Whale 2017-2022 rightwhales

North American right whale Unusual Mortality Event

Whale 2021 riceswhale

The newly identified Baleen whale is one of the most endangered marine mammal species

Whale 2018-2019 finwhale

Largest gathering of fin whales ever documented

Whale 2018 japanesewhaling

Japan leave IWC to resume commercial whaling

hist-5689-photo-Norway, Iceland and Japan Continue Annual Whale Hunts

Norway, Iceland and Japan continue annual whale hunts

Whale 2016 humpackdelisting

Nine humpback whale populations delisted as endangered

hist-5688-photo-Some Large Whale Species Gradually Rebounding

Some large whale species gradually rebounding

hist-5687-photo-California Gray Whales Removed from the Endangered Species List

California gray whales removed from the endangered species list

hist-5686-photo-Moratorium on Commercial Whaling

Moratorium on commercial whaling

Whales 1978 antiwhaling

Anti-whaling campaign gains momentum

Whale 1905-1976 finwhale

Fin wale population destroyed in the Antarctic

Whale 1970 northpacificrightwhale

Northern right whale listed as endangered

Whale 1946 commissionsigning

International Whaling Commission formed

Whale 1932-1939 bwoffboat

118,300 blue whales slaughtered

Whale 1910 shore

We shall become one of the greatest whaling nations

hist-5682-photo-2.9 Million Whales Killed

2.9 million whales killed

Whale 1850 lithograph

A thousand whales pass daily

Whale 1726 whaling

Impossible to escape striking upon them

hist-5678-photo-Two or Three Thousand Whale Remains

Two or three thousand whale remains

Whales 1700s extinction

Extinction of the North Atlantic gray whale

Whale 1646 illustration

"so many whales"

hist-5677-photo-Everyday We Saw Whales, The Mayflower, William Bradford

Everyday We Saw Whales

hist-5676-photo-Charges for Storing Whale-Bone, King Sancho VI 

Charges for storing whale-bone

Whale 500 makahwhalehunters

Makah Whale Hunting

Whale 500bc selknam

Whales important to indigenous ceremonies

Whales 6000BCE depictions

Depictions of whaling found in neolithic petroglyphs

Whales

Whaling

Humans have hunted whales for thousands of years, valuing nearly every part of the animal. Peaking in the 1900s, it’s estimated that more whales were killed in this time than the previous four centuries combined. Today, the International Whaling Commission works to prevent overhunting of whales, having enacted a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1982. Japan and Norway still practice whaling despite international backlash. Limited whaling is permitted to indigenous cultures, but the real threat remains from unregulated commercial efforts that hunt fragile populations around the globe. 

Climate Change

Climate change is a leading cause of mass extinction in the 21st century. Whales and other cetaceans face habitat loss, diminishing amounts of prey species, and disturbances in migration and distribution. Changes in sea ice coverage impact zooplankton distribution and availability. This changes how whales forage, causing them to expend more energy, reducing their ability to reproduce. 

Pollution

High levels of contaminants from environmental pollution directly threaten whale populations. Warmer ocean temperatures can elevate these concentrations further damaging endangered species and inducing immune suppression responses. These pollutants can affect female whales' ability to successfully reproduce. Ocean waste like nets can trap and in some cases kill whales.

Most Pressing Issues

Ocean Alliance


Ocean Alliance’s mission is to protect whales and their ocean environment through research, scientific collaboration, public education, and the arts. Ocean Alliance, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Organization, and was founded in 1971.

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Sea Shepherd’s sole mission is to protect and conserve the world’s oceans and marine wildlife. They work to defend all marine wildlife, from whales and dolphins, to sharks and rays, to fish and krill, without exception.

American Cetacean Society

The American Cetacean Society (ACS) was founded in 1967 and is recognized as the first whale, dolphin, and porpoise conservation group in the world. For five decades, ACS has been dedicated to bringing education, current research, and critical conservation issues to people who care about cetaceans and the habitats on which they depend. 

How You Can Help