February 14 is widely known as Valentine’s Day. But did you know it is also World Whale Day – an opportunity to celebrate these incredible creatures?
World Whale Day began in 35 years ago in Maui, Hawaii to honor humpback whales, which migrate through the waters off the islands during the winter.
All of us in the Awesome Ocean Team are huge whale fans. We’re constantly sharing news and stories about whales and other marine mammals.
Video credit: bioexpedition
World Whale Day also is great reminder that whales need our support to face challenges like pollution and habitat loss. We can step up and join conservation efforts to help protect our world’s oceans.
Conservation efforts also include the valuable research marine institutions all over the world perform. The more we learn more about these great creatures, the better we can protect whales.
Check out these fun facts about whales:
- Whales belong to order cetaceans.
- There are two suborders of whales: baleen and toothed.
- The world’s largest whale is the Blue Whale. It can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh 190 tons.
- There are 90 different species of cetaceans.
Want to get involved? Use the hashtag #WorldWhaleDay