Blue whales, the largest animals ever to have lived, are recovering from whaling but face ship strikes and climate-driven prey changes threatening their welfare and recovery.
Blue whales struck by large vessels may die instantly from the impact or survive with severe injuries including broken bones and organ damage causing slow death. Ship strikes are difficult to prevent as both ships and whales are often unaware of impending collision. Krill distribution changes from climate warming and acidification force blue whales to search larger areas for food, increasing energy expenditure and ship strike exposure. The recovery of blue whales from near-extinction represents one of the most important ongoing conservation challenges.