Whale sightings rise as populations recover

A new study found that 95 percent of recorded sightings of Antarctic blue whales and fin whales occurred since 2012. Researchers say sightings appear to be steadily increasing as populations recover following decades of international conservation efforts.

The University of Cape Town-led study coincides with the 40th anniversary of the 1986 commercial whaling moratorium. Researchers cautioned that the total number of sightings for each subspecies remains relatively low.

Japan, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands continue to hunt whales despite the moratorium, although the number killed globally reached a historic low during the last decade.