Wildlife

Wild Whale Migration Routes and Human Threats

Whale migration routes expose these animals to shipping, fishing gear, and noise pollution.

Key Facts

Grey whales migrate 20,000km annually between Arctic feeding grounds and Mexican breeding lagoons
Blue whales follow specific migration routes that overlap with shipping lanes
Ship strike kills and injures large whales in high-traffic areas
Speed reductions in known whale habitat reduce ship strike fatalities by 80-90%

Welfare Considerations

Whales struck by ships experience massive blunt trauma — often instantaneous death but sometimes prolonged suffering from non-fatal injuries. Whales struck and injured but not killed may swim with severe wounds for days before dying. Shipping speed reductions and routing measures in whale migration corridors directly prevent individual whale suffering at a manageable cost to commercial shipping.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory ship speed reductions in whale migration corridors
Advocate for whale migration routes to be incorporated in maritime routing
Choose shipping companies with documented whale safety commitments
Donate to whale ship-strike research and prevention organisations