endangered species blue whale essay

Why Are Blue Whales Endangered? | History and Hunting Facts

The blue whale is not only one of the most well-known whale species, but it’s also the largest known whale in existence, growing to lengths of over 100 ft and weighing more than 150 tons, although 60 – 80 ft. is more common.

In the past (pre whaling era), blue whales were extremely abundant (150,000 – 200,000 before whaling began) and found swimming in all of the major oceans of the world. However, today, it is estimated that there are now only between 1,500 – 2,500 blue whales left in existence.

Because of their large size and supply of blubber , blue whales were a popular species to hunt. Consequently, whalers would sell their blubber and body parts to suppliers who made various materials out of it.

In the past blue whales were hunted for:

• Oil – Lamp oil, soap, perfume, candles, and cosmetics
• Food – Cooking oil, margarine, and whale meat
• Clothing – corsets and umbrellas
• and various other products, including tools such as fishing hooks.

How & why the hunting of blue whales began

During the 1,700′s whale blubber & oil became a lucrative business largely due to the growing industrial age and increasing dependency on oil combined with advances in technology and boating, which made it easier for whalers to hunt, kill & capture whales, which quickly lead to a highly competitive (international) whaling market, and thus the whaling industry was born.

As technology, boats, and hunting equipment continued to evolve throughout the centuries, the rate at which whales were being killed greatly increased and continued to shrink the existing whale populations, especially those of the blue whale species. And because blue whales are large, whalers got paid top dollar for these mammals, so competitors continually hunted them until near extinction.

As whale populations declined significantly, organizations such as The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling begin stepping in to limit the killing of endangered species and hopefully allow those species time to recover and repopulate.

In addition to the assistance, these organizations provided towards the monitoring and regulation of whale hunting, increases in technology and cheap alternative resources provided companies & suppliers with alternative methods of producing & selling their products without the need to use whale oil as a source of fuel or as an ingredient in their materials.

Although whales were being killed since the B.C. era, it is believed that whale hunting hadn’t caused much ecological impact due to limited technology and most killings remained limited to the coastline and near offshore waters.

During the pre whaling era, the demand for whales was also much lower as their oil was not considered vital due to a lack of technological advances and little need for it regarding pre-16th-century industrial equipment.

The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

In 1931 international agreements were made between various countries to minimize whale killings to help several species recover due to whales’ endangered status, which was caused largely by the whaling industry.

The International Whaling Commission was created to monitor the whaling industry and limit their hunting efforts.

In 1986 the International Whaling Commission adopted a moratorium to prevent all whaling activities in the countries that signed into the agreement and established stronger legal actions among those caught participating in whaling activities.

Unfortunately, even though agreements exist between various countries, those that did not opt into the agreement are only bound by their country’s own regulations on whaling (if the country has imposed regulations), which means that there are still countries today that consider whaling a source of industry.

Today, however, countries and companies that still hunt whales primarily hunt them as a source of food (in some areas, whale meat is considered a delicacy) because other practical uses such as lamp oil, cosmetics, and candles no longer require the parts/oil of whales to be produced.

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blue whale , ( Balaenoptera musculus ), the most massive animal ever to have lived, a species of baleen whale that weighs approximately 150 tons and may attain a length of more than 30 metres (98 feet). The largest accurately measured blue whale was a 29.5-metre female that weighed 180 metric tons (nearly 200 short [U.S.] tons), but there are reports of 33-metre catches that may have reached 200 metric tons. The heart of one blue whale was recorded at nearly 700 kg (about 1,500 pounds).

The blue whale is a cetacean and is classified scientifically within the order Cetacea as a rorqual (family Balaenopteridae) related to the gray whale (family Eschrichtiidae) and the right whales (Balaenidae and Neobalaenidae) of the baleen whale suborder, Mysticeti.

Blue whales are blue-gray in colour with lighter gray mottling in the form of large spots, which appear as if they were dabbed on with a huge paintbrush. The lower surfaces of the flippers are lighter gray or white in some instances. The blue whale has been called the sulfur -bottom whale because of the yellowish underside of some individuals that is reminiscent of the pale yellow colour of that chemical element ; this coloration is imparted by certain algae ( diatoms ) living on the whale’s body. The blue whale has a wide head, a small dorsal fin located near the fluke, and 80–100 long grooves running lengthwise down the throat and chest. Its mouth contains up to 800 plates of short, wide, black baleen , or “whalebone,” with thick, coarse bristles used for catching food. Females are generally larger than males, and the largest animals live in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica .

The blue whale is found alone or in small groups in all oceans, but populations in the Southern Hemisphere are much larger. In the Northern Hemisphere, blue whales can be seen regularly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off the coasts of Monterey , California , and Baja California , Mexico . They spend the summer in polar waters, feeding on shrimplike crustaceans called krill . During a dive, the blue whale may engage in a series of turns and 360° rolls to locate prey and rapidly reorient its body to sweep up large concentrations of krill in a single open-mouthed lunge. A single adult blue may consume as much as eight tons of krill per day. In the winter blue whales move toward the Equator to breed. After a gestation of about 12 months, one calf about 8 metres (about 26 feet) long is born in temperate waters. While nursing, calves gain up to 90 kg (about 198 pounds) per day on the rich milk of their mothers. Young are weaned after seven to eight months, when they have reached a length of about 15 metres (about 49 feet).

Once the most important of the commercially hunted baleen whales, the blue whale was greatly reduced in numbers during the first half of the 20th century. In the 1930–31 season alone the worldwide kill of blue whales exceeded 29,000. The species has been protected from commercial whaling since the mid-1960s. Populations of blue whales appear to be recovering and are estimated worldwide at between 10,000 and 25,000 animals. However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature still lists the blue whale as an endangered species .

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• Published: 31 March 2022

Unreported catches, impact of whaling and current status of blue whales in the South European Atlantic Shelf

• Alex Aguilar 1 , 2 &
• Asunción Borrell 1 , 2  

Scientific Reports volume  12 , Article number:  5491 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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The North Atlantic blue whale was depleted by modern whaling and it is still considered to be highly endangered. Despite its protection in 1954, catches continued in the South European Atlantic Shelf (SEAS) region and immediately adjacent waters until 1979. We compiled catches and investigate abundance trends in the region using original data from whaling (1921–1985) and scientific surveys around the last years of exploitation (1981–1987). The struck and lost rate was estimated at 3.2% for sperm whales and 2.3% for baleen whales. The compiled records include 60 catches, with an additional 1–2 blue whales likely struck and lost. From these, 29 individuals had been correctly reported as blue whales but 31 were mislabelled as fin whales. After correcting for loss rates, the number of blue whales killed in the region was estimated at 61 in 55 years (1.12 individuals/year). The data from the 1950s shows some oversized fin whales but it is unclear whether they are due to an incorrect reporting of species or to incorrect measurements, so it cannot be discarded that the actual number of blue whales caught was slightly higher than estimated. Mean body length of reported blue whales was lower than in higher latitudes of the North Atlantic, probably reflecting geographical stratification with higher proportion of immatures in the SEAS. The ratio between catches or sightings of blue whales and those of fin whales was 5.9% in the southern part of the SEAS previous to exploitation, it declined to 0.02–0.18% in the 1920s, and increased thereafter up to 1.6% in the 1980–1990s. Taking as reference the population size of fin whales in the SEAS, that of blue whales at the end of the 1980s can be guessed to be at ca337-497 individuals. Considering accepted population estimates in other areas as well as the observed rates of increase, current abundance is thought to be over a thousand whales in the SEAs and at in the order of 4000–5000 individuals for the whole eastern North Atlantic basin.

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Introduction.

Because of its massive body size and economic profitability, the blue whale ( Balaenoptera musculus ) was the most sought after species when modern whaling started its activities in the 1860s. The first catches were made in North Norway, but soon operations extended to other locations of the North Atlantic before they spread in the first years of the twentieth century to the North Pacific and the Antarctic Oceans 1 . However, in the North Atlantic the blue whale populations were relatively small and catches rapidly plummeted over the course of several decades of exploitation 2 , 3 . International Whaling Commission (IWC) catch statistics, built on the records earlier assembled by the Bureau of Whaling Statistics (BIWS) between 1930 and 1986, and completed and corrected thereafter 4 , only reflect 10,747 catches in the North Atlantic during 1864–2019, although actual numbers probably ranged between 15,000 and 20,000 because in the first years of exploitation some blue whales were caught and not reported 5 . Despite these numbers being low compared to those from other species (for example the statistics record the catch of 81,173 fin whales, Balaenoptera physalus , during the same period), already at the start of the twentieth century the species was residual in most areas of the North Atlantic Ocean and was substituted by the fin whale as a main target 6 . When the pioneer Convention for the Regulation of Whaling was signed in Geneva in 1931 there was already a clear perception that several blue whale stocks had been dramatically impacted and, in 1936, exploitation of the species was prohibited between the Equator and 40° S latitude, the fringe of waters where it was believed to reproduce 7 . In 1946 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established, and in its meeting in Tokyo in 1954 approved a ban on the exploitation of blue whales in the North Atlantic Ocean 8 . Iceland and Denmark initially objected the decision and were the only IWC-member countries that for some years continued carrying out its exploitation. However, blue whales were so scarce that their combined catch was only 5–13 whales per season 9 . In 1960 these two countries withdrew their objection and agreed to stop killing blue whales, and thus the complete protection of the species in the North Atlantic came into force amongst all IWC member nations 10 . The few catches of blue whales recorded thereafter were only scattered mistaken captures catalogued as infractions, which totalled 4 individuals during the period 1960–1966 11 .

At the time that IWC passed its ban on the exploitation of blue whales, all North Atlantic whaling countries adhered to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) with the exception of Portugal and Spain. In both countries modern whaling had started in the 1920s and continued with some interruptions until the moratorium on commercial whaling adopted by the IWC came into force in 1986. Operations were conducted from several whaling factories: the Getares land station (1921–1926 and 1950–1959), the Rey Alfonso (1924–1926), Bas (1924), Congo (1925), and Pioner (1934) floating factories, the Benzú land station (1947–1954), the Setúbal land station (1925–1927 and 1944–1951), the Industria Ballenera SA (IBSA) land stations of Cangas, Caneliñas and Morás (1951–1985), the Sierra unregulated floating factory (1977–1979), as well a number of small land stations in the Azores (1921–1987) and Madeira (1941–1981) 12 , 13 , 14 (see Fig.  1 for locations around the Iberian Peninsula). The blue whale ban of 1954 did not indeed affect Portuguese stations because the then remaining land factories in Madeira and the Azores mostly focused on sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ) and their occasional catches of rorquals never included blue whales 11 . Spain, conversely, had at that time three operating land stations run by the IBSA company (Caneliñas, Cangas and Morás) that strongly relied on the exploitation of Balaenopteridae whales and, although besides the sperm whale the main exploited species was the fin whale, they also took sei whales ( Balaenoptera borealis ) and, to a lesser extent, blue and humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) 14 . Not being a signatory to the Convention, Spain did not have to abide by the IWC regulations and thus ignored the prohibition on catching blue whales.

Location of the whaling stations that operated around the Iberian Peninsula. Figure generated by Albert Martinez with the program Freehand 10.

In order to prevent these and other whaling operations from escaping its jurisdiction, in 1978 the IWC agreed that member countries could not import products from non-member countries. Spain, which was then exporting most of its whaling products to Japan, saw its business in danger and was left with no choice but to adhere to the IWC. In 1979 it joined the organization and, from then on, it stopped capturing protected species, including blue whales 14 . As a result, the protection of the species became thereafter fully effective in the North Atlantic and no catches have been recorded since that time.

