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For centuries, people assumed that whales were enormous fish. It wasn't until the 18th century that naturalist Carl von Linné (also known as Linnaeus) recognized them as something much more startling: air-breathing mammals that spend their whole lives in the water. Cetaceans—whales, dolphins and porpoises—are a diverse group, from the filter-feeding humpback and deep-sea diving sperm whale to the narwhal, with its distinctive single tusk. There are even nearly blind freshwater dolphins that find their way primarily by echolocation.
Perhaps most remarkable is how much remains unknown. Of the more than 75 identified cetaceans, most are difficult to study in the wild and impossible to keep in captivity. And even today, new species continue to be discovered.
Historically, coastal peoples around the world hunted whales in small, sustainable numbers. The 16th century ushered in an era of far-ranging ships and increased commercial whaling. By 1900, though, the industry had been completely revolutionized. Fast steam-powered vessels and explosive harpoons allowed whalers to deplete populations even more severely in a few short decades. With several species on the brink of extinction, large-scale commercial whaling was restricted internationally in the 1980s.
Even with these protections, cetaceans are at continued risk from human activity. Coastal and river species face increasing development pressure on their vulnerable habitats. Fishing gear kills thousands of cetaceans each year, and increasing underwater noise pollution may disrupt whales' long-distance communications, drive them from critical habitats or sometimes even cause tissue damage. The threat of renewed hunting is always a possibility. Our future response to these and other threats will determine whether most cetacean species survive.
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| | John Prentice Benson | |
This depiction of a doomed sperm whale was one of numerous whaling murals that once decorated this hall. Painted in the 1920s, this image typifies the early-20th-century view of whales as a resource. After many species were drastically reduced, global opinion as well as needs changed, and commercial whaling was greatly restricted.
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