Luckily for whales and other marine creatures, the Southern Ocean Sanctuary is just one of many protected areas or sanctuaries in the oceans and seas around the world.

Not only can such sanctuaries play a critical role in the preservation of whales and other marine life, they can also aid in the recovery of depleted whale populations, ensure the overall health of marine ecosystems and protect the natural heritage of coastal communities. Well-managed marine sanctuaries provide significant benefits to local fisheries, education and tourism.

Some areas, such as IWC sanctuaries and most national sanctuaries, ban only whaling activities. Others also regulate vessel interactions and area closures and specific fishing practices or seasonal closures. Some are developing pollution protocols for habitat protection.

But there is a common thread within all this diversity: a global desire to protect and defend whales and their habitats around the world.