In the North Atlantic, blue whales are distributed from the edge of the pack ice to tropical and subtropical waters 15 . The variation in abundance trends in different areas that had been subject to exploitation, with asynchronous local depletions caused by the excessive takes, suggests that the North Atlantic Ocean metapopulation is structured into different units with at least two discrete subpopulations, one occupying the western basin and another occupying the eastern basin 2 , 16 , 17 . Although there are no conclusive evidences to support the separation between these purported populations, photo-ID and satellite tracking studies suggest that mixing between them is very low and that the Icelandic feeding grounds are used by the eastern subpopulation 18 , 19 , 20 .

Despite more than 4 decades of complete protection in the North Atlantic, the species has only timidly recovered and its current population appears to be still fragile and is consequently catalogued as Endangered 5 . In this context, accurate information on the historical catches, the status of the subpopulations and their trends, is of prime relevance. Here we analyse the information on blue whales from whaling operations and scientific surveys conducted in the South European Atlantic Shelf ecoregion (sensu 21 ; from here called SEAS) and immediately adjacent waters to gain an insight into their demographic trends. To do so, we extracted catch data from the internal landing records of the whaling factories, contrasted them for accuracy with catcher boat logbooks and gunner’s notebooks, and compared the resulting data with those contained in the officially compiled IWC catch data set. Also, for the period 1980–1987 we compile the sightings data from the available logbooks of the catcher boats and from scientific sighting cruises that were carried out during the period 1979–1987. Combining these different sources of information, we attempt to assess the relative abundance of blue whales in the last phases of whaling in the area, the potential impact that the unregulated catches had on the population, and their past and current abundance trends.

Material and methods

The area covered by this compilation, the SEAS, is defined as the marine ecoregion located off the European continent between the South of the British Isles and the North of Africa 21 . The geographical limits of the area covered were: 48° 30′ N (Normandy)–30° 00′ N (southern limit of the Cadis Gulf) and 18° 30′ W (limit of the area covered by the surveys)–5° 30′ E (Gibraltar Straits). The Mediterranean Sea is not included because the species does not occur in this water mass 22 . We analysed several independent data sources:

Standard-type logbooks from the IBSA catcher boats and gunners’ note books: until 1979, the logbooks used by the IBSA whaling fleet had the standard format used in fishing vessels but included with varying degrees of detail the whale catch information in the section of “daily events” ( Acaecimientos ). Recording was in a format-free style text where whales were in most cases only recorded if caught and were identified as either sperm whales or as baleen whales, in the latter case with no distinction between species. The gunners’ notebooks had been kept just for personal recording of catches and bonuses obtained, and were simple listings of catches with dates and species. These two sources of information were of utility for checking the accuracy of the catch data, but could not be used to investigate schooling behaviour or the relative abundance of blue whales.

IWC-type logbooks from the IBSA catcher boats: from 1979, the IBSA whaling fleet started to complete a template designed by the IWC, with specific boxes for recording sightings and catches by species as well as for the various operations in which the boat was involved. Sightings recorded were made by whalers with experience in species identification, so they are considered accurate and reliable. These logbooks were used to check the accuracy of landing reports and to calculate the percentage of whales that were lost by catcher boats after being killed. In combination with the sightings surveys data (see below) they were also used to examine school size and composition, as well as to investigate abundance relative to fin whales, the most abundant large whale in the region and the main target of the fishery.

Sightings data recorded during line transect surveys conducted by the University of Barcelona during 1981–1987 (“UB-surveys”): these cruises were carried out with the objective of obtaining population estimates of fin whales in the area. Details of sightings of all cetacean species were recorded by a crew composed of both whalers and whale biologists, all with experience in species identification, so they are considered to be accurate and reliable. Cruise details can be found in Aguilar et al. 23 , Sanpera et al. 24 , 25 , Sanpera and Jover 26 , and Lens et al. 27 In combination with the IWC-type logbook data (see above) they were used to examine school size and composition, as well as to investigate abundance relative to fin whales.

Blue and fin whale catch data: catch data from the whaling companies operating between 1921 and 1985 in the region (Spain, continental Portugal and Spanish Morocco) were taken from a previous review of local data sources conducted by Aguilar 14 and checked against the IWC catch dataset 4 . Those from the three whaling stations that operated in NW Spain during the 1951–1986 period, Caneliñas (1951–1986), Balea (1985) and Morás (1965–1975), were extracted from the internal landing records of the managing company, Industria Ballenera SA (IBSA), and checked for accuracy against the standard format and IWC-type logbooks available from the IBSA catcher boats, and then used to correct Aguilar 14 and Allison 4 databases. Data from the unregulated operations of the Sierra and the Tonna were taken from published sources 28 . The distribution of the body lengths collected by the IBSA whaling company during 1974–1985 were compared to those from the database of biological measurements collected by scientists from the University of Barcelona during the same period (UB database) to assess potential biases in IBSA measurements. Data normality of body length distributions was assessed through the Shapiro–Wilk test, and differences between distributions and medians were tested using the U Mann Whitney test and the Mood's median test for independent samples, respectively. Additionally, body length distributions for the different operations and periods were also investigated visually to identify oversized individuals that could indicate inaccuracies in measurements or in the species assignment in databases.

Internal correspondence from two Norwegian whaling companies that operated in the region: the Compañía Ballenera Española (Lorentz Bruun and von der Lippe, Tønsberg), which conducted whaling during 1921–1927 both in the Straits of Gibraltar and off NW Spain, and AS Hektor (N. Bugge,Tønsberg)/Industrial Marítima S.A., which operated during 1934–1954 in the Gibraltar Straits. This documentation was examined at the Vestfold Museene (Sandefjord, Norway).

The loss rates of whales that were killed, that is, the proportion of whales that were actually harpooned and secured either to the boat or to a buoy, but were subsequently lost due to bad weather, sinking of corpse, parting of the securing chains, or other reasons, was calculated as a percentage of those that were landed at the whaling stations. The paucity (n = 15) of loss events precluded stratification by period, comparison between catcher boats or companies, or other more sophisticated analyses. Because neither the logbooks nor the gunners’ notebooks reported the loss of whales that had been struck but escaped, or those which were lost before being secured to the boat or to a buoy, we equated the number of whales that were successfully secured to those that were killed. The resulting numbers likely underestimate actual kills but, because the efficiency of harpooning techniques was high, we assume that any difference existing between the number of struck whales, and thus possibly killed, and that of secured whales would be small.

Because no direct abundance estimates for blue whales are available for the region, we produced a rough indication of abundance to assess the potential impact of catches on the population as well as its demographic time-trends. To do so, we compared the number of catches and sightings of blue whales obtained from the catcher boat logbooks and scientific surveys with those of fin whales, a species whose abundance is relatively well known thanks to specifically-designed line-transect boat surveys conducted in the region (see below in the “Discussion” section). In doing so, we made the following assumptions: (1) that the two species were equally attractive to whalers; (2) that the two species presented similar difficulty of capture; and (3) that the two species had a similar sightabilty rate. Until 1980, first year when blue whale protection effectively came into force in Spain, the first assumption seems valid and substantiated by the personal experience of AA, who conducted abundant fieldwork during 1977–1985 onboard the catcher boats. Being the products of both species commercially indistinguishable, the only potential bias would have been caused by the larger maximum body size of adult northern hemisphere blue whales (26–27 m, total body length) as compared to that of northern hemisphere fin whales (22–23 m, total body length) 29 . However, because only juveniles of the species appear to occur in the SEAS (see below) and their body size approaches that of adult fin whales, the effect of such bias is probably reduced. If indeed existing, the bias would tend to slightly increase the catchability rate of blue whales and, with this, the relative abundance of this species in relation to that of fin whales, thus pushing upwards its abundance estimates. Whatever the case, it should be noted that the potential effect of this bias would only affect the estimates obtained from the catch data, but not those derived from the sighting rates of the catcher boats or from the scientific surveys because the efficiency at which the two species are sighted is indistinguishable. Thus, their sightability by observers, that is, the combination of the perception bias (proportion of whales that may be missed by observers) and the availability bias (proportion of diving whales that are not visible) are very similar for blue and fin whales 30 , and this gives grounds to rely on the representativeness of the sightings ratio between the two species. Considering this, a blue whale-fin whale catch ratio was estimated as the number of blue whales for every 100 fin whales caught for the different periods and areas in the SEAS ecoregion.

Table S1 presents a summary of the information contained in the logbooks and gunners’ notebooks from the earlier period (standard-type). We examined 13 logbooks of this type from 10 whaling seasons that took place between 1953 and 1980. The logbooks did not always record the complete whaling season; in some cases, this was so because the boat only worked part of the season, while in other cases the logbook was incomplete. Table  1 presents the details of the IWC-type logbooks and the line transect survey forms examined, with a summary of the sightings of fin and blue whales therein recorded. The IWC-type logbooks (n = 11) covered 6 complete whaling seasons that took place between 1979 and 1985 and which, although varying between years, usually lasted from early May to late November. The median Julian date when blue whales were sighted was 248 (4/5 September), with 25–75 percentiles = 223–278 (11/12 August–5/6 October). The line transect survey forms corresponded to 6 cruises carried out between 1979 and 1987; all were conducted from mid-July to mid-September to match the period of maximum fin whale abundance in the area 31 . Table S2 shows the details of the blue whale sightings recorded in both the IWC-type logbooks and the line transect survey forms. In the blue whale sightings from which information on school composition was available (n = 71), most sightings corresponded to single blue whale individuals (90.5% of cases; mean school size = 1.1; SD =  ± 0.34; maximum = 3). However, in 38% of the sightings (n = 27) the blue whales, either single or in pairs, were seen forming a mixed school with one or more fin whales.

Table  2 provides the details of the blue whale catches recorded in the various whaling operations that took place in the waters around the Iberian Peninsula during the twentieth century. In total, the catches number 60 individuals over a period of 55 years, that is, 1.01 individuals/year. About half (31) of these catches were previously unknown and are not contained in the IWC catch dataset. In many of these cases (24) the whales were indeed recorded as caught but incorrectly identified as fin whales, but 7 were not recorded at all. With the exclusion of one individual of unknown sex measuring 9.10 m, the mean body length ± standard deviation of the blue whales caught were 20.44 m ± 1.87 m (20.15 m ± 1.95 m for males and 20.55 m ± 1.79 m for females). Photographs from two blue whales caught could be obtained; in both cases the species identification was correct (see Fig.  2 for one of them).

The 22,40 m long blue whale caught by the catcher boat IBSA DOS on 24 July, 1978, and brought to the Cangas (Balea) land factory for flensing.

Figure S1 shows the body length distributions of fin whales caught during 1974–1985 as measured by the IBSA company and as measured by the UB scientists. In both cases body lengths of both males and females were not normally distributed. Males did not show significant differences ( p  > 0.5) between the two groups of samples neither in median (18 m) nor in distribution, but females from the official IBSA database had a significantly ( p  < 0.05) higher median body length (19.1 m) than those from the UB database (18.9 m).

Figure S2 shows the body length distributions of fin whales caught by the various periods and companies that operated around the Iberian Peninsula. Because for of most operations sample size was too scant to conduct reliable statistical analysis, no attempt was made to test for differences in distribution or median values. However, the right tail of the length distributions was examined to identify potentially oversized individuals suggestive of catches of blue whales. The data from Getares for 1950–1959, Benzú for 1947–1954, and Setúbal for 1950–1951 showed individuals larger than 23 m, with distribution tails that departed from an expectable distribution of fin whale body lengths, i.e. such as that followed by the IBSA official or the UB biological measurements datasets.

