Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay Good News

~ John W. Howell
By Sara Hysong-Shimazu / Pacific Whale Watch Association

According to the Good News Network, a record number of 21 calves have been recorded off the coasts of Washington State and British Columbia this season, marking a significant rebound for a species endangered just 25 years ago when zero Humpbacks were counted. In addition, this year, 500 Humpback whales were observed.

According to Mark Malleson of the Center for Whale Research, that is the highest annual number of calves on record so far for the region and is near twice as many as were reported last year, when 11 calves were documented.

“2021 has been a banner year for female humpbacks coming into the Salish Sea with new calves,” says Wendi Robinson, a naturalist with Puget Sound Express. “Calves only travel with mom for a year or so, and then they’re on their own. Once they’re familiar with our waters, they will often return year after year to feed.”

As to the cause of this year’s baby boom, Erin Gless, Executive Director of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, can only speculate.

“We’re not sure why there were so many calves this year,” she says. “It’s possible the last two years had an abundance of food for the whales.”

“25 years ago, here off of inland B.C. waters, we had zero humpback whales, so this is a new phenomenon in our waters … they’ve made up for lost time. We are seeing lots and lots of whales, which is super exciting.”

Humpbacks have also bounced back in the South Atlantic. After the population had diminished to only 450 whales, 2019 research showed to 25,000—an estimate now close to pre-whaling numbers.

Today’s JohnKu talks about nature’s strength. I hope you have a super weekend.

Nature by John W. Howell © 2021

Left alone awhile,

Nature has the way to fix . . .

Mistakes of mankind.

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Published by John W. Howell

I have been working in business for over forty years and now have the time to work in special areas of interest. My passion has always been to create compelling stories of fiction. I have authored six novels and am working on my Seventh. The first novel is still in manuscript form and being utilized as a door stop in the laundry room. The second is a contemporary fiction novel of 89,000 words and is complete and I am currently seeking a publisher. I also write poetry but have not had the guts to share any with anyone. The one time I read a piece to a person their only comment was, “it doesn’t rhyme.” I will continue to write and hopefully my blog, Fiction Favorites at www.johnwhowell.com will provide some entertainment and an interesting thought or two. I live in the Austin area with my wife Molly and an assortment of loving pets.

88 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay Good News”

  4. Dear John,
    GREAT to read. At our coast whales are rare but this year we had more sightings than ever before.
    Wishing you a pleasant weekend
    The Fab Four of Cley
    🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  6. That is fantastic news, John. I love that nature has a way of taking back when man is not in the way. 2020 was so good for that. All that wildlife that returned.
    Perfect haiku to finish it off!
    Happy Friday.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. So true, GP. We humans are like a troublesome brother-in-law who is staying in the spare room. Since he has no job there is no where he can go. Gotta hope he stays in his room more than on the living room couch. (Long drawn out analogy I know)

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Once upon a time, I lived on Salt Spring Island, off the coast of British Columbia. The wildlife was abundant and sitings of humpback whales were frequent. What magnificent creatures they are! Thank you for the uplifting and hopeful report — and the wonderful memories. Your haiku is beautiful and so true. 💗

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Since 1986 Japan’s whaling industry has been part of the International Whaling Comission and only caught whales for so called scientific reasons. In July of this year, they began whaling again since dropping out of the commission. They will be taking 300 minke whales Supposedly minkes are not endangered.

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  13. I saw Humpback Whales many years ago off the coast of Canada. It was a wonderful experience. I also saw a Right Whale with a baby which is now considered to have less than 350 left in the world. I was almost close enough to touch that Right Whale. (which is of course illegal!) It is so sad to think that these beautiful creatures may ceased to exist because of us.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I have hopes (silly me) that some of the work being done to clear the oceans of plastic will help. It is sad that humans can’t co-exist with creatures. The creatures always lose when mankind moves in.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. This is really great news. I’ve had the chance to see Orcas up close and personal in Glacier Bay, and once you’ve seen a whale, you never forget it. In the same vein, the population of Attwater Prairie Chickens is at its highest since 1993; at least 178 birds (89 males) were counted this year, a stark turnaround from near extinction in the wild just a few years ago. Following Hurricane Harvey, the 2018 spring count revealed only 13 males. In that case, a helping human hand is involved; reducing the number of fire ants that were eating the insects the babies needed to grow and flourish was the key.

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  19. Fantastic news! It is a mystery as to what caused the rebound. Perhaps less pollution to to the COVID shutdown? Who knows, but it’s great news! Love the JohnKu!! Happy Fri-Yay!

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Glad I came back for this one. Great story about humpback whales! Thanks for sharing. Left alone, nature has ups and downs as a way of maintaining balance. It can even correct some of our mistakes. Then again, it will also adjust based on our bigger mistakes, but maybe not in the way we want.

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