Northern bottlenose whales show remarkable recovery in nova scotia’s protected waters after decades of conservation efforts

In a rare conservation success story, northern bottlenose whales are making a comeback in Canadian waters after decades of decline. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology reveals that the endangered whale population in the Gully, a massive submarine canyon off Nova Scotia’s coast, is finally growing thanks to sustained protection efforts.

These playful marine mammals, which resemble oversized dolphins, were once heavily targeted by commercial whalers across the Atlantic Ocean. The hunting pressure caused their numbers to plummet throughout their range, and recovery has been painfully slow due to the whales’ low reproductive rates and ongoing threats like ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement that continue to plague populations worldwide.

However, the Gully represents a beacon of hope. This underwater canyon—as deep and wide as the Grand Canyon—provides critical habitat for the Scotian Shelf population of northern bottlenose whales. Reduced commercial fishing and vessel traffic in the protected area have created safer conditions for these deep-diving whales, which live year-round in their canyon homes.

“At the broadest scale, submarine canyons stir up the oceanography, and that typically translates into more productivity, life and food—good for everything!” explained co-author Hal Whitehead. The Gully’s unique oceanographic features create nutrient-rich waters that support the entire marine food web, making it an ideal sanctuary for whale recovery. This success demonstrates that dedicated conservation efforts and habitat protection can work, offering valuable lessons for protecting other struggling whale populations worldwide.