Happywhale

11/26/2025

The rise of industrial whaling in the early 1900s transformed the hunt into a fully mechanized industry. Steam-powered catcher boats, explosive harpoons, and factory stations made it possible to kill and process dozens of whales per day — a scale unimaginable during traditional whaling.

These technological advances dramatically increased efficiency, but they also accelerated the collapse of whale populations across the Southern Ocean.

Understanding how this industrial system worked helps explain why recovery has taken generations and why ongoing protection remains essential.
Swipe to see how industrial exploitation began — and how quickly it reshaped the oceans.

Your voice, your photos, and your advocacy matter.

LINKS:
https://www.fosgi.org/about-south-georgia/history/whaling/

https://www.bas.ac.uk/blogpost/giving-whaling-the-hump-a-story-of-whale-recovery-in-south-georgia/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190329-a-world-isolated-from-life-by-1400km

https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/114/6/587/7242223?login=false

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50040887

https://www.swoop-antarctica.com/cruises/south-georgia/history

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/travel/south-georgia-island-recovery.html #

South Georgia Links:

https://www.fosgi.org/about-south-georgia/history/whaling/

https://www.bas.ac.uk/blogpost/giving-whaling-the-hump-a-story-of-whale-recovery-in-south-georgia/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190329-a-world-isolated-from-life-by-1400km

https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/114/6/587/7242223?login=false

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50040887

https://www.swoop-antarctica.com/cruises/south-georgia/history

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/travel/south-georgia-island-recovery.html #

Choose a whale* — have you photographed an unnamed whale? Or we can help you select one

11/22/2025

Season’s Greetings, Happywhale Community!
Looking for a gift that lasts a lifetime? Adopt and name a whale!

Give the joy of connection, conservation, and a story that keeps growing with every sighting.
The holiday season is just around the corner, and if you’re searching for a meaningful gift that creates connection, inspires wonder, and supports real conservation, our Adopt a Whale program is the perfect choice! Whether it’s for a loved one, a child, a classroom, or even yourself, adopting and naming a whale turns a simple gift into a lifelong story.

Why Adopt a Whale for the Holidays?

A truly unique gift:
Instead of something that gets unwrapped and forgotten, this is a connection that grows year after year. Your recipient will receive a beautiful adoption certificate and ongoing sighting updates whenever their whale is photographed again.

A gift with impact:
Adoption donations directly support global whale research and collaborative conservation programs.

A personal story to follow:
Every whale has a life history — migrations, encounters, discoveries — and your recipient gets to follow along as that story unfolds!

How Adoption Works
1. Make a tax deductible donation to support ocean conservation by adopting a whale - CLICK HERE
2. Choose a whale* — or we can help you select one
3. Choose a name (see “naming advice” below)
4. Receive a digital certificate, perfect to print and gift-wrap
5. Enjoy email updates each time your whale is sighted in the years to come

It’s simple, heartfelt, and unforgettable. Your holiday gift becomes part of a global movement to connect people, science, and whales across oceans.

Ready to adopt for the Holidays?
Adoptable Whales
Have you photographed a whale? You can adopt your whale, or we can help you choose one!
Here are some beautiful humpbacks currently eligible for adoption:
* CRC-10703
* CRC-15126
* CRC-22198
* HW-MN1303780

Your photos, your enthusiasm, and your support fuel everything we do. This season, we’re grateful for the incredible community that helps protect whales — and we’re excited to see how many new whales find their names through your holiday gifts!
Warmly,
The Happywhale Team

11/19/2025

Join us as we dive into another story from South Georgia Island — a place rich in whale history and recovery. Be part of the story by submitting your images to Happywhale.com

Industrial whaling at South Georgia wasn’t just large — it was unprecedented in scale. From 1904 to 1965, shore stations processed more than 175,000 whales, while Antarctic-wide operations took nearly 1.5 million individuals over the 20th century.

