Ocean Giants
Ocean giants like whales, sea turtles, sharks, and dolphins are an increasingly rare sight in the world’s waters. Commercial hunting, pollution, habitat destruction, and entanglement in fishing gear have decimated their numbers. Despite the grave threats, these creatures are also remarkably resilient creatures. They undertake vast migrations that span huge swaths of the globe, following the same complex route year after year. WCS works from the nesting beaches of Sulawesi’s sea turtles to the breeding grounds of Madagascar’s humpback whales to guard that route—and the future of the world’s ocean giants—through cooperative management, training, and education.
Featured Species
Its acrobatic stunts and haunting “songs” have made southern humpback whale a tourist attraction worldwide. The future of the species depends on the conservation of marine habitats and wildlife.
The small Irrawaddy dolphin lives in rivers and lagoons in South and Southeast Asia. WCS strives to establish protected areas to shield these dolphins from threats like entanglement in gill nets.
The leatherback turtle is the largest species of sea turtle and can swim thousands of miles across ocean basins. The species faces myriad challenges, including habitat destruction and entanglement in nets.