Unfortunately, whale entanglement in fishing lines is not uncommon. A female and her calf being entangled together is rare. Follow the efforts of a local group of Costa Ricans to free a humpback whale mother and her calf. —IS

The humpback whales of Tonga in Polynesia are now safe — from hunting. But burgeoning swim-with-whales tourism has glutted nursery areas with boats and swimmers, and the government walks a tightrope, balancing tourists’ expectations and local economic benefits with the welfare of these endangered whales. But does the income benefit Tongans? Will these whales seek a quieter place to nurse their young unmolested? —MJS

The film Whales in a Changing Ocean follows a team of marine mammal researchers from around the globe as they navigate the challenges of working in polar conditions with unpredictable, 40 ton whales from a small boat. The research team voyage to Antarctica to study the acoustics and genetics of humpback whales as indicators of environmental change, to drive the creation of marine protected areas in Antarctica, contributing to the long-term conservation of fragile polar seas. The film offers front row seats to stunning imagery and the life changing experience of of being mugged by a humpback whale.

Whales and dolphins suffer physically, socially and emotionally while performing for their supper and the public's entertainment. The Whale Sanctuary Project is creating the first North American seaside sanctuary for captive cetaceans in Port Hilford, Nova Scotia, in an effort to give these intelligent, socially complex animals respect and autonomy in a natural environment, so that they may survive and thrive. —MJS