A day with Humpbacks I sat on the deadlands of Neah Bay, Washington, and watched a mother humpback and her calf slip through the icy Pacific waters. I recognized this humpback by her distinctive tall patterns, as unique to her as my fingerprints are to me. Once, heavy hunting using harpoons decimated populations of humpbacks, but they have since started to recover. As this gray female rises to the surface, she exhales, sending up a spout nearly 20 feet high. She rolls on her side and lifts her scalloped edge flipper in salute, then slaps it on the water. I adjust my lens and take a shot. This is the only type of whale hunting I find acceptable – hunting with a camera! Which of the following statements conveys the main idea of the passage?
A. This particular humpback whale has never been seen previously by the author
B. Humpback whales travel in waters near Washington
C. Cameras and harpoons are both ways of hunting humpbacks
D. Humpbacks while populations are finally recovering after nearly being wiped out.
Choice D conveys the main idea of the passage because it talks about the recovery of humpback whale populations after they were nearly wiped out due to heavy hunting using harpoons.
The passage describes the author's experience watching a mother humpback and her calf, and while there are other details mentioned, the main focus is on the recovery of humpback whales after the sustained hunting. The other choices are not the main focus of the passage and are either incorrect or not directly related to the main idea.
Therefore, the Correct Answer is D.