The statistics available for the 1920s only record a few catches of blue whales, which probably reflects the scarcity of the species, although it is also likely that a few blue whales may have been caught and reported as fin whales (see “Discussion” section). Afterwards, the catch statistics compiled here register the capture of blue whales apparently reliably. In the case of the period 1953–1985 for NW Spain, the catch and sightings information contained in the catcher boat logbooks and in the gunner’s notebooks matched the landing records from the managing company, Industria Ballenera SA (IBSA) with only minor discrepancies, mostly in the date of capture, and are thus considered accurate. A fin whale-hybrid caught in 1984 32 was recorded as a fin whale, with no indication of its blue-fin whale mixed origin.

The landing records did not register the whales caught but lost after capture. The loss rates were calculated from the logbooks that contained specific details on losses ( Temerario , 1953; Lobeiro , 1960; Carrumeiro , 1978 and 1980; Lobeiro , 1980; IBSA TRES , 1982, 1983 and 1985), and the rates calculated against the sperm and baleen whale catches recorded for the boats and periods involved. The resulting loss rate estimate was 3.2 for sperm whales (4 out of 126 catches) and 2.3% for baleen whales (15 out of 654 catches). Although none of the loss cases was identified as involving a blue whale, the rates from other baleen whales (mostly fin whales) can be reasonably applied also to blue whales. After correcting for losses, the resulting total number of whales actually killed was estimated at 61.4 blue whales along a period of 55 years, that is, 1.12 individuals/year.

Table  3 details the blue whale-fin whale catch ratio for different periods and areas in the SEAS ecoregion. The data for the nineteenth century were extracted from a study on the whaling operations conducted by open-boat whalers in the southern fringe of the SEAS 33 . The ratio for the 1930s has not been calculated because only 69 fin whales and no blue whales were caught during this decade, and these numbers were considered insufficient to produce a representative result.

Exploitation

Despite there perhaps having been some exceptional catches of blue whales by open-boat whalers, such as the one made by the American whaling bark Benjamin Franklin in 1864 33 , the species was not the focus of exploitation in the region until the onset of modern whaling in the 1920s. For the early period (1920–30s) there are not detailed whaling statistics but only aggregated numbers of catches per company and factory. These records include one blue whale taken by the Rey Alfonso floating factory in the Gulf of Cadiz in 1924, one by the Professor Gruvel ( A/S Congo ) floating factory off Setúbal in 1925, and two by the Compañía Ballenera Española off NW Spain and brought to the Caneliñas land factory in 1925 14 . However, when listing the bonuses that this last company payed to the crew, on June 11 1926 Carl Herlofson, the manager of the company in Spain, stated to the Norwegian direction in Tønsberg that gunner Aksel Johansen had to receive a bonus for the capture of a blue whale 34 . This blue whale capture was not included in the statistics, or was mislabelled as a fin whale and, although this was the only case of this nature that we could identify, it may suggest that a few additional blue whales were also caught and not reported. However, the above mentioned case is the only mention of a blue whale catch in the very abundant available correspondence and documentation from these operations, which consistently reported catches of only sperm, fin and sei whales (though the latter was sometimes confused with Bryde’s whales). Apparently confirming this, the rich photographic material that has survived from these operations 14 never shows a blue whale among the catch. Given that in the 1920s and 1930s the blue whale was not protected but, on the contrary, was a much sought-after species, there is no reason why its catch would have been hidden, particularly in the internal documents and correspondence of the company. Therefore, the actual occurrence of such unreported catches, if they exist at all, is considered to be very small. Conversely, the comparison of the official datasets with the internal records of the Spanish whaling companies that operated during 1944–1985 permitted to identify 31 blue whales that had been not reported, thus doubling the official catch numbers (n = 29). In many cases, the catch of these whales was declared, but they were incorrectly reported as fin whales. It is unclear why in some cases the companies correctly reported the blue whale catches while in others they produced an incorrect identification. Until 1979, when most of these unreported catches occurred, Spain was not part of the IWC so it was not bound by any catch limit or whaling regulation; indeed, some misled records are included in yearly reports that do include correctly declared blue whale catches (e.g. in years 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978).

Loss of killed whales appeared to be highly variable between operations. Unskilled crews, the employment of defective equipment or the use of vessels that were not proper catcher boats undoubtedly increased the probability of losing a whale after its harpooning. Even within a given operation, the success in recovering a harpooned whale probably increased with time, as long as crews gained experience and equipment was improved. For example, when the company Marcelino dos Reis Ltda initiated operations in Portugal in 1945, it employed three trawlers equipped with a harpoon gun 12 , 13 . Owing to the poor quality of lines, the company reported the loss of 32 out of 79 harpooned and secured whales in the first year of operation, that is, 40% of catches. The rate barely improved in the following season, with 22 whales lost out of 152, that is, 14,5% of catches 35 . However, loss rates of such magnitude were certainly not the rule, and at least in the more modern operations they were generally low. Thus, the logbooks here examined for the period 1953–1985 indicate a loss rate for baleen whales of 2.3%, a value that, although it is mostly derived from the fin whale catch, should also apply to the blue whale because of its similar body mass, shape and buoyancy. Given that the statistics only reflect the whales that were landed, the blue whale catch numbers here reported should be multiplied by a correction factor of 1.023 to estimate the actual number of whales killed, thus resulting in a take of 61.38 blue whales along a period of 55 years, that is, approximately one individual/year.

The comparison between the IBSA body length distributions of the fin whales caught during 1974–1985 and those reported of the UB database, distributions and median body length are similar for males, but for females the median was 20 cm longer in the first database than in the second. This small difference can be explained by the fact that, while IBSA workers measured the whale’s body length from tip of the snout to the tip of tail flukes, UB scientists did that from the tip of the snout to the notch of flukes (AA personal observation). The fin whale body length data from the other operations, although often limited in sample size, showed distributions and medians that reasonably matched the IBSA much larger and verified dataset. However, the fin whale body length distributions from Getares (1950–1959), Benzú (1947–1954), and Setúbal (1950–1951) contained a number of individuals longer than 23 m, that is , excessively large to be fin whales. This may be taken as an indication that these individuals were indeed misreported blue whales. However, the shape of the right tails of these distributions depart from what would be an expectable distribution of body lengths, that would end with a progressive decline in extreme values, so they are considered to be unreliable measurements. For example, for Getares (1950–1959) 4 out of 8 whales taken would have purportedly been blue whales (body length larger than 23 m), a proportion unreasonable for the fin whale/blue whale abundance ratio in the area. Unfortunately, clarification and retrospective correction of databases is unfeasible with the current level of information. However, the existence of these oversized whales must be borne in mind and it cannot be ruled out that the number of blue whales actually taken from the population was indeed somewhat higher than the above estimate.

The mean body length of individuals reported as blue whales was somewhat lower for both sexes than corresponding values given by Risting 36 for higher latitudes of the North Atlantic (Greenland, West coast of Ireland, Shetland and Newfoundland). The difference may be due to a lower selectivity of whalers when catching whales in the SEAS but the statistics do not contain any specimen larger than 24 m, which in other North Atlantic regions were frequent, despite the fact that whalers would certainly have tried by all means to capture a specimen of this size. The apparent lack of large individuals may be due to a certain population stratification with latitude, with juveniles tending not to penetrate such high latitudes as adults, as it has been observed in the South Atlantic, where a gradient in sizes and a greater presence of juveniles in southern latitudes apparently occurs 36 , 37 . Moreover, the statistics regularly recorded the presence and length of foetuses 4 , but none of the recorded blue whales caught was apparently pregnant, again supporting the absence of fully adult individuals. One caught whale, however, was only 9.1 m long, which indicates that this was a calf.

Status of the population

The blue whale does not appear to have ever been abundant in the temperate waters of the eastern North Atlantic. Strandings of blue whales along the shorelines of northwestern Africa, western Spain, continental Portugal and southwestern France are unusual in both historical and more recent times 22 , 38 , 39 , 40 . Consistent with this low abundance, the catches of this species in the SEAS only represented a very small fraction of the total catches of the species conducted in the North Atlantic 4 . Because a line-transect model requires a minimum number of sightings to be fitted, a consequence of such low abundance of blue whales is that the various line-transect surveys carried out in the region that have served to produce population numbers for other cetacean species, mostly the fin whale 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , have been unable to collect enough data for blue whales to produce an approximate estimate of abundance or even density, as it would have been ideal. However, an insight into the relative abundance of this species can be obtained through the ratio between the catches or sightings of blue whales as related to those of fin whales. It should be noted that the resulting numbers of such exercise cannot be considered population estimates for blue whales, but just rough approximations to the relative abundance of the species.

Previous to the onset of blue whale exploitation by modern whalers, the American open boat vessels operating during 1862–1889 in the Gibraltar Straits ground had a sighting ratio of 5,9 blue whales for every 100 fin whales, as shown by the data recorded in the whaling vessels’ logbooks 33 . In the twentieth century there is no information available on sighting rates until the 1980s, but in the 1920s the catch ratio of blue whales for every 100 fin whales was only 0.02–0.18% depending on the area, that is, an order of magnitude lower than the already low pre-exploitation sighting rates observed in the open-boat vessels’ logbooks. This undoubtedly reflects the severe effects of the massive blue whale catches that occurred in the North Atlantic during the last decades of the nineteenth century and the early decades of the twentieth century 6 . From the 1940s and up to the 1970s, the catch ratio between the two species increased to 0.47–1.6%, probably as a consequence of the opposing trends in their abundance: while the blue whale benefited from the ban in its exploitation approved by the IWC 8 , the fin whale replaced the blue whale as a main target and whaling pressure on that species suddenly increased 1 . It is interesting to note that the ratio was not uniform between areas, and during the second half of the twentieth century it was 3–4 times higher in the southern whaling grounds than off NW Spain. It is very likely that this does not reflect a higher abundance of blue whales in the southern grounds but rather a much reduced density of fin whales there as a consequence of the collapse of the Gibraltar Straits subpopulation due to the unsustainable level of catches that had been made in the 1920s 14 , 45 .

In NW Spain, where the fin whale population was relatively abundant despite 6 decades of almost continuous exploitation 14 , the blue whale/fin whale ratio showed a progressive increase with time. In 1979 Spain joined IWC and stopped taking blue whales. No catch ratios can thus be calculated, but the sightings ratios from both the IWC-type logbooks and the UB-surveys shows a continued rise in the proportion of blue whales sighted as related to that of fin whales. Although the rate appears somewhat higher in the UB-surveys (2.86%) than in the sightings performed by whalers (1.94%), this apparent difference should be taken with caution because sample size was much lower in the first database than in the second (n = 248 vs n = 1336) and thus would be expected to be less accurate.

A line transect survey conducted in 1989 resulted in a fin whale abundance estimate of 17,335 individuals (95% CI 10,400–28,900), a figure that is considered robust 46 because the cruise covered the whaling grounds and adjacent waters, and the sighting rates obtained were consistent with those found in surveys from the 1980–1990s 30 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 covering smaller or partially overlapping areas. A comparable survey conducted in 2016 in a somewhat different and larger area 43 resulted in a fin whale abundance estimate of 18,142 individuals (95% CI 9796–33,599). This latter survey was conducted during 4–28 July, that is, about 2 months earlier than the period when blue whales visit the area, and concentrated its effort in shelf waters with relatively sparse coverage of offshore waters, all which combined to produce insufficient data to assess blue whale abundance and is considered suboptimal for comparative purposes 43 . If the blue whale/fin whale sighting rate obtained in the catcher boat and survey observations of the 1980s is applied to the 1989 Bucklands’s et al. 46 estimate, the resulting abundance of blue whales in the SEAS ecoregion is 337 individuals (95% CI 202–561) when applying the 1.94% value, and 497 individuals (CI 298–828) when applying the 2.86% value. These figures are much higher than the abundance of only a few tens suggested for the area by Cooke 5 . Taking into account the above abundance numbers, the catches conducted during the period 1921–1979 by the Iberian whaling operations (1.12 individuals/year) are not expected to have had a significant effect on the trajectory of the population.

