World Whale Day celebrated today
On February 19, the global community celebrates the World Whale Day. It has been celebrated since 1986, when, after 200 years of an intensive whale hunt, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) introduced a ban on commercial whaling.
Commercial whaling also has a long history. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was very intensive and some of the species were almost put out of existence. People hunted whales not only for meat and oil. Whalebones were used for manufacturing of corsets and crinolines, umbrella frames and whip-handles.
Even today when the commercial whaling has been banned the killing of whales continues. Today, there are about 100 species of marine mammals in the world. The task of the scientists is not only to protect them, but also to seek increase their numbers.