Adopt a humpback whale

Become a Sea Guardian today by adopting a humpback whale

The humpback whale is a large baleen whale that migrates annually along the east and west coasts of Australia. These majestic giants are one of Australia’s most loved marine animals. They spend their summers in the Antarctic, feeding on krill, before travelling north during winter to bear their young.

Humpback whales were hunted almost to extinction for their meat and oil, with their populations crashing during the peak of the whaling industry in the 1950s and 1960s. These gentle giants have been protected in the Southern Hemisphere since 1963, and a worldwide moratorium on whaling was declared in 1986. 

Bailee humpback whale

Adopt Balee a humpback whale with a monthly gift of $35 or more and you will receive:

Our oceans and marine wildlife need your help. 

Australia has some of the most extraordinary oceans on the planet. But right now, our oceans are facing dire threats, more than ever before. Plastic pollution, rising ocean temperatures and damaging fisheries are just some of the major threats that we’re fighting.

Adopt a species today to fight to protect our oceans and precious marine life.

Adopt a species

Meet Balee the humpback whale

Hi! I’m Balee!

I’m a humpback whale.

I have a passion for making waves! I call oceans across the globe my home, but my heart belongs to the Great Barrier Reef. When I’m not feasting on krill and plankton, you’ll find me splashing around and enjoying the vibrant underwater world of my favourite Reef.

My pod and I are under threat due to rising ocean temperatures, entanglement in fishing gear and nets, and noise and plastic pollution.

I’d be so happy if you would adopt me, to help my pod get the marine conservation help they need to survive.

Common Name: Humpback Whale
Scientific Name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Type: Mammalia
Diet: Humpbacks feed on krill and small fish, eating up to 1.5 tonnes of food per day during feeding seasons!
Size: Female: 15m - 16m, Male: 13m - 14m
Weight: Up to 30,000kg (adult)
Group name: Pod
Population Estimation: 84,000 and increasing
Protection status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Our plush toys are made from 100% RECYCLED fabric and fibre filling.

Each toy is made using 16 plastic water bottles, recycled paper hang tag, and biodegradable packaging.

Join us as a Sea Guardian today and together we will make a difference for tomorrow. 

All donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible. Sea Guardian donations are charged on the 15th of every month. Please contact us at any time to cancel or change your regular donation. Adopt-a-species toys are dispatched after three successful monthly donations.

Not the species you were looking for? Return to adopt-a-species page to select another species to adopt.

Just like to make a regular gift, and not adopt-a-species plushie, visit our Sea Guardian information page.

Learn more about whales

Whales play a crucial role in keeping our oceans healthy. They distribute nutrients, support other marine life, and their waste fertilises phytoplankton - tiny plants that produce about half of the world’s oxygen and absorb around 40% of the carbon dioxide we generate. When whales die, their bodies sink to the ocean floor and store carbon for centuries. By protecting and restoring whale populations, we not only support the health of ocean ecosystems but also combat climate change and strengthen our resilience against its impacts.

Whales have inspired wonder, awe and a connection to nature for millennia. They hold significant cultural and spiritual importance to many First Nations people.

Whale species are still recovering from the extensive commercial whaling industry of the last century.

Today, whales face more threats than ever before. These include rising ocean temperatures, plastic pollution, noise from seismic testing, entanglement in nets and fishing gear and, in some countries, continued commercial whaling.

Australia must continue to be a global leader in whale conservation.

Our goal is to create global sanctuaries that give our whales shelter, to reform fisheries to tackle bycatch, to protect whales from offshore development and pollution, and give our whales a chance to recover from decades of whaling. With your support, we will continue to uphold the international ban on whaling and call for an end to commercial whaling.