The State of Cetaceans 2025

At a time when the health of our planet’s oceans is under immense pressure, understanding the lives of the whales, dolphins and porpoises that inhabit them has never been more important - or more urgent. These extraordinary animals are not just charismatic icons of the wild, but vital indicators of ocean health. They live in every ocean on Earth, often far from human view, yet they are increasingly exposed to the cumulative impact of human activities - from climate change to overfishing, noise pollution to vessel strikes.

The report draws from almost two decades of dedicated monitoring - a staggering 1.6 million kilometres of survey effort - to track changes in cetacean populations, movements and habitats. It is our largest and most comprehensive snapshot to date of how whales and dolphins are faring in our increasingly industrialised oceans.

Crucially, none of this work would be possible without the dedication of ORCA’s vast and growing network of citizen scientists. These passionate volunteers - trained and supported by ORCA - have taken to ferries and cruise ships across the globe to gather scientific data that is now helping to shape marine conservation policy at national and international levels. This report is also a celebration of that effort, and a testament to what can be achieved when people come together with a shared purpose.

The findings contained within are both sobering and hopeful. Increases in survey effort continue to reveal important hotspots, while long-term data is helping scientists and policymakers identify population trends and areas where urgent protection is needed. The continued rise in global shipping, and the growing threat of vessel strikes, is rightly a key focus of this report - but so too is the progress being made from mapping Important Marine Mammal Areas, to training over a thousand ship crew in mitigation strategies.

There is still much to be done. But this report shows that, with science, collaboration and public engagement at its heart, we can make the oceans safer for whales and dolphins - and by doing so, protect the wider marine ecosystems they help sustain.