During summer, blue whale relative abundance in the NE Atlantic tends to increase northwards. Thus, the blue whale/fin whale ratio was found to be 1.94–2.86% off NW Spain, 7.7% in the Irish Porcupine Seabight 48 , and 9.75% off Iceland 49 . Iceland, which appears to be a main feeding ground for the eastern subpopulation 19 , is where the blue whale appears to reach its highest density. In this area, the sightings from both the whaling boats and line transect cruises indicate that the population has been increasing during the last decades at a mean annual rate of 4–5.2% 30 , 50 , values that are somewhat lower than the 7.3% estimated for Antarctic blue whales 51 . As a result of this raise in abundance, the population off Iceland was estimated in 2015 to be at about 3000 individuals (95% CI 1377–6534), that is, about six times higher than the estimate for 1989 52 . If these annual rates of increase are applied to the gross estimates of abundance in the SEAS estimated for 1989, it can be derived that the number of blue whales in the region must be currently over a thousand individuals. Such an increase would be consistent with the progressive penetration of the species in the shelf waters and the rise in strandings and sightings that has been reported in the last decade in NW Spain 53 , 54 , 55 . However, despite the apparent increase in abundance the school size has remained very low, with most sightings being of mixed schools with fin whales or of single individuals, as it is the case in other depleted blue whale populations 56 .

Because the population estimates conducted in the various regions of the North Atlantic derive from line transect surveys conducted in all cases during the July–September period, it is reasonable to assume that the figures resulting from them correspond to exclusive aggregations of blue whales and thus can be added; if this is correct, and the annual rates of increase observed in Iceland are applied to the above numbers, the current (2021) size of the overall eastern North Atlantic blue whale subpopulation would presumably be in the order of 4000–5000 individuals. Such abundance levels are higher than those commonly proposed for the basin 5 , although they are still much lower than those which the species once enjoyed in the North Atlantic. The total number of blue whales killed in this ocean during the first decades of exploitation was likely in the range 15–20,000 5 . As a consequence, its initial population size was over such threshold and the current levels of abundance would still be below one third of pre-exploitation numbers. Whatever the case, these are proximate calculations that should not be regarded as robust estimates of population size but can be used as a guidance to infer rough levels of abundance of the species until especially dedicated line-transect surveys or photoidentification studies provide more accurate numbers.

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Acknowledgements

Manuel Hermelo and Jesús Cancelas, both members of the staff of the Hermanos Massó company that managed the Balea (Cangas) whaling station, kindly provided the photograph shown in Fig.  2 , which is now deposited at Museo Massó, Xunta de Galicia. Miguel López, gunner, Jesús Cancelas, fleet manager of Industria Ballenera SA, and Juan José Massó, manager of Industria Ballenera SA, provided catcher boat logbooks and gunner’s catch notebooks. Many colleagues participated in the surveys conducted by the University of Barcelona in the 1980s; we are grateful for their collaboration and, particularly, to Carolina Sanpera and Lluís Jover, who took a lead in both the design and carrying out of the fin whale sighting surveys. The Vestfold Museene (Sandefjord, Norway) provided access to the correspondence and statistical archives of the Compañía Ballenera Española and AV Hektor ; we are particularly grateful to curator Lone Kirchhoff for assistance in the identification of documents. Thanks are also extended to Cherry Allison and Sue Burkett for providing the whaling catch database managed by the International Whaling Commission. This study was part of project PID2020-119712GB-I00 funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain, MCIN/AEI/13039/501100011033.

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Aguilar, A., Borrell, A. Unreported catches, impact of whaling and current status of blue whales in the South European Atlantic Shelf. Sci Rep 12 , 5491 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09570-6

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WATCH: Blue Whales 101

A blue whale's tongue alone can weigh as much as an elephant—its heart as much as an automobile.

What is the blue whale?

Blue whales are the largest animals ever known to have lived on Earth . These magnificent marine mammals rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons . Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. Their hearts, as much as an automobile.

Diet of krill

Blue whales reach these mind-boggling dimensions on a diet composed nearly exclusively of tiny shrimplike animals called krill. During certain times of the year, a single adult blue whale consumes about 4 tons of krill a day.

Blue whales are baleen whales, which means they have fringed plates of fingernail-like material, called baleen, attached to their upper jaws . The giant animals feed by first gulping an enormous mouthful of water, expanding the pleated skin on their throat and belly to take it in. Then the whale's massive tongue forces the water out through the thin, overlapping baleen plates. Thousands of krill are left behind—and then swallowed.

Coloring and appearance

Blue whales look true blue underwater , but on the surface their coloring is more a mottled blue-gray. Their underbellies take on a yellowish hue from the millions of microorganisms that take up residence in their skin. The blue whale has a broad, flat head and a long, tapered body that ends in wide, triangular flukes.

Vocalization and behavior

Blue whales live in all the world's oceans , except the Arctic, occasionally swimming in small groups but usually alone or in pairs. They often spend summers feeding in polar waters and undertake lengthy migrations towards the Equator as winter arrives.

These graceful swimmers cruise the ocean at more than five miles an hour , but accelerate to more than 20 miles an hour when they are agitated. Blue whales are among the loudest animals on the planet . They emit a series of pulses, groans, and moans, and it’s thought that, in good conditions, blue whales can hear each other up to 1,000 miles away . Scientists think they use these vocalizations not only to communicate, but, along with their excellent hearing, to sonar-navigate the lightless ocean depths.

Blue whale calves

Calves enter the world already ranking among the planet's largest creatures. After about a year inside its mother's womb, a baby blue whale emerges weighing up to 3 tons and stretching to 25 feet. It gorges on nothing but mother's milk and gains about 200 pounds every day for its first year .

Blue whales are among Earth's longest-lived animals . Scientists have discovered that by counting the layers of a deceased whale's waxlike earplugs, they can get a close estimate of the animal's age. The oldest blue whale found using this method was determined to be around 110 years old. Average lifespan is estimated at around 80 to 90 years.

Conservation

Aggressive hunting in the 1900s by whalers seeking whale oil drove them to the brink of extinction. Between 1900 and the mid-1960s, some 360,000 blue whales were slaughtered . They finally came under protection with the 1966 International Whaling Commission , but they've managed only a minor recovery since then.

Blue whales have few predators but are known to fall victim to attacks by sharks and killer whales, and many are injured or die each year from impacts with large ships.

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July 4, 2024

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Rare footage reveals intimate family lives of blue whales

by Charles Darwin University, Charles Darwin University

The intimate family lives of blue whales, including a blue whale nursing its calf underwater, has been revealed in extraordinary footage captured in a project led by an international marine ecologist from Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Australian National University (ANU).

Marine scientist Dr. Karen Edyvane, who is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at CDU, an Associate Professor at ANU, and a UN-recognized expert on the Arafura and Timor Seas has been conducting research in Timor-Leste since 2006.

She said the evidence of blue whale 's reproductive and calving behavior has remained largely 'unknown' in the scientific community , until now.

"From newborn calves and nursing mothers to amorous adults in courtship, the waters of Timor-Leste really are providing blue whale scientists with some of our first glimpses into the private lives of one of the world's largest but most elusive animals."

The research was published by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and draws on more than a decade of observations and datasets.

Associate Professor Edyvane said the findings not only confirm Timor-Leste's waters as a major migration corridor for blue whales, but also an unprecedented location for blue whale research.

"Timor-Leste's deep, nearshore waters, particularly in the narrow Ombai-Wetar Strait along the north coast of the country, provide one of the most accessible and best locations for blue whale research in the world," she said.

"Since 2014, our program has sighted over 2,700 blue whales in Timor-Leste's waters, monitoring their annual migration along the country's north coast. On a global level, these numbers are truly extraordinary."

Dr. Elanor Bell, a researcher at the Australian Antarctic Division and an Australian Government representative within the IWC's Scientific Committee, said, "The long-term blue whale monitoring in Timor-Leste is providing hugely valuable insights into blue whale movements and behaviors in tropical waters .

"This evidence suggests that these waters are important foraging areas for blue whales and critical for reproduction. Until now, it has been a mystery when, where and how blue whales reproduce."

Dr. Capri Jolliffe, who has been studying blue whales in Australian waters for over a decade said the long-term monitoring in Timor Leste is providing critical insights into the ecology of the Austral-Indonesian population of pygmy blue whales.

"This research clearly highlights that the life history characteristics and patterns of habitat use of pygmy blue whales differ significantly from their Antarctic blue whale counterparts. They really are tropical animals," Dr. Jolliffe said.

"It also highlights the critical importance of collaboration between blue whale researchers in Australia and Timor-Leste. These animals undertake long ocean migrations, crossing maritime waters and international boundaries—we share these animals.

"Understanding of this population and the threats they face throughout their entire migratory range is fundamental for ongoing conservation and recovery of this species. For effective species management, support for Australia and Timor-Leste research cooperation must be a major priority."

Timor-Leste research partner Jose Filipe Dias Quintas, who is National Director for Tourism and Environment Research from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment (Timor-Leste), said a major feature of the success of the Timor-Leste's blue whale monitoring program, known locally as "Baleia no Golfinhu iha Timor-Leste," has been its volunteer efforts, "citizen science" and partnerships.

"Over the past decade, we've all shared a common purpose in finding out more about pygmy blue whale migration—to understand and better protect our extraordinary ocean life and also, to support the sustainability of our rapidly growing whale tourism industry," he said.

"It's really developed and grown into a major collaboration between researchers, whale tour operators and tourists, student volunteers, and local fishermen—sharing information, images and observations about blue whale sightings. They've shared with us some amazing blue whale images. It's really been an exciting and shared journey.

"Now, we really need to use this valuable new information to ensure we fully protect and conserve these animals when they pass through Timor-Leste's waters and beyond. For this, we urgently need cooperation and support from Australia and the wider international community."

The footage can be viewed on Dr. Edyvane's project website.

Provided by Charles Darwin University

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Drones and tourist video of pygmy blue whales helps experts better understand their behaviour

Drones and vision shot by tourists has helped scientists understand more about pygmy blue whale populations north of Australia.

The research has helped scientists to see the Banda Sea as an important breeding and birthing ground for the species.

What's next? 

The Timorese government believes the research can help conservationists to preserve the species into the future.

New research on a rare variety of blue whale has revealed previously unseen behaviours in waters north of Australia, including the first footage of a mother nursing her calf.

Research spanning more than a decade studied the presence of more than 2,000 pygmy blue whales in the Banda Sea, as they migrate north from southern Australia.

Pygmy blue whales are one of several subspecies of the world's largest living animal, the blue whale.

Australian National University professor Karen Edyvane, who led the study, said vision and images captured of the colossal mammals was largely a result of support from tourism sector workers and citizen scientists in Timor Leste.

"The footage of a nursing mother and calf was taken by a tourist," she said.

Professor Edyvane said any footage of pygmy blue whales was invaluable in understanding them.

"[They're] one of the largest creatures on Earth and we still know very little about them, because their numbers are low and they are highly elusive," she said.

