In 1971, the United States government put a halt on commercial whaling and also outlawed the importing of any whale product. This directly helped to reverse the decline and possible extinction of the Blue Whale. There is hope that the Blue Whale may be making a recovery. Eskimos at Bambell Billage on St. Lawrence Island claim that Blue Whales, which have been absent from the waters for some thirty years, are now being seen in small numbers in late summer. Also, the populations in the eastern North Pacific appear to have recovered from the great destructions of the first two-thirds of this century.
Most biologists believe that the whales have been saved, at least for now.
It is very important, though, that endangered species continue to get complete protection for years to come so that we will not loose them forever. In conclusion, today there are a great variety of views on how many Blue Whales actually still exist. Most believe their are anywhere from 5000- 12,500 that are still around. There are a few signs that the Blue Whale is making a recovery. Researchers believe that 50-55 percent of all mature female Blue Whales are pregnant.