. Ninety-five percent of all these observations took place after 2012, a clear departure from the sparse earlier records. The team, led by Bridget James at the University of Cape Town, focused on the nutrient-rich waters where deep currents bring krill to the surface. The Benguela serves as a migratory corridor between breeding and feeding areas, which helps explain why whales are appearing again even if numbers remain modest.
Timing and Behavior Offer Clues
Blue whales showed up most often from October through December and again in March and April. These windows align with expected migration periods through the region. Fin whales appeared throughout the year, suggesting they may use the area more consistently for feeding. Both species rely on the same abundant krill resource. Their return indicates that prey availability has remained stable enough to support occasional visits by large whales. Continued monitoring will be needed to determine whether these visits represent growing resident groups or simply more frequent passages.
Remaining Questions and Next Steps
Low absolute numbers mean the data cannot yet confirm full population recovery. Strandings and sightings still represent rare events, and many whales may pass through without being recorded. Scientists emphasize that the increase is encouraging but requires longer-term surveys to separate true growth from improved detection. Future work could combine visual counts with acoustic monitoring and satellite tagging. Such efforts would clarify whether the same individuals return year after year or whether new animals are entering the area. The study underscores that protection from hunting alone may not be enough; ongoing threats such as ship strikes and ocean noise also need attention. The reappearance of these giants after decades of absence offers a rare measure of hope for ocean ecosystems once pushed to the edge.
