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Key species of endangered whale
Fin whale
The fin whale is the second largest whale species after the blue whale, to which it is genetically close. Fin-blue whale hybrids are known.
Fin whales were heavily exploited by modern whaling, especially in the Antarctic and North Pacific. There are no agreed estimates of current population, although there are some signs of recovery in parts of the southern hemisphere. There are about 40-50,000 in the North Atlantic, and up to 19 can be taken by Greenlandic aboriginal hunters per year.
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