Humpback whale populations have partially recovered from commercial whaling, but face ongoing threats from entanglement, ship strikes, and climate change affecting their welfare.
Humpback whales face welfare threats from multiple anthropogenic sources. Entanglement in fishing gear causes prolonged suffering as whales drag lines and gear for extended periods, causing deep wounds from line cutting into flesh and exhaustion from fighting the drag of gear. Ship strikes cause traumatic injury that may not be immediately lethal, with whales observed swimming with propeller lacerations. Noise pollution from shipping and sonar disrupts whale communication and feeding behavior. Climate change is altering prey distribution in ways that may require longer migrations to access adequate food, increasing energetic stress. Whale entanglement response teams that cut lines from entangled whales prevent prolonged suffering and death, representing direct individual welfare intervention.