Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel: Stories of Influence

In the early 2000s, the future looked bleak for the small population of western gray whales that spent the ice-free summer and autumn months feeding in the seas off Sakhalin Island in the far east of the Russian Federation.

The joint report by IUCN-International Union for Conservation for Nature, WWF and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) examines the results of the work of an IUCN-led independent panel of scientists, which has been advising Sakhalin Energy -- one of the largest companies operating in the area -- as part of an innovative loan deal.

Over 12 years, Sakhalin Energy made important efforts to limit the impact of its operations on whales and the fragile environment. During this period, the western gray whale population grew 3-4% annually, from an estimated 115 animals in 2004 to 174 in 2015.