Marine Wildlife

AWI works around the globe to prevent and counter inhumane and ecologically harmful commercial exploitation of marine animals and destruction and degradation of their habitats.

Overview

Our oceans are vast, open environments teeming with an amazing variety of plant and animal species. Healthy oceans are vital to the planet’s biological web. Unfortunately, the health and sustainability of ocean ecosystems are under threat like never before. From krill to great whales, creatures who live in the ocean are subject to myriad threats—most of which are anthropogenic (human-generated) in origin.

Though the oceans may seem endless, they are not infinitely resilient. Humans have interacted with the oceans for millennia, but the past several centuries have seen a dramatic acceleration in our influence as we have become more industrialized. Energy exploration and development, pollution, coastal development, ocean noise, and collisions from increased ship traffic are all having dramatic impacts on marine wildlife.

Destructive and unsustainable fishing operations and trade in marine species pose a serious threat to the ocean’s biodiversity. Hunting of small cetaceans (dolphins and porpoises) and live capture of these animals for public display continue, despite the ecological impacts and the negative publicity over the cruelty of these actions. Sharks—apex predators key to healthy ecosystems—have faced steep declines due to years of relentless exploitation, including the brutal practice of shark finning.

Each one of these actions singularly is harmful, but when compounded, they are devastating for the marine ecosystem and the many species, including humans, that depend on the ocean's resources for survival. Through our actions and choices, we need to ensure that life in the ocean thrives, for all our sakes.

Marine Wildlife Campaigns

Whales and dolphins are complex social animals and are not well suited for a life in captivity. When confined, they are prevented from carrying out natural behaviors, which include roaming up to 100 miles per day,...

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According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, the global authority on species’ conservation status, one out of four of the world’s mammals and over 40 percent of amphibians...

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The oceans are home to an untold number of species, including some of Earth’s most awe-inspiring creatures. According to the World Register of Marine Species, as of late 2025, over 249,000 marine species have been identified...

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Though the oceans may seem endless, they are not infinitely resilient. Humans have affected the oceans for millennia, but the past several centuries have seen a dramatic acceleration as we have industrialized our way of life,...

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The hunting and killing of species of “great” whales, including blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales, is termed “whaling” and is practiced both for subsistence—known today as aboriginal subsistence whaling (ASW)—and for commercial purposes.

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