The number of Arctic whales increases

Scientists say the number of white whales has increased in Alaska waters in 2012.

White whale in the small bay Cook

According to information from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Cook's small bay (stretching 290km from Alaska Bay to Anchorage) is home to the endemic white whale of the Arctic.

NOAA's 2012 aerial survey shows 312 children in Cook Bay, up from 278 in 2011.

Initially, the number of white whales amounted to about 1,300, a significant decrease in the 1990s and then continued to decline. This small increase in 2012 is seen as an important milestone for scientists to pay attention to, because their population trend has been declining over the past two decades.

Statistics show that the overall trend of whales in the past 10 years declined at an average annual rate of 0.6%, indicating that they are in danger of extinction in the future, NOAA scientists said.