You're probably familiar with Moby-Dick, the classic novel about a giant albino sperm whale and a captain so obsessed with revenge that things spiral into total disaster. (Oops, spoilers—though technically, Ishmael makes it out, so… kind of a happy ending?)
Published in 1851, Moby-Dick is a deep, symbolic, and famously long novel that also happens to include an overwhelming amount of detail about the whaling industry—because back then, commercial whaling was very much a thing.
Some Whales Alive Today Were Born Before Moby-Dick Hit Bookshelves
During the height of whaling, humans hunted over 50,000 whales a year for oil, meat, and baleen. It wasn't until 1946 that the International Whaling Commission started regulating the industry, and even then, commercial whaling remained legal in some places until 1986.
And yet, somehow, a few whales that were alive before Moby-Dick was published are still around today.
Scientists, working alongside Inupiat whalers (who are permitted to hunt for subsistence), have been able to estimate the ages of bowhead whales using amino acids from their eyes and even old harpoon fragments found lodged in their bodies. Based on this research, at least three bowhead whales alive today were swimming the Arctic waters before 1850.
The Remarkable Resilience of Bowhead Whales
Considering that commercial whaling nearly wiped them out, it's incredible that some bowheads have lived this long. While sperm whales—like the fictional Moby Dick—are still one of the most populous large marine mammals, bowhead whales remain endangered, even though their numbers have increased by 20% since the mid-1980s.
Most whales today are between 20 and 70 years old, a far cry from their near-mythical elders who have survived over 170 years of oceanic history.
Modern Threats to These Ancient Giants
While harpoons aren’t the primary threat anymore, whales still face dangers from industrialization. Oil drilling in the Arctic and the Great Australian Bight threatens marine ecosystems, and seismic blasting used in exploration can cause severe harm to whales' hearing—potentially disorienting them or even proving fatal.
For creatures that have survived centuries of human interference, it would be a tragedy for modern industry to be what finally does them in.
If you'd like to help ensure that at least one whale makes it to a legendary 200+ years, consider supporting conservation efforts. After all, a birthday party for a 200-year-old whale would be pretty epic.