Day 1

1.5 minutes to save the porpoise in Germany

Small whale - big impact

Conservation efforts for the harbour porpoise - Germany's only native whale species

Whales are climate protectors! Yes, you read that right. They are the "gardeners" of the seas: through their excretions, they promote the growth of phytoplankton, which produces more than half of the world's oxygen. But that’s not all: through their long migrations between nutrient-rich, cold waters and the warmer "nurseries," they mix important nutrients in the ocean. Additionally, their regular dives into deeper layers of the ocean facilitate nutrient exchange. Whales themselves are also considered carbon storage units, as they store large amounts of carbon in their bodies, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere as CO₂.

So, whales are gardeners, mixers, and storers, and they are invaluable for preserving marine ecosystems. They are our allies in the fight against the climate crisis. Today, let’s protect these indispensable “guardians of the seas” together!

Conservation efforts for the harbour porpoise - Germany's only native whale species

Extreme swimmer André Wiersig presents his favorite project in the video

need

Raising awareness and understanding of the threat and importance of the porpoise in the marine ecosystem in order to enforce stronger protection measures

activity

Targeted persuasion and communication work in the public and politics

Measurable performance

Number and depth of event protocols and reports in politics and the public

Result

The protection of the porpoise is being pursued more vigorously through political measures, for example through a year-round ban on gillnets in German marine protected areas

Systemically relevant impact

Increase in porpoise populations in Germany and worldwide

background

The harbor porpoise is the only whale species native to German waters. It can be found in both the North and Baltic Seas. With some luck, you might even spot or hear it from the shore, for instance, near Sylt, Fehmarn, or Wilhelmshaven. When exhaling, it makes a distinctive sound resembling a sneeze or snort.

Unfortunately, the charming snorts of the harbor porpoise are becoming increasingly rare. In the central Baltic Sea, the situation is particularly dire. Only about 450 individuals remain, making this population critically endangered (Amundin et al., 2022). Yet, policymakers remain inactive, as marine protected areas exist only on paper: ship traffic, the construction of offshore wind farms, and oil and gas exploration using sonar are common practices (Carlén et al., 2021). The noise produced disrupts the porpoises' orientation and communication and can even cause deafness or death in extreme cases (Morell et al., 2021).

WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) is the world’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the protection of whales and dolphins. For years, WDC has been advocating for effective marine protected areas and has achieved partial successes, such as an annual ban on gillnets from November to January (BUND et al., 2023). However, to protect the harbor porpoise sustainably, the German government must immediately and permanently ban gillnets and other fishing methods from protected areas! These nets produce little to no echo and are often undetectable to the small porpoises. Consequently, they swim into the nets, become entangled, and cannot reach the surface in time to breathe. Tragically, pregnant or nursing females are frequently among the victims—a devastating loss! Every individual lost is more than the endangered population can bear (BUND et al., 2023).

But there is hope: Recently, the Baltic Sea harbor porpoise population was added to Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS, 2024). This is a significant milestone! It obliges Baltic Sea countries to take emergency measures to help this critically endangered population get back on its fins.

The good deed

With your donation today, you are giving the porpoise a voice. The understanding of the great problems facing the small porpoise has not yet reached everyone. You are supporting targeted persuasion and communication work in the public and in politics, as WDC advocates for the small porpoise in various committees, boards and working groups. You are also helping to implement global research projects on the importance of the charming toothed whale and to raise awareness of its threat and importance. Because: You are only prepared to protect what you know. In the long term, political measures should be introduced that not only ensure the survival of the small whale, but also improve its habitat.

About Germany

Berlin

Capital city

84.482.267

population

as of 2023

52.745.8

Gross domestic product per capita per year in USD

as of 2023

0.950

Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

as of 2023/2024

"Small but mighty!" The porpoise is one of the smallest whales on earth, measuring almost two metres in length. But it is a nimble hunter: it can hunt up to 500 fish per hour at a speed of 22 km/h! This is also necessary, as the porpoise has to eat up to 10% of its own body weight in fish every day in order to have enough energy.

About the organization and further information