Pacific grey whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling 18,000km between Arctic feeding grounds and Mexican breeding lagoons - a journey fraught with welfare challenges.
Grey whales face significant welfare challenges throughout their migration. Entanglement in fishing gear causes prolonged suffering, injuries from rope abrasion, and exhaustion as whales drag gear. Ship strikes during coastal migration can be immediately fatal or cause severe injuries. Noise pollution from shipping disrupts communication between mothers and calves. The western Pacific population faces possible extinction, meaning every individual matters enormously. Climate change is restructuring Arctic food webs that grey whales depend on during summer feeding.