by Tess Boardman

Created on: July 14, 2009   Last Updated: February 24, 2011

Whaling history spans thousands of years and is a rich part of many indigenous cultures. These cultures see whaling as a form of subsistence hunting; however, commercial whaling is based on profit. Historically, whales were harvested for their meat, bones, and oil. Commercial whalers would target a population of whales until nearly decimated, then move on to find new sources. Once plentiful, the population of the earth's large marine mammals is a fraction of what it used to be. Today, whaling is limited in scope and fashion by the International Whaling Commission.

Whales were once prized for their oil, which was used in the lighting of lamps, the making of soap and in the manufacture of wool and leather. Whale oil was also originally used in the manufacture of margarine. Sperm whale oil was more valuable than baleen oil, and sperm whales were the source of ambergris, used in the perfume industry. Whale bones, or more correctly baleen plates, were used for items like corsets, umbrellas, and the supports for hoop skirts. These uses of whale products declined when other solutions, such as steel and kerosene, were discovered.

However, whales are still targeted by whalers today. Despite a moratorium on whale hunting, Japan, Iceland and Norway continue to target whales, including:

- Humpback whales - Humpback whales are large baleen whales, stretching up to 50 feet with the ability to sing. These whales have a unique fluke, or tail, pattern that has pioneered the way for the use of photoidentification methods that allow scientists to track individual populations and migration patterns. These slow swimmers prefer to stay close to shore, which enabled whalers to easily hunt and decimate their populations.

- Sperm Whale - These whales have a high grade of whale oil and have long been prized by the whaling industry. Unlike the other targeted whales, sperm whales are a toothed whale, as opposed to possessing baleen ridges. Up to 60 feet long, these whales can dive the deepest of other whales. Unlike the signing humpback whales, sperm whales make clicking noises while swimming.

- Bryde's whales - Bryde's whales live in tropical and sub-tropical zones. These whales are about 40-50 feet in length. This whale, like many targeted by whalers, is a baleen whale; however, these whales, like sei whales, contain little blubber which saved them from early whaling efforts.

- Sei Whales - This species of whale is strikingly similar to Bryde's whales, and until the 1900's were considered

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