Blue whales — the largest animals ever to exist on Earth — face ongoing welfare threats despite commercial whaling protections.
The welfare of individual blue whales is intertwined with their recovery as a population. Ship strike injuries cause prolonged suffering before death, and the stress of navigating increasingly noisy and traffic-heavy oceans affects the wellbeing of animals that evolved in a quieter marine environment. Blue whale conservation and welfare are inseparable: protecting the species requires protecting the individuals who comprise it from ongoing anthropogenic threats.