These numbers reveal how industrial technology transformed whaling into one of the largest wildlife extractions in human history. Species that evolved over millions of years were reduced in mere decades, reshaping the Southern Ocean far beyond South Georgia.

Swipe through to understand the true scale of this industry — and why today’s recovery efforts require patience, protection, and long-term scientific monitoring.

Your voice, your photos, and your advocacy matter.

LINKS:
https://www.fosgi.org/about-south-georgia/history/whaling/

https://www.bas.ac.uk/blogpost/giving-whaling-the-hump-a-story-of-whale-recovery-in-south-georgia/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190329-a-world-isolated-from-life-by-1400km

https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/114/6/587/7242223?login=false

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50040887

https://www.swoop-antarctica.com/cruises/south-georgia/history

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/travel/south-georgia-island-recovery.html #

11/15/2025

We’re diving into another story from South Georgia Island - a place rich in whale history and recovery. Be part of the story by submitting your images to Happywhale.com!

In 1904, the opening of Grytviken marked the beginning of industrial whaling in the Southern Ocean. Modern ships, steam-powered catchers, and factory stations quickly transformed South Georgia into the global hub of whale oil production.

What started with a single whaling station expanded rapidly as global demand for whale oil grew, driving an unprecedented scale of exploitation across multiple species.

Swipe through to learn how this industry began and why understanding this history is essential for the conservation challenges we face today.

Your voice, your photos, and your advocacy matter.

LINKS:
https://www.fosgi.org/about-south-georgia/history/whaling/

https://www.bas.ac.uk/blogpost/giving-whaling-the-hump-a-story-of-whale-recovery-in-south-georgia/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190329-a-world-isolated-from-life-by-1400km

https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/114/6/587/7242223?login=false

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50040887

https://www.swoop-antarctica.com/cruises/south-georgia/history

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/travel/south-georgia-island-recovery.html #

11/13/2025

Happywhale, together with partners at and the and , is launching a new series to raise awareness and inspire citizen-science participation around South Georgia’s whales. Our goal is to encourage more sightings, photos, and engagement from travelers, guides, and researchers - helping us better understand these incredible migrations and the changing Southern Ocean ecosystem. So join us over the next few months as we dive into one of the greatest wildlife stories on Earth - the rise, fall, and extraordinary return of South Georgia’s whales across generations!

Before industrial whaling, South Georgia was one of the richest whale feeding grounds on Earth - a place where blue whales, fin whales, humpbacks, seis, and southern right whales gathered in extraordinary numbers.
Understanding what this ecosystem looked like before whaling helps us measure the scale of both loss and recovery. Swipe through to explore the world that once existed in these remote waters and the science helping us reconnect with it today.

Your voice, your photos, and your advocacy matter.

LINKS:
https://www.fosgi.org/about-south-georgia/history/whaling/

https://www.bas.ac.uk/blogpost/giving-whaling-the-hump-a-story-of-whale-recovery-in-south-georgia/

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20190329-a-world-isolated-from-life-by-1400km

https://academic.oup.com/jhered/article/114/6/587/7242223?login=false

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50040887

https://www.swoop-antarctica.com/cruises/south-georgia/history

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/18/travel/south-georgia-island-recovery.html #

11/08/2025

10/18/2025

Good News from Monterey Bay!

After months of worry, we’re thrilled to share that Chex Mix — the young whale who had been entangled all summer — has been spotted likely free and healthy!

First seen entangled in late June 2025, Chex Mix’s situation worsened over summer despite several complex disentanglement attempts. By mid-August, Chex Mix and mom Checkmarks disappeared from Monterey Bay, leaving everyone anxiously hoping for the best.

On 10/15/25, our friends at Monterey Bay Whale Watch spotted Check Mix and put up a drone and could not see any apparent signs of entanglement! It seems this resilient young whale might have managed to free itself, but we are still going to be on the lookout for any hidden line!