Blue whales typically prefer to swim at deeper depths, but narrow channels in the Banda Sea have provided scientists with a rare opportunity to monitor them.

While the monitoring of pygmy blue whale populations has historically relied on boats, the advent of drones has allowed researchers to observe the creatures from above.

The technology has helped challenge conventional wisdom about their activities in the waters off Timor Leste, which was thought to be a corridor largely for foraging.

Scientists now believe the Banda Sea is also a romantic hotspot and birthing ground for the whales.

"To see these amazing animals in courtship behaviour or to see mothers and calves nursing very closely together — you wouldn't see that in a boat," Professor Edyvane said.

Diplomatic purpose to partnership

The research, a collaboration between Australian universities and the Timorese government, has also improved diplomatic ties.

Timor's Consul-General in Darwin, Jose Amorin Dias, said he was proud to see the two countries collaborate.

"I feel very proud that we have this marine richness in our country," he said.

"It's a great opportunity for Timor Leste to develop close cooperation with Australia in the field of whale tourism."

With the species classified as endangered, Mr Dias said there was an important role in training more local scientists and conservationists in Timor Leste as whales contend with the threats of climate change.

"Especially to help in saving our ocean, the planet and all the creatures that we have in Timor," he said.

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One simple way ships can protect endangered whales and tackle climate change

Imagine standing in the centre of a busy city street during rush hour. Maybe you’re in Manhattan or central London, Tokyo or Johannesburg. You’re trying to find your friend, but the din of activity around you makes it impossible. Horns blare. Engines rev. Brakes squeal.  

Shouting your friend’s name won’t help because your voice can’t compete with the mechanical chaos around you, so you use your best technology: your mobile phone. But the noise surrounding your friend is so loud they can’t even hear their phone ring. Maybe they feel it buzz, but when they answer they still can’t understand you over the traffic. You both end up shouting into your phones, confused, increasingly frustrated, and stressed that a simple meetup should become so difficult.  

Finally, you see each other, but now you have to make your way across the street without getting hit by a taxi or truck. 

That scenario comes close to what marine animals experience as they navigate busy shipping lanes. Animals across the spectrum—from coral to whales —are suffering because of the unending noise of propellers and engines. Those that need to come up to the water’s surface to breathe face the added threat of a ship colliding with them and being severely injured or even killed. 

The problem is so significant that for some endangered species—such as the North Atlantic right whale —it could lead to extinction. 

But the good news is that there is a simple solution that would make an immediate, tangible difference not only to vulnerable sea life but to the shipping industry, too: slowing down ship speeds. 

How does underwater noise affect animals?  

Because noise travels so efficiently underwater and the frequency range of noises created by ships overlaps with the frequencies created by whales and other marine life, it creates a constant din that interferes with the ability of these animals to communicate, breed, feed, avoid predators, locate prey, and migrate.  

Fundamentally, it changes the way they behave. They may abandon a habitat, become confused, beach themselves or migrate into rivers, or even eat the wrong things. On a BBC radio programme, The Essay , Professor of Marine Biology Steve Simpson describes a study where his team played ship noise to crabs. ‘We put little bits of chopped up mussel into the tank, but also chopped up rubber bands,’ he explains. ‘What we find is that when the crab is in a noisy world, they start picking up rubber bands. They don't really make the right decisions.’ 

If animals can’t communicate effectively, or if they must make themselves louder to be heard, it also has a tremendous effect on their stress levels.  

We know this because of a groundbreaking study conducted by Rosalind Rolland , Emeritus Senior Scientist at the New England Aquarium in Boston. Dr. Rolland and her team were at sea in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, on 11 September 2001. They were performing general research on why North Atlantic right whales weren’t reproducing. But as shipping traffic came to a halt along North America’s eastern seaboard in the wake of the tragic terrorist attacks, Dr. Rolland and her team made an unexpected discovery. As levels of underwater noise dropped by 6 decibels, there was a corresponding fall in the stress hormones found in the whales’ faeces. 

Poor communication can also affect animals’ ability to breed—to find what we call reproductive opportunities. If you can’t locate a potential mate because it's too noisy, that’s a big problem, particularly for endangered species with already low reproductive levels. Over the last 80 years, for instance, the distance over which blue whales can hear each other has shrunk from over 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) to only 160 kilometres (100 miles) today.  

That can be the difference between survival and extinction. 

How does ship speed affect marine life?  

Vessel strikes are the other big issue, particularly for whales, and the speed of ships is directly related to the likelihood of a lethal encounter with a whale. 

Wherever high amounts of shipping activity overlap with large numbers of whales, the probability of hitting a whale is also very high. 

You might think that it would be easy for mariners to avoid whales. After all, some whales are up to 20 metres (66 feet) long. But if you're a mariner on a 300-metre-long (1,000-foot-long) ship, whales pale into insignificance. 

That's why ship strikes often go undetected. There have been a few gruesome stories recently of ships coming into ports with dead whales stuck across the bow, and that was the first time the mariners knew they had hit a whale.  

Whales’ bodies sometimes wash ashore, which gives us an idea of how many whales are being hit by ships. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Generally, for every one animal that we see has been struck, there are 20 others that go unaccounted for. 

What is the solution?  

There are certain areas in the ocean where we know a lot of whales are present. In these locations, we’ve worked with shipping companies and governments to slightly re-route shipping lanes away from these areas.  

For example, we’ve got some companies to agree to avoid an area near Sri Lanka where the majority of northern Indian Ocean blue whales congregate. One of the largest shipping companies in the world, MSC, has also altered its routes to protect endangered sperm whales in the Hellenic Trench off the coast of Greece. 

But the global distribution of whales isn’t predictable. They can be anywhere, so we need a holistic approach that will protect whales wherever they are. That’s why IFAW’s Blue Speeds campaign is calling for a small reduction in shipping speeds.  

Research shows that slowing ships down across the global fleet by approximately 10% would reduce risk of a ship strike by 50% and reduce underwater noise by 40%.  

On our Blue Speeds website , you can hear what the reduction in noise sounds like. It’s a tremendous difference, especially for these very vulnerable populations in which every animal is vital for the species’ survival.  

The good thing about underwater noise is that, unlike other pollutants, once the noise stops, the pollution also stops. It’s not like an oil spill, where you have to undertake a huge cleanup. Similarly, the risk of a ship colliding with a whale immediately decreases when a ship’s speed decreases. 

Slowing ships down has an immediate, tangible effect. 

How does reducing speed benefit shipping companies, too?  

Maritime transport accounts for 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) published a study in 2015 that said the problem would only get worse if not addressed. Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu predicted that ‘by 2050, CO2 emissions from international shipping could grow by between 50% and 250%, depending on future economic growth and energy developments. Therefore, if we are to succeed in further enhancing the sector’s energy efficiency, which is already the most energy-efficient mode of mass transport of cargo, the international community must deliver realistic and pragmatic solutions, both from a technical standpoint and a political perspective.’ 

Reducing ship speeds is one of those realistic and pragmatic solutions, because when you slow down, you burn less fuel. This is one way shipping companies can meet strict new targets set out by the IMO recently, which make it mandatory for ships to improve their energy efficiency and decrease their emissions .  

The shipping industry regularly adjusts its speeds to save money when fuel prices rise. We are simply asking for these reductions to become the norm. 

What role can governments and supporters play?  

Many shipping companies see the benefit of slowing down or slightly changing their routes to help conserve vulnerable species. They have voluntarily agreed to these changes. 

But we need governments and regulators to enshrine these changes in policy.  

The European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive is a great example. The EU is the most forward-thinking governing body when it comes to underwater noise. That’s why IFAW’s Blue Speeds campaign is starting with Europe, but we urge leaders around the world to take this issue seriously before any more of our precious marine wildlife loses the battle against extinction. 

Help us create a safer, quieter ocean for whales. 

Sharon Livermore

Director - Marine Conservation

Marine Conservation

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A Whale of a Story: Necropsy Reveals the Health of Species and the Ocean

June 28, 2024

An in-depth (and sometimes graphic) look at how a necropsy team pieces together what happened to a humpback whale.

This is the story of a necropsy and the clues it revealed, one by one, about what ended the life of a young humpback whale. It died in May 2024 off the Oregon Coast.

A necropsy of a stranded whale provides a rare glimpse into the life of the animal, its species, and the marine ecosystem on which it depends. Autopsies on humans help divulge the cause of death and contributing factors. Similarly, a necropsy of a marine mammal helps researchers unravel what affected the animal in the final weeks and days of its life.

A necropsy of a large whale requires a team of trained responders authorized by NOAA Fisheries as part of the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network . The team on this particular day included biologists, graduate students, and a local teacher. They gathered around the bloated carcass of the young male humpback whale on the northern Oregon Coast. The carcass had drifted to shore a few days earlier, coming to rest upside down on a sandy beach. The grooves along the whale’s throat that had once unfolded like a balloon as it gulped great volumes of water and prey glinted in the sun.

Wisps of steam rose from the carcass as decomposition heated the roughly 15 to 20 tons of blubber, baleen, muscle, and internal organs. They would gradually unfold onto the surrounding beach over the next few hours. Like the steam, the smell followed the breeze.

The carcass would soon tell a whale of a story.

Uncovering What’s Inside

While one necropsy yields insight into one animal, necropsies together can reveal health trends and newly emerging risks to the species and the ocean. Humpback whales range across the world’s oceans, but they are mostly hidden from view and harder to study than species on land.

“Through necropsies and sample analyses, we can better understand the effects of things like climate change, disease, and human impacts on the health of marine mammals,” said Jessie Huggins, Stranding Coordinator at Cascadia Research Collective. She frequently leads necropsies of whales stranded in Washington state. “With the information from more detailed examinations, we become better equipped to detect and respond to changing conditions and emerging diseases.”

The first step in a necropsy is an external exam, looking for signs such as rope marks or the rakes of killer whale teeth that may have contributed to the whale’s death. Then the team begins peeling away the skin and blubber, exposing flesh, sinew, and bone. Like slicing the skin off an apple, removing the skin and blubber help reveal anything out of place. It can reveal bruising, swelling, or abscesses that can indicate an injury or disease.

Necropsy leader Dalin D’Alessandro of Portland State University hands out small serrated utility knives to team members, who spread out along both sides of the whale. They use the knives to pierce the whale’s dark skin, the blades slicing through the blubber.

As she oversees the disassembly of one of the largest animals on earth, D’Alessandro stresses safety. The long-handled hooks used to pull blubber away (or pieces apart) should be driven into the sand hook first for safekeeping. The team wears heavy rubber fishing waders and boots along with nitrile gloves that soon become covered in blood and bits of blubber.

“Remember to take breaks,” she says. “This is hard work, so be sure to take time to rest and rehydrate.”

On the “Front Lines”

The West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network is an alliance of organizations, including Portland State University, authorized to respond to marine mammal strandings along individual stretches of the West Coast. It responds to upwards of 50 stranded whales on the West Coast every year. The day before the humpback whale washed ashore, local residents had reported the carcass floating beyond the surf to the south. NOAA Fisheries coordinators set the response in motion.

“The Network is on the front lines,” said Kristin Wilkinson, NOAA Fisheries Stranding Coordinator in the Pacific Northwest. “These are dedicated groups with years of experience who are trained to gather evidence so we can learn as much from the animal as possible.”

With the whale upside down, the necropsy team begins high on the whale’s belly. Lined up next to each other alongside the whale, each member of the team cuts and peels away a width of skin and blubber. They unfurl like rolls of carpet to expose the whale’s insides.

