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- Global whale kills
Global whale kills
Our World in Data's bar chart drew 11.5K views on X: 0.4x its typical post and #134 of 139 Our World in Data charts we track by views. Read Oct 10, 2026.
The number of whales killed globally peaked in the 1960s, Global whale populations fell dramatically over the 20th century due to human hunting. Some whale species were pushed to the brink of extinction.
Why it spread
This post spread because an independent author with a big source reach paired a clear bar chart of whale kills per decade rising then falling sharply with a strong narrative about the 1960s peak, drawing 179 likes, 30 reposts, 2 quotes, 10 saves, and 11,481 views.
What worked
- The bar chart makes a simple rise then sharp fall pattern easy to grasp at a glance.
- The post text anchors the chart in a concrete historical peak in the 1960s and a dramatic 20th century decline.
- The branded chart includes a source line and comes from a big source, which supports trust and sharing.
What to borrow
We could use the same form by taking one of our own time series, showing a clear rise then fall in a simple bar chart, and framing it with a short historical turning point.
Careful
Do not over-read the low quote rate or the missing comment and save context, and do not assume the same framing will travel without our own strong source and clear turning point.
Written by our analysis model from the measured numbers above, not by Our World in Data.
Make it yours
Your numbers, in this bar chart.
Starts from the real numbers of "Number of whales killed globally per decade" by Our World in Data. Replace every number with yours before you post. Make one like this, step by step
Free pictures carry a small "Made with ViralChart" line. That line is how other people find us.
API · Max
Use this chart via API
On the Max plan you can pull this chart's numbers with the provenance of each one, as JSON or CSV, with its redraw spec, or call it from an agent over MCP. Chart id 10dd24011b44.
| Path | Returns | Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/v1/charts/10dd24011b44 | Title, publisher, date, form, point count; with a Max key, the data link | Open |
| GET | /api/v1/charts/10dd24011b44/data | Every point with its provenance and confidence, plus the redraw spec. Add ?format=csv for CSV | Max |
| GET | /api/v1/charts/10dd24011b44/render?view=1 | The draw-only view this page uses | Open |
| POST | /mcp | Tool get_chart_data with this id, for Claude, Cursor and other agents | Max |
curl -s https://viral-chart.com/api/v1/charts/10dd24011b44/data \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $VIRALCHART_KEY"claude mcp add --transport http viralchart https://viral-chart.com/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer $VIRALCHART_KEY"60 requests a minute per key; over that you get 429 with Retry-After. Up to 5 keys per account, made on your account page and shown once. Without Max, the data route answers 402 with a link to the plans. The numbers describe a chart its publisher owns, and every file carries a license note.
More from Our World in Data
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Questions people ask
How far did Our World in Data's "Global whale kills" chart travel?
11,481 views, 179 likes, 30 reposts and 10 saves on X, read Oct 10, 2026. A normal post from @OurWorldInData gets about 28.6K views.
What kind of chart is it?
A bar chart. Whale kills per decade rise then fall sharply.
Can I use Our World in Data's chart?
Use the format, not the picture. The chart, logo and design belong to Our World in Data. ViralChart redraws the chart type with your numbers and words, and credits the original publisher.