Table 1: Different Population Levels of Different Whale Species and Their Classification

(Sources: IWC; 1991. Oceanus; Spring, 1989. NMFS; Engangered Whales Status Update; June 1991)

Species Population Estimates -
Original level 		Population Estimates -
Latest level 		Listing by
U.S. Gov't* 		Listing by
IUCN***
Blue Whale****
228,000
14,000
Severely Depleted
Endangered
Fin Whale****
548,000
120,000
Severely Depleted
Vulnerable
Sei Whale****
256,000
54,000
Severely Depleted
Vulnerable
Bowhead Whale****
30,000
8,000
Severely Depleted
Vulnerable
Sperm Whale****
2,400,000
1,950,000
At or above OSP
(Optimum Sustainable Pop.)
Insufficiently known
Right Whale****
(North Atlantic)
-
1,000
Severely Depleted
Endangered
Right Whale****
(Southern Hemisphere)
100,000
3,000
Severely Depleted
Vulnerable
Humpback Whale****
115,000
10,000
Severely Depleted
-
Gray Whale****
>20,000
21,000
Recovered
Unclassified
Bryde's Whale****
100,000
90,000
Not listed
Insifficiently known
Minke Whale
140,000
941,240**
Not listed
Insufficiently known

* According to the recent announcement by NMFS, U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
** Including 761,000 in the Southern Hemisphere estimated by IWC/SC in 1990.
*** Status quoted from the IUCN Red Data Book, 'Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales of the World', 1991.
**** Oceanus, spring 1989.

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