#TBT to 1985 when we whale-comed a crew of star-trekking time travelers. Happy 50th Anniversary, Star Trek! George and Gracie say “Hi!”
When Star Trek IV hit theaters, humpback whale populations were low, having been hunted to the brink of extinction before a hunting moratorium was introduced in 1966. But thanks to conservation efforts, these whales have made huge strides towards recovery, so much so that nine of the 14 distinct humpback populations were recently taken off the Endangered Species List. Live long and prosper, humpback whales!