Wildlife

Wild Humpback Whale Recovery Welfare

Humpback whale populations have recovered significantly from near-extinction following international whaling moratorium, but new threats create welfare challenges.

Key Facts

Humpback whales were hunted to fewer than 5000 individuals globally before the 1986 moratorium
South Atlantic humpback populations have recovered to over 25,000 individuals
Ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are now leading mortality causes
Humpbacks travel up to 25,000 km in annual migrations that expose them to multiple threats
Climate change affects krill and small fish prey availability in feeding grounds

Welfare Considerations

Humpback whales entangled in fishing gear experience prolonged suffering from restricted movement, wounds, and starvation over days to weeks. Ship strikes cause traumatic injury and sudden death.

What You Can Do

Support vessel speed restrictions in key humpback migration and feeding areas
Advocate for ropeless fishing technology that reduces entanglement risk
Donate to organizations that disentangle trapped whales and advocate for protective policies