Celebrating World Whale Day

Celebrated every year, World Whale Day offers a moment to reflect on the majestic creatures that roam our oceans. This day is not only about admiration but also about raising awareness of the challenges whales face in the modern world. Dive into this awareness day below!

What is World Whale Day?

World Whale Day is a day dedicated to celebrating whales and raising awareness about the challenges they face. Taking place every year on the third Sunday in February, this day is the perfect time to honor the impact of these marine creatures, whilst also drawing attention to the threats they face.

The Origins of World Whale Day

World Whale Day began in 1980 in Maui, Hawaii. The founder of the Pacific Whale Foundation wanted to raise awareness about the threats humpback whales faced off the coast of the island, and World Whale Day was born.  

Why Celebrate Whales?

There are many reasons to celebrate whales, not just because they're beautiful creatures:

1. Ecosystem Enginners

Similarly to beavers, elephants, and kelp forests, whales are considered to be ecosystem engineers because of their significant impact on marine ecosystems. Whales affect the distribution and abundance of fish and other marine species, helping to maintain a healthy and balanced marine food web.

2. Carbon Sequestration

Their bodies store significant amounts of carbon, and when they die, they sink to the ocean floor, effectively removing that carbon from the atmosphere-ocean cycle for centuries. This natural process helps in reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 

3. Nutrient Cycling

Whales play a crucial role in the ocean's nutrient cycle. As they dive and surface, they redistribute nutrients throughout the water column. This behavior, known as the "whale pump," brings nutrients from the deeper waters to the surface, which supports the growth of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are not only the base of the marine food chain but also significant oxygen producers and carbon dioxide absorbers, crucial for a healthy planet.

Threats to Whales

World Whale Day is an opportunity to help raise awareness about the threats facing whales. They sadly face numerous challenges, including:

1. Plastic Pollution

Plastic floating in the ocean poses a severe risk to whale health. 

2. Climate Change

Climate change affects the availability of their food source, disrupting their feeding patterns.

3. Whaling

Commercial whaling greatly depleted whale numbers when it was a widespread activity. However, 3 countries still continue with commercial whaling activites - Iceland, Japan, and Norway. 

4. Noise Pollution

The noise from activities such as shipping and oil and gas exploration can have detrimental effects on whales including impacting their hearing and disrupting their communication.

How to Get Involved With World Whale Day

World Whale Day is an opportunity for everyone to contribute to whale conservation. Here are some ways to get involved:

• Participate in local beach clean-ups.
• Support organizations working on whale conservation.
• Reduce your use of plastics to lessen ocean pollution.
• Advocate for policies that protect marine habitats and address climate change.
• Help to raise awareness of the challenges faced by whales and how we can help them.

World Whale Day reminds us of the beauty and significance of whales in our oceans, but also of the need to help them with the challenges they face. We're proud to be partnered with The Ocean Cleanup as part of our Mission. A portion of every order placed on our website is donated to this nonprofit helping to clean our oceans of plastic. Shop whale designs and much more in our Seas Collection to help our seas!