Feds take most humpback whales off endangered species list


              In this August 25, 2012 photo, boaters watch a humpback whale breach off the coast of Gloucester, Mass. Federal authorities are taking most humpback whales off the endangered species list. The National Marine Fisheries Service said Monday, Sept. 5, 2016 that nine of the 14 distinct populations of humpbacks have recovered enough in the last 40 years to warrant being removed from the endangered list. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
In this August 25, 2012 photo, boaters watch a humpback whale breach off the coast of Gloucester, Mass. Federal authorities are taking most humpback whales off the endangered species list. The National Marine Fisheries Service said Monday, Sept. 5, 2016 that nine of the 14 distinct populations of humpbacks have recovered enough in the last 40 years to warrant being removed from the endangered list. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

HONOLULU (AP) - Federal authorities are taking most humpback whales off the endangered species list.

The National Marine Fisheries Service said Tuesday that nine of the 14 distinct populations of humpback whales have recovered enough in the last 40 years to warrant being removed from the endangered list.

The agency says four distinct populations remain endangered and one is threatened.

Last year, it proposed removing most of the world's humpback whales from the endangered species list. It said populations of the animals have steadily grown since the international community banned commercial whaling nearly 50 years ago.

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This story has been corrected to show that the federal government made the announcement Tuesday, not Monday.

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