Whale 'Supergroup' So Huge It Looked Like 'Manhattan Skyline'. The Only Problem: Iran War
Whale 'Supergroup' So Huge It Looked Like 'Manhattan Skyline'. The Only Problem: Iran War Published By, Last Updated: July 26, 2026, 14:43 IST Nearly 300-strong
Whale 'Supergroup' So Huge It Looked Like 'Manhattan Skyline'. The Only Problem: Iran War Published By, Last Updated: July 26, 2026, 14:43 IST Nearly 300-strong supergroup of Whales came from underwater and a couple found their boat in the middle of it. Whale numbers have risen but now the Iran war poses a threat. Rapid Read A whale supergroup was spotted off the coast of South Africa. This pointed recovering numbers. Though, now the Iran war poses a threat. (Image source: X) A South African couple witnessed an unusual gathering of humpback whales, with nearly 300 of the giant mammals coming together in a rare “supergroup". However, the war in West Asia is giving rise to a rather counterintuitive bother for the whales. Scientists say such sightings point to a strong recovery in whale populations in the southern hemisphere, decades after the global ban on commercial whaling came into force in 1986, as reported by the Associated Press (AP). Chris and Monique Fallows said they had seen whale groups grow steadily off South Africa’s west coast. But they were unprepared for the scale of what they encountered one morning last December.
Jets of mist shot into the air as whales surfaced in quick succession. The couple soon realised their boat sat in the middle of a massive supergroup. “It was extraordinary," said Chris Fallows, a renowned fine art wildlife photographer who has documented marine animals for 35 years. “Quite quickly we realised that there must be several hundred whales coming together in one particular area." He said the scene resembled a “Manhattan skyline" of whale breath plumes. The pair counted 299 whales by photographing their tails, known as flukes. Monique Fallows, an author and naturalist, said each fluke has a unique pattern. Scientists often use this method to identify individual whales. Whale Numbers Rebound After Ban Experts say the sighting could be the largest humpback group ever recorded. Alex Vogel, Africa coordinator for Happywhale, said the organisation verified the count using its global database built from public submissions. Humpback whale numbers have surged in recent decades. Scientists and the International Whaling Commission estimate the population has grown from fewer than 10,000 at the peak of whaling to over 100,000 today. Humpbacks usually travel alone or in small groups. However, they sometimes form supergroups in areas rich in food like krill and small fish.
Els Vermeulen, chief scientist at the University of Pretoria’s Whale Unit, said such gatherings began reappearing around 2012. She linked them to the species’ recovery. “In general, the moratorium on whaling can be classified as one of the strongest conservation success stories in the marine environment," she said. She added that feeding whales produce underwater sounds that attract others, leading to these large clusters. Rising Threats From Global Shipping Despite the rebound, risks remain. The World Wildlife Fund says several whale species still face threats from fishing gear, ship strikes and climate change. Seven of the 14 great whale species remain endangered or vulnerable, according to global conservation assessments. The North Atlantic right whale, for instance, has a population of only about 380. Vermeulen also flagged a new concern near South Africa: rising ship traffic linked to conflicts in the Middle East. She said a preliminary study found shipping around southern Africa has quadrupled since December 2023, as vessels avoid the Red Sea due to attacks and regional tensions. More ships increase the risk of collisions. Gregg Oelofse, Cape Town’s coastal and environmental manager, said many whale deaths go unrecorded because carcasses sink.
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