Mom Checkmarks, who has experienced entanglement herself, is now swimming free beside her calf again — a beautiful reminder of whale resilience and the community that rallies behind them.

Huge thanks to MBWW and everyone who followed and cared for these whales over the past few months.
Every story like this underscores why research, rescue, and responsible ocean stewardship are so vital.

Meet the pair on Happywhale:
➡️ Checkmarks: happywhale.com/individual/700

➡️ Chex Mix: happywhale.com/individual/141142

10/15/2025

See Dr. Ted Cheeseman on BBC News talking about the recovery of humpback whales in Australia — a story that shows how conservation efforts, science, and community engagement can make a real difference.

In the interview, Dr. Cheeseman discussed:

How populations dropped dramatically in the 1960’s and the steps that went into their protection

The role of photo-identification, migration tracking, and citizen science (like what we do at Happywhale) in monitoring whales

Some of the challenges they still face

Thank you, Dr. Cheeseman, for sharing your expertise and passion. And to all of you supporting whale conservation!

10/14/2025

Introducing WhaleID — a revolutionary tool that’s changing the way we connect with whales.

Instantly identify individual humpback whales from a database of 100,000+ known whales worldwide — and discover their stories, migrations, and encounters in real time!

🔹 Comprehensive Database — Explore a global collection of whale images and data, constantly growing through science and community contributions.
🔹 Easy to Use — Designed for everyone, from researchers to naturalists to curious whale watchers.
🔹 Supports Conservation — Every photo you upload helps protect whales by advancing research and ocean stewardship.

Whether you’re guiding guests, conducting research, or simply in awe of the ocean, WhaleID makes every encounter unforgettable.

Experience WhaleID: happywhale.com/whaleid

09/04/2025

September is one of our favorite times for humpback whales in Monterey Bay!

This season brings:
🌊 Abundant whales in stunning numbers
💙 Mating season behaviors on display in feeding grounds
☀️ Gorgeous, calm late-summer weather

And here’s your chance to experience it all with Happywhale! On September 7, join Ted as a guest guide, departing from Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey Bay.

📍 Learn more & book here: cheesemans.com/whale-watching

Come celebrate whales, science, and connection with us — and maybe witness some unforgettable moments on the Bay.

08/31/2025

A Whale of a Decade:
from the very first fluke photo to a global network of citizen scientists, researchers, and ocean advocates — together, we’ve made every whale count.

Big shoutout to Fast Raft for the very first Happywhale submission photo back in 2015 (the photo on the first slide!) and how perfect that it was our beloved Fran!

With over 44,000 Happywhale users (and counting!), 1.4 million photos submitted, and 110,000+ humpback whales identified, we’ve built one of the largest collaborative whale identification efforts in the world. Along the way, we’ve captured 400,000+ humpback whale encounters, generating a rich library of media and research that helps us better understand and protect these magnificent creatures.

What’s Next?
Multi-Species ID — beyond humpbacks
Better Tools — faster, smarter, easier
Better Science — deeper insights for marine conservation
Better Stories — bringing whales & marine mammals to life

Here’s to the next 10 years of discovery, conservation, and connection. Thank you for being part of this journey — we couldn’t have done it without you! 💙

Happyhwhale media: https://happywhale.com/about;ol=media

Happywhale publications:
https://happywhale.com/about;ol=research

08/10/2025

🐋Help Us Name a Whale! 🐋

In celebration of Happywhale’s tenth birthday, we’re giving YOU the chance to name a whale!
We’ve picked a newly identified humpback, and we want our amazing community to choose its name.

https://happywhale.com/individual/28

Here’s how it works:

Drop your best whale name ideas in the comments!

We’ll pick a shortlist of top names.

On August 30th we will post a poll on Instagram so you can vote for the winner!

Once the whale is officially named on August 31st, you’ll be able to follow its journey on Happywhale and see where it migrates! 📍

Get creative, ocean-loving, and maybe a little punny—we can’t wait to see what you come up with!