“We want to look for signs of why and how the whale died,” says D’Alessandro. She conducted an initial external exam of the carcass the day it became stranded. After further coordination, she returned 3 days later with a team to perform the necropsy. “Necropsies provide us with a unique opportunity to better understand the lives of these majestic animals,” D’Alessandro emphasizes.

Hints of What Happened to the Whale

The carcass does not take long to yield clues. D’Alessandro studies marks on the tail flukes of the whale, where an entanglement in rope or fishing gear tends to leave marks. However, nothing in the skin here or on the rest of the carcass offers evidence of ropes rubbing for extended periods.

Then one of the team spots blood pooling near the animal’s mouth, a possible sign of trauma. Dark red tissue around the right side of the whale’s jaw shows that there is a substantial hemorrhage under the skin. The dark hemorrhagic tissue is obvious in contrast to the surrounding lighter colored tissue.

Usually, extensive bleeding, bruising, and swelling are signs of a blunt force impact, such as from the bow of a vessel. As more of the skin and blubber comes away, the darker red flesh of hemorrhagic tissue extends along the right side of the whale. Lesser areas of hemorrhage emerge elsewhere on the whale, a sign that the force of the impact spread over a wider area. Increasingly, the clues point to a possible vessel strike as the cause of death.

Vessel strikes are the second-most common cause of death of humpback whales off the West Coast. They follow only entanglement in fishing gear, according to NOAA Fisheries’ most recent stock assessment for the West Coast population. The data from necropsies contributes to the stock assessments, which inform the management and protection of whales.

Sampling the Remains

One of the final steps is to collect samples of the animal’s vital organs. Several members of the team gather to search for the internal organs, which because of the whale’s orientation are hidden from view. They use the long-handled hooks to pull much of the jumbled conduit of intestines out of the carcass, providing access to the animal’s interior. Others pull back the exposed ribs. Then D’Alessandro climbs into the center of the carcass to search the animal’s insides.

She and the team slice off pieces of tissues, gathering both the hemorrhagic and normal flesh for comparison by a veterinary pathologist. Researchers may collect anywhere from a few to nearly 100 samples during a necropsy, depending on the condition of the carcass. In the case of the humpback, they collected about 30. The team hands D’Alessandro vials to collect samples of the stomach contents, and the urine and feces from inside the kidney and intestines.

“The organs can tell us about the health of the animal and show signs of disease that we may not see evidence of elsewhere in the whale,” she said.

While the necropsy proceeds with clinical efficiency, the team recognizes that the flesh and bones they are examining belonged to a living, breathing animal just days before.

What happens to whales after necropsies is usually up to the landowner. Sometimes tribes seek parts of whales for ceremonial and subsistence use. Some landowners bury carcasses to reduce their sight and smell. Managers of the Oregon state park where this humpback whale stranded decided to let it decompose naturally. With the likely help of scavengers, this process will redistribute nutrients into the coastal ecosystem.

“You do have to look at an animal one step at a time,” D’Alessandro says. “Hopefully, we can put those steps together to better understand the life and death of this whale.”

More Information

• West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network
• Frequent Questions—Necropsies of Marine Mammals
• National Marine Mammal Stranding Response Network
• Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
• Guide for Identifying Gear from Marine Mammal Entanglements

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Apple TV+ shows and movies: Everything to watch on Apple TV Plus

Apple TV+ offers exclusive Apple original TV shows and movies in 4K HDR quality. You can watch across all of your screens and pick up where you left off on any device. Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month. Here’s every Apple original television show and movie available now on Apple TV+, as well as the latest trailers …

Apple TV+ content is available exclusively through the Apple TV app . You can watch on your Apple TV set-top box, iPhone, or iPad as you might expect.

But you don’t need the latest Apple TV 4K to enjoy Apple TV+. The TV app is also available on other platforms like Amazon Fire TV , Roku , Sony PlayStation , Xbox , and even the web at tv.apple.com .

Apple TV+ offers original comedies, dramas, thrillers, documentaries, and kids shows.

For your $9.99/month subscription, you can watch all of Apple’s originals — as listed below. You can download to watch offline too. Apple is adding new content every single month.

How to watch the free Apple TV+ shows

The TV app is the exclusive destination for Apple TV+, but the TV app is a little confusing because it blends together purchasable TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store, which you can buy or rent, content from other apps like Amazon Prime and Disney+, and Apple TV Channels.

The Watch Now screen does not really distinguish between content that you own and can watch, and just Apple’s general recommendations.

The easiest way to get started with Apple TV+ is to open the Apple TV app on your device , and tap on the Originals tab. (On some platforms, this tab is simply labelled using the ‘tv+’ logo.)

This tab takes you to the Apple TV+ channel page. This shows you all of the Apple TV+ shows and movies available to watch, separated into categories like comedy, drama and family fun.

Be aware, the web experience at tv.apple.com is a bit barebonds compared to the native TV app on devices, and it only shows Apple original content. For the best experience, use the TV app on a device like Apple TV 4K .

What to watch on Apple TV+

Apple TV+ (Apple TV Plus, or as some erroneously call it Apple+ TV) is still in its infancy but has already seen breakout hits including comedy Ted Lasso and workplace sci-fi drama Severance .

Apple aims for premium quality across its drama, comedy, and documentary TV shows and movies so everything should reach a reasonable level of quality and hopefully be worth your time. In terms of personal recommendations, I suggest starting with Ted Lasso , For All Mankind , Severance , Trying , and the movie Finch .

Read on to see all of the TV shows, movies and specials streaming now on Apple TV+ as well as trailers for upcoming releases.

All Apple TV+ TV shows and movies (updated July 9, 2024):

• Jump to TV Shows
• Jump to Movies
• Jump to Sports
• Jump to Shorts and Specials
• Jump to Coming Soon

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Playing the role of Gala, Eva Longoria leads this six-episode Spanish comedy drama. Gala is forced to leave the big city as her husband owes money to the wrong people. She tries to start a new life with her mother and daughter in a small wine town located in northern Spain, but gossip spreads fast.

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Snoopy and the gang discover the wonders of nature and outdoor exploration, in this latest original animated series. Charlie Brown and friends hike, swim and roast marshmallows as they immerse themselves in the joys of summer camp.

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Frog and Toad

Based on the popular children’s books by Arnold Lobel, this cartoon centers on two best friends, Frog and Toad. The show explores friendship in all its forms, and how we should all embrace what makes us different and unique.

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`Andre Holland stars in this true story of Hollywood and social overhaul. Hollywood producer Bert Schneider concocts an almost-unbelievable plan to run a fake movie production, to serve as cover for Huey P. Newton to travel to Cuba, outside the jurisdiction of the FBI.

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A three-part investigation into the notorious ‘Con Queen’, who impersonated female executives in Hollywood to ensnare victims into false promises of tantalizing career opportunities. The perpetrator was eventually tracked down by a team of private investigators and the FBI. Unusually, the scam was motivated more by the thrills of dominance and control, than money.

Dark Matter

Blake Crouch adapts his own novel in this captivating sci-fi drama series, starring Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly. One day, teacher and physicist Jason is abducted into an alternate universe, where he replays different versions of his own life. He must face the road not taken, and find a way to return to his real life and his real family, in order to save them from himself.

Headlined by Eugenio Derbez, this fun bilingual comedy series is set at a popular hotel resort in Acapulco. Derbez plays the present-day version of lead character Maximo Gallardo, who narrates the life experiences of his younger self, starting from when he joined the resort in 1984.

The Big Door Prize

Chris O’Dowd leads this comedy series adaptation of best-selling book The Big Door Prize, in which a mysterious machine appears in a small town shop. The machine promises to tell people their true life’s potential.

Unfortunately for fans of the series, The Big Door Prize has been cancelled and will not return for a third season.

Jane, an aspiring young environmentalist, who wants to save as many endangered animals as possible. Using leading computer graphics techniques to bring the animals featured in the stories to life, the series charts epic adventures to save wild animals from across the globe.

By 1776, Benjamin Franklin has become world-renowned thanks to his experiments with electricity. The eight-part limited series follows Franklin, played by Michael Douglas, as he off to France, on a secret mission to garner support for American independence.

Colin Farrell is John Sugar, a private detective. He is tasked with looking into the sudden disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the daughter of a famous Hollywood producer. With references to classic neo-noir movies throughout, it transpires that the story of Sugar himself is just as mysterious as the case he is investigating.

Loot follows Molly, played by Maya Rudolph, who is figuring out what to do with her $87 billion divorce settlement. Across the series, she reckons with the comings and goings of her new life focus; running her charitable foundation.

Loot is renewed and a third season is in the works.

STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces

Steve Martin’s life is the subject of this documentary by Morgan Neville, unusually told in two feature-length parts, each with different styles of filmmaking. “Then” covers Martin’s early life with the usual fare of archive footage, whereas the second part “Now” takes a more conversational approach with Martin himself leading the story.

Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock

Back to the Rock is a full series reboot of the original franchise, featuring recognizable characters like Gobo, Red, Boober, and Mokey as well as some new additions and celebrity guest cameos. Follow the Fraggles and Doozers as they embark on a new set of fun adventures, down in Fraggle Rock.

Palm Royale

Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, Laura Dern, and Carol Burnett are just some of the actors in this star-studded drama. Maxine Simmons (Wiig) wants to break into high society and join the exclusive Palm Royale club, but how much of her morals will she sacrifice along the way to achieve this?

Apple TV+ has confirmed that Palm Royale is renewed and will return for a second season. We don’t yet know when season two will be released.

This limited series depicts the twelve day search for John Wilkes Booth, following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Anthony Boyle stars as Booth, while Tobias Menzies plays Edwin Stanton, the lead organizer of the manhunt.

The Reluctant Traveler

Eugene Levy travels the world in this fun docuseries, facing all manner of personal challenges along the way. Levy takes a helicopter tour across the Utah desert, tries sumo wrestling in Toyko, stays at a deluxe island resort in the Maldives, assists conservation efforts in South Africa, and more across eight awe-inspiring episodes.

A third season of The Reluctant Traveler is in development. A release date is not yet known.

The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin

Noel Fielding stars as the famous highwayman Dick Turpin, in a wacky and absurdist comedy. Despite his repeated protests, Turpin is made the leader of a band of outlaws and the series follows the group as they embark on increasingly wild and zany adventures.

Earthsounds

Sound is the focus of this latest Apple TV+ nature docuseries. The noise of ostrich chicks inside their eggs, snow leopards singing love songs, and the sound of walrus’s underwater courtship are all featured in the series, with sequences narrated by Tom Hiddleston.

Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend

Lionel Messi finally achieved World Cup glory at Qatar 2022. This four-part docuseries charts the soccer legend’s performance across the last five World Cups, through the ups and downs, culminating in the ultimate career prize.

Constellation

Noomi Rapace stars as Jo, an astronaut who returns to Earth after a stint on the space station ends catastrophically. Back on the ground, though, Jo is haunted by self-doubt and questions her own sanity. Jonathan Banks also stars in the series.

Constellation was cancelled after only one season.

The Dynasty: New England Patriots

The ten-part docuseries dives deep into the Tom Brady era of the New England Patriots. Featuring exclusive interviews with Brady, coach Bill Belichick, and others, the series charts the team’s momentous rise to success and six-time Super Bowl glory.

The New Look

The drama follows Christian Dior and Coco Chanel as they launch modern fashion in the midst of World War II. Ben Mendelsohn, Juliette Binoche, John Malkovich and Maisie Williams round out the cast.

Sago Mini Friends

Based on characters from the award-winning app Sago Mini World, this preschool series explores gratitude and thankfulness with fun animated adventures and original music, set in the world of Sagoville.

