Heat waves may be driving whale decline in Pacific – study

PARIS: The number of North Pacific humpback whales plummeted 20 percent in less than a decade, and marine heat waves may be the main culprit, according to a study released Wednesday that spells a troubled future for the majestic sea mammals.

Thanks to conservation efforts and the end of commercial whaling in 1976, the region's humpback population steadily increased until 2012.