Save the Whales

Saving the Blue Whales

     “Save the whales” became a symbol for the conservation movement in the 1970s. In 1971 a conservation group called the Animal Welfare Institute launched a worldwide Save the Whales campaign. This campaign discouraged people & companies that used sperm whale oil from manufacturing products with it.      

     Soon afterwards a radical group called Greenpeace made worldwide headlines by intervening many international whaling hunts. Greenpeace activists would zoom in between hunters and whales on fragile rubber life rafts, forcing the whalers to murder humans in order to hunt whales. Public pressure forced many companies to find alternative products to replace whale oil.            

     These days an oil made from the jojoba plant, a desert shrub in no danger of becoming extinct is now used as a replacement for whale oil.

     Despite all efforts to save whales, it may be too late for some species. Blue whales take so long to grow and reproduce that their populations may never recover from the whale hunts. Today's problems of pollution only further threaten the recovery of whale populations. A few populations may be increasing slightly, but their numbers remain very small. Scientists still have not seen a recovery of the blue whale population yet, even though all legal hunting of Blue whales ended over 30 years ago. In places where the populations were greatly reduced, the blues may have a hard time even finding mates.

     Blue whales still need our help, they aren't 'out of the water' yet... Whales are fascinating animals that need your help. You can learn more about whales by writing to a conservation organization for more information.
Click here to see the list of Cetacian Conservation societies.

Also, you can contribute to the Mingan Island Cetacean Study in Ontario, Canada by adopting your very own blue whale:

Adopt-a-Giant Program

    You can help the Mingan Island Cetacean Study learn about blue whales and become part of the research team by adopting one of the blue whales in their study. Whales may be adopted by school classes or by individuals. As a foster parent to a blue whale, you receive a photo and information about your whale. You also receive a newsletter about the work of the whale researchers. Most of all, you get to help blue whales through the research program.

For more information on the blue whale research program, or the "Adopt-a-Giant" program, contact the:

Mingan Island Cetacean Study
285 Green Street
St. Lambert, Quebec J4P 1 T3
Canada