Today is Endangered Species Day and we’re highlighting the North Atlantic right whale. With just 336 animals left, they are one of the most endangered whales on the planet. Technological innovation and collaboration between science and fisheries is providing newfound hope for these iconic ocean giants.

It’s a global conservation success story. Humpback whale populations, once hunted to near extinction, are bouncing back, so much so that right now, the Australian Government is assessing whether to remove the Humpback whale from its threatened species list. WWF has advised the government to hold off – for now, taking a precautionary approach and delaying this assessment by an additional five years. Chris Johnson, Global Lead for WWF’s Whales and Dolphins Initiative, explains why.

Protecting whales is crucial to protecting healthy oceans for all of us.