Masters of the Air

From the makers of ‘Band of Brothers’ and ‘The Pacific’, Masters of the Air follows the 100th Bomb Group in a nine-part epic battle for the skies. With vast scope and meticulous attention to detail, the series captures all of the triumphs and horrors of the World War II daylight bombings raids.

Criminal Record

Detective June Lenker (Cush Jumbo) confronts chief inspector Daniel Hegarty (Peter Capaldi) in this British crime drama, facing off about the circumstances surrounding the guilty verdict of an old murder case, as new information comes to light by way of an anonymous tip-off. The series shows how institutional racism and failings of the police process serve to obstruct finding the actual truth.

John Lennon: Murder Without A Trial

In this three-part documentary, people close to John Lennon reflect on his life and death. The series examines the events surrounding his murder, including new eyewitness interviews and never-before-seen crime scene photos, as well as the many conspiracy theories that sprung up in the aftermath of the killing.

Slow Horses

Gary Oldman leads this adaptation of the Mick Herron book series, about a division of MI5 rejects. The Slough Horse group are consigned to a live of admin and drudgery, until they become embroiled in an active hostage situation.

Slow Horses will return for a fourth season on September 4.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Set in the world of Godzilla, this cinematic series follows two siblings as they uncover their family ties to the mysterious Monarch organization. With the show spanning multiple generations, stars Kurt and Wyatt Russell portray younger and older versions of the same character, officer Lee Shaw.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has finished its first season. A second season is in development.

For All Mankind

For All Mankind explores what could have happened if the Russians got to the Moon first in 1969. This inspires the US government to continue the space race. The show forges an alternate timeline of NASA with the first season covering the 1969-1974 period. Season two picks up in 1983, as the USA and USSR face off in a space race cold war.

For All Mankind is renewed and a fifth season is in the works.

The Buccaneers

Inspired by an unfinished Edith Wharton novel, The Buccaneers sees a group of rich American women trying to find a posh English other half. The group descend into a culture clash of 1870s London society.

A second season of The Buccaneers is in development. A release date is not yet known.

The Enfield Poltergeist

The infamous poltergeist case is explored in this docuseries with dramatic recreations that use the original audio recordings of the events in question. Subject Janet Hodgson is interviewed and reflects on the long-lasting consequences of the investigation.

In this animated series, an ancient curse turns a beloved father, Alex, into a stone statue. His two children, Pandora and Russ, embark on a magical quest to collect stolen artifacts, lift the family curse, and bring Alex back.

Lessons in Chemistry

Elizabeth Zott’s dream of becoming a scientist is stalled by the realities of a patriarchal society. Fired from the lab, she finds her feet as the host of a TV cooking show. And suddenly, everyone is listening to her. Brie Larson stars in this adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name.

Messi Meets America

Soccer legend Lionel Messi joined Major League Soccer in July 2023 and immediately made his mark. This docuseries covers Messi’s arrival at Inter Miami and the events of his thrilling match debut. The series shows how Messi propelled MLS’s popularity, garnering worldwide attention, record-breaking merch sales, and sold-out stadium crowds.

Interrupting Chicken

Inspired by the Interrupting Chicken book series, this preschool series introduces children to the world of creative writing. The show revolves around the main character Piper, a little chicken with a big imagination.

Lisa is an illustrator, Danny is a journalist. Their friendship is bonded by a common trait — insomnia. Despite never meeting in person, while everyone else sleeps at night, they text each other for hours. The series follows the antics of their lives as their relationship blooms.

Still Up was cancelled after only one season.

The Super Models

A four-part documentary series on the four elite supermodels of the ’80s; Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. With exclusive interviews and archive footage, the documentary shows how the illustrious models catapulted themselves to stardom, disrupting the power dynamics of an entire industry along the way.

The Morning Show

A drama exploring the power dynamics in the world of morning news broadcasts. The story opens with anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) facing sexual misconduct allegations. Newcomer Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) aspires to replace Kessler in the prime-time slot, and clashes with longtime host Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston). In the second season, the show unravels the ramifications further against a backdrop of the beginnings of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Morning Show Season Four Release Date

The show has been renewed for a fourth season. An exact release date for the new season is not yet known.

The Changeling

Based on the book by Victor LaValle, The Changeling is described as a dark fairy tale. Apollo (LaKeith Stanfield) first believes that Emma is experiencing the effects of postpartum depression, but it quickly unravels into a whole other world of horror, fantasy, and mythology.

Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn was one of the most respected business leaders in the world, until a 2018 scandal saw his entire reputation destroyed. He was facing lengthy jail time for fraudulent misuse of company assets. Incredibly, Ghosn escapes Japanese arrest by being smuggled out of the country inside a musical equipment case. This four-part documentary dives deep into this extraordinarily weird tale.

This sci-fi series shows the effects of an alien invasion from several different perspectives around the world. Spanning five continents, Invasion is theoretically huge in scope, although it prefers to focus on the minutiae of individual characters’ experiences rather than a character-driven adventure.

A third season of Invasion is in development. A release date is not yet known.

Strange Planet

Adapted from Nathan W. Pyle’s viral social media comic of the same name, Strange Planet is an animated TV series that explores the absurdity of human life through the lens of these cute blue alien beings.

Rose Byrne stars as Sheila Rubin in this dramedy set in the ’80s. Stricken by a serious eating disorder, Sheila turns to the aerobics craze to find motivation and self-worth. Her hobby quickly develops into something more however, as student becomes teacher and she forges a new career.

Physical concluded with its final season on August 2, 2023.

Based on the genre-defining novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation is an epic sci-fi adventure. Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) predicts the downfall of the Galactic Empire and recruits a band of exiles to carry out his plan to save the future of humanity.

A third season of Foundation is in development. A release date is not yet known.

The Afterparty

The Afterparty retells the story of a night gone wrong from eight different perspectives, with each account presented through the lens of a different film genre. Tiffany Haddish plays the lead detective in this murder mystery whodunnit comedy series.

The Afterparty ended with its second season on July 12, 2023.

Duck & Goose

Based on the best-selling children’s books, Duck & Goose is a cartoon series aimed at preschool age. Titular characters Duck and Goose learn to appreciate each other’s differences and become even closer friends.

Idris Elba stars in this airplane hijack thriller, with the seven hour ordeal portrayed in real-time across seven episodes. Sam Nelson (Elba) negotiates in-the-air while ground control investigates the histories of the people onboard.

Swagger dissects the world of youth basketball, inspired by the experiences of NBA legend Kevin Durant. O’Shea Jackson Jr. stars as coach Ike, who helps Jace Carson (played by Isaiah Hill) navigate his burgeoning sports career. Ike is as much father-figure as he his coach. The show covers off-the-court storylines too, including the pressures of social media, child abuse and police brutality.

Unfortunately for fans of the series, Swagger has been cancelled and will not return for a third season.

Lovely Little Farm

Sisters Jacky and Jill explore what it is like to work, and grow up, on a farm. In the series, they nurture a mysterious golden egg that hatches into a baby dragon. Lovely Little Farm is a loving children’s series that beautifully blends live-action and computer animation.

The Crowded Room

Tom Holland stars as Danny Sullivan in this 10-part series, who is arrested on suspicion of his involvement with a New York City shooting. He claims innocence, initially. Much of the story is revealed through interviews with interrogator Rya Goodwin (played Amanda Seyfried), in which the mystery unravels as Sullivan is forced to reflect on all aspects of his life.

The Snoopy Show

A whole new set of adventures with Snoopy and friends for the whole family to enjoy, drawing on the spirit of the classic cartoons but rendered in a modern computer animated 2D style. The series will surely delight young viewers as well as parents with pangs of nostalgia.

Rose Byrne and Seth Rogan star in this new comedy series, which flirts with the idea of two people just being friends. Playing Sylvia and Will respectively, the series sees the characters rekindle their friendship after many years apart, leading to some hilarious antics and midlife escapades.

A second season of Platonic is in development. A release date is not yet known.

Prehistoric Planet

David Attenborough narrates this stunning dinosaur docuseries. From the creators of Planet Earth, Prehistoric Planet blends state-of-the-art visual effects with the latest scientific understanding to demonstrate dinosaur behavior like never before.

In this charming animated kids series, three kids gain new perspectives on the world thanks to their new best friend, Stillwater the panda. Stillwater helps the children make sense of their emotions. The series received a Peabody award for outstanding children’s programming.

High Desert

Patricia Arquette stars as Peggy, a drug addict who wants to make a fresh start following the death of her mother. She decides to become a private investigator, and becomes entwined in a web of mysteries in this dark comedy series.

Eight episodes of High Desert were released. Since the first season came out, the show has been cancelled.

City on Fire

Samantha, an NYU student, is shot in Central Park on July 4th, 2003. She appears to have been alone — there are no witnesses. As the mystery of the show unfolds, It turns out the truth of her apparent murder is connected to a series of fires that have been started across New York.

Eight episodes of City on Fire were released. Since the first season came out, the show has been cancelled.

Based on Hugh Howey’s best-selling book series, Silo sees the last of mankind living in a vast underground bunker, without knowing exactly why they ended up down there. No one is allowed to leave. The mystery of the silo unravels as the protagonists hunt for the truth.

Silo Season Two Release Date

The show has been renewed for a second season. An exact release date for the new season is not yet known.

Harriet the Spy

Inspired by the classic children’s novel, Harriet the Spy is newly adapted for television as an animated series. 11-year-old Harriet (voiced by Beanie Feldstein) is an aspiring writer and absorbs as much as information about the world around her as possible, jotting it down in her notebook.

Drops of God

Fine wine is on the line in this dramatic adaptation of popular manga Drops of God. Camille is the daughter of Alexandre Leger, a highly respected figure in oenology. Following his death, Camille has to compete to earn the rights to her father’s endowment — an extraordinary wine collection. The series features both French and Japanese language dialogue.

A second season of Drops of God is in development. A release date is not yet known.

From the same producers as Apple TV+ docuseries Tiny World, Big Beasts looks at the giants of the animal kingdom, including the gray whale, the orangutan, and the polar bear. Filmed across seventeen countries, the series features never-before-recorded sequences of animal behavior. The show is narrated by Tom Hiddleston.

The Last Thing He Told Me

The New York Times bestseller The Last Thing He Told Me is dramatised in this limited series adaptation starring Jennifer Garner. The story follows Hannah, whose seemingly-perfect partner Owen unexpectedly vanishes. He leaves behind a note for his daughter that ominously reads ‘Protect her’. Hannah realizes she didn’t really know her husband at all.

A second season of The Last Thing He Told Me is in development. A release date is not yet known.

Boom! Boom: The World vs. Boris Becker

A two-part documentary on the topsy turvy life of tennis player Boris Becker, who was ultimately sent to prison for bankruptcy fraud. The series includes interviews with Becker, as well as other tennis icons like John McEnroe and Novak Djokovic.

Schmigadoon!

Schmigadoon embraces the parody of classic musicals with a story of a couple getting trapped in a mystical musical town until they can find true love. Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong are joined by Broadway heavyweights including Alan Cumming, Jane Krakowski, Kristen Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit and Ann Harada in this star-studded cast.

Unfortunately for fans of the series, Schmigadoon! has been cancelled and will not return for a third season.

Eva the Owlet

Based on the book series ‘Owl Diaries’, Eva the Owlet is a beautifully animated childrens series. With ambition and personality, Eva and her best friend Lucy go on many different adventures, logging her progress in her journal as she goes.

My Kind of Country

Apple TV+’s first competition series, My Kind of Country, highlights upcoming talent in country music. Artists are scouted and mentored by Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Orville Peck. The contestants are hoping to win a prestigious endorsement prize from Apple Music.

Monster Factory

This documentary series explores the world of wrestling through the lens of the Monster Factory, a training school in New Jersey led by a tough-yet-caring coach Danny Cage. As a former wrestler himself, Cage is motivated to help the new recruits achieve their dreams of going pro.

Extrapolations

Director Scott Z. Burns brings climate change to the fore in this star-studded limited series. Across eight interconnected episodes, Extrapolations speculates how human life will be forced to adapt to the changing climate, and whether there’s a chance to turn back the the clock and reverse the trends of what seems like an inevitable fate.

Ted Lasso follows an American football coach who comes to England to lead … a soccer team. However, this show is much richer than a typical fish-out-of-water story. Ted Lasso may not know about the intricacies of soccer but he employs his unyielding optimism to bring out the best in his players.

This heartwarming and funny comedy series has been widely received by audiences and earned much critical acclaim.

Real Madrid: Until The End

This three-part series gives an inside look at Real Madrid’s legendary run during the 2021-2022 Champions League football season. The team ultimately defy their critics to score their 14th Champions League title.

Vincent Cassel and Eva Green star in Apple’s first French language original series. The crime thriller sees Alison Rowdy (Green) and Gabriel Delage (Cassel) struggle with the secrets of their relationship in the wake of major international cyber attacks against the United Kingdom.

Pretzel and the Puppies

Pretzel is the world’s longest dachshund. He has a supportive dad to five puppies, and husband to wife Greta. In this animated series, follow Pretzel and his family as they try to make the world a better place.

Make or Break

Make or Break jumps into the world of professional surfing, with exclusive access to follow some of the best surfers on the planet as they experience the highs and lows of competing in the World Surf League season.

Hello Tomorrow

Billy Crudup stars as salesman Jack in this retro-future sci-fi series, in which Jack and a cohort of others are trying to find homebuyers for promised lunar timeshares. But everything is not as it first seems and Jack’s headstrong ambition and charisma masks a darker truth.

Dear Edward

A horrific plane crash kills everyone onboard apart from Edward, a 12-year-old boy. Based on the novel of the same name by Ann Napolitano, this emotional drama series explores the effects of grief and spontaneous camaraderie of the families left behind.

Dear Edward was cancelled after only one season.

Pinecone & Pony

Based on the book by Kate Beaton, Pinecone & Pony is a beautiful family cartoon starring a young warrior, Pinecone, and her best friend, Pony. A world of magic and adventure awaits in this children’s comedy series.

Jason Segel plays James Laird, a grieving therapist who throws out the classical rulebook. Instead, he tells his clients his raw, unfiltered, thoughts about their problems. This has life-changing consequences on them, and himself. Harrison Ford also stars in the series.

Shrinking has finished its first season. A second season is in development.

Truth Be Told

True-crime podcaster Poppy Parnell, played by Octavia Spencer, reopens a murder case as new evidence comes to light about the crime she originally investigated and brodcast to the world. In season two, Poppy Parnell follows the trail of a different case with help from lifelong friend Micah Keith (Kate Hudson).

Unfortunately for fans of the series, Truth Be Told has been cancelled and will not return for a fourth season.

Shape Island

Go on adventures with Circle, Triangle and Square in this stop-motion animation adaptation of the children’s book series by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. The Shapes aren’t all the same, but they learn how best to work together.

A psychological thriller produced by M. Night Shyamalan, told in 30-minute chunks. The family suffers the death of their baby at 13-weeks, and get a substitute baby doll as a kind of therapy. The grief-stricken mother becomes so attached to the doll she hires a mysterious nanny to care for it.

Servant concluded with its final season on January 13, 2023.

Super League: The War for Football

A four-part series detailing the (ultimately failed) attempts to create a breakway league of top clubs in European football. The documentary features exclusive interviews with the masterminds of the planned European Super League, including access to club owners and league presidents.

Puppy Place

Siblings Charles and Lizzie share their love for dogs in this live action TV show for kids, inspired by the Scholastic book series. In each episode, the family find a caring and loving home for each of the puppies that come their way.

Little America

Little America is a half-hour anthology series that explores amazing tales of immigrants in America, spanning the gamut of human emotion and experience. Each episode is based on a true story from the Epic Magazine feature of the same name.

A young scientist, Amber, has been captured and held hostage somewhere near the Colombia-Venezuela border. Amber’s military veteran brother Bambi (Luke Evans) and husband Prince (Michiel Huisman) undertake a treacherous search and rescue mission to try to find her, in this intense action thriller.

Circuit Breakers

Circuit Breakers is an anthology series for kids and families to enjoy together, featuring seven unique science-fiction stories. Go on futuristic adventures to space and more, all while exploring the highs and lows of what it means to grow up.

Mythic Quest

Mythic Quest centers on a video game studio working on their next hit game. This fun workplace sitcom stars Rob McElhenney and Charlotte Nicdao, featuring subtle — and not so subtle — commentary on the universe of gaming culture in every episode.

A fourth season of Mythic Quest is in development. A release date is not yet known.

Slumberkins

Combining puppetry and 2D animation, Slumberkins is an enchanting show about feelings, based on characters from the popular children’s book series. Go on adventures with Bigfoot, Unicorn, Sloth, Yak and Fox, learning about mental wellness along the way.

The Mosquito Coast

Although it shares a name with ‘The Mosquito Coast’ book, this TV adaptation is more of a prequel. It follows Allie Fox (Justin Theroux) as he takes his family on the run from the US government, in a perilous journey to Mexico.

Unfortunately for fans of the series, The Mosquito Coast has been cancelled and will not return for a third season.

Ghostwriter

A reboot of the classic children’s show of the same name, Ghostwriter follows the adventures of four kids in a haunted bookstore. The ghost brings classics of literature to life, and the kids must solve the mysteries that they entail.

Based on the popular novel of the same name, Charlie Hunnam stars as Lin Ford, a runaway criminal who tries to start a new life in Bombay, India. However, his ties to crime ultimately reel him back into the underworld.

Twelve episodes of Shantaram were released. Since the first season came out, the show has been cancelled.

The Problem with Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart returns to television with a more serious tone. In each hour-long episode, The Problem with Jon Stewart examines global issues relating to current affairs and Stewart’s advocacy work, and aims to raise conversations around possible solutions.

The Problem with Jon Stewart concluded with its final season on October 7, 2022.

Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show

Jack McBrayer highlights small acts of kindness in this charming kids series aimed at preschoolers, with an original soundtrack produced by award-winning band OK Go. The Kindness Show reinforces the values of caring and connecting with others.

Get Rolling With Otis

Otis the tractor is here to help others in this animated kids series that takes place on Long Hill Dairy Farm. Whenever he sees a friend in need, Otis rolls into action. You may recognize Otis from the popular children’s book series of the same name.

Wolfboy and the Everything Factory

In this charming animated series, William Wolf lets his imagination run wild. Along with his new Spryte friends, he might even have the power to change the world. William is voiced by Kassian Akhtar. The show is executive produced by Joseph-Gordon Levitt.

Hillary Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, highlight bold and influential women in this interview series. Featured celebrities include Kim Kardashian, Wanda Sykes, Megan Thee Stallion, Jane Goodall and more.

Central Park

Central Park is an animated series from the creator of Bob’s Burgers. With a cast that includes Josh Gad, Kristen Bell and Tituss Burgess, the story revolves around a family of caretakers trying to save the city’s green space from being converted into a shopping mall. The show is an animated musical comedy, with 3-4 original songs per episode.

Unfortunately for fans of the series, Central Park has been cancelled and will not return for a fourth season.

Life By Ella

Following a stint of chemotherapy, Ella just wants to be a regular teenage girl as she starts a new year of school. Empowered by a new perspective on life, Ella faces her fears head-on with an aim to make memories she’ll remember forever.

A post-apocalyptic adventure set 600 years in the future. The remaining population of Earth is blind. A war breaks out as sighted twins are born into a tribe, and the queen of the lands fears the mythic twins will threaten her rule. Jason Momoa stars as Baba Voss, who will do anything to protect his sighted children. Dave Bautista joins the cast as Edo Voss, Baba’s brother, in the second season.

Surfside Girls

Based on the popular young adult graphic novels, Surfside Girls sees best friends Sam and Jade explore supernatural happenings in their seaside town, with a mysterious pirate ship docking at the bay. It all culminates in a showdown at the Danger Point coastal bluff.

Bad Sisters

From executive producer and writer Sharon Horgan, Bad Sisters features a dark comedy plot revolving around the mystery of how Grace’s husband ended up dead. The insurance company certainly wants to believe the death came about by malicious intent, suspecting fraud. Horgan stars as Eva, one of the five sisters in the family.

A second season of Bad Sisters is in development. A release date is not yet known.

Five Days at Memorial

This limited series tells the harrowing true story of what happened at Memorial Medical Center, in the aftermath of the devastation by Hurricane Katrina. The events of the first five days inside the hospital are re-enacted over the first five episodes, combining dramatic performances with archive footage. The remainder of the season shifts to focus on the investigation into possible charges of euthanasia, raising questions about whether human failures prevented more lives from being saved.

Sophie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is suffering from severe memory loss, as a consequence of a suicide attempt. Or at least, that’s what she was led to believe. Battling amnesia, Sophie begins to piece together the truth of what happened.

Surface is renewed and a second season is in the works.

Amber Brown

Based on the books by Paula Danziger, Amber Brown is a fun TV series for the whole family to enjoy. It addresses issues of friendship, communication and growing up. Brown’s love to draw is brought to life in the show with beautifully animated illustrations.

Amber Brown was cancelled after only one season.

Best Foot Forward

Based on the book Just Don’t Fall by paralympic athlete Josh Sundquist, the show centers on 12-year-old Josh Dubin, who has a prosthetic leg, as he starts a new chapter of his life at middle school. He teaches his peers at school that he is really just like them, disability or otherwise.

Based on a true story, inmate Jimmy Keene is giving a chance for freedom. But first, he must be transported to a maximum security prison and elicit a confession out of a suspected serial killer, Larry Hall. Taron Egerton and Paul Walter-Hauser lead the cast of this thrilling six-part series.

A series that takes you inside some of the world’s most innovative homes, and the stories of the people that made them. The optimistic docuseries explores incredible dwellings from places around the world.

Carpool Karaoke: The Series

Based on the popular James Corden format, Carpool Karaoke: The Series expands on the premise with different celebrities taking the wheel for various comedic skits and classic karaoke sing-alongs.

An educational children’s live-action puppet series starring Cody and the Helpsters, from the makers of Sesame Street. The show teaches the fundamentals of problem solving and coding through the lens of activities like party planning, climbing a mountain, and magic tricks.

Now and Then

A cover up of a deadly car crash leaves a group of friends forever implicated. Twenty years on, their secret is threatened to be revealed. This Spanish and English language thriller contrasts the freedom of youth with the realities of adulthood.

Greatness Code

A short-form documentary series covering some of the greatest stories in sports. The show features sporting legends including LeBron James, Tom Brady, Alex Morgan, Usain Bolt, Katie Ledecky and more, as they discuss the critical moments that defined their careers.

The Essex Serpent

Religion, superstition and science wage war in a town on the coast of Essex. Following the mysterious disappearance of a young girl, Cora (played by Clare Danes) moves to the town to hunt for proof of the rumored serpent. Church rector Will Ransom (Tom Hiddleston) refuses to believe the myths.

Apple TV+’s first non-English language show is ‘Tehran’. A Mossad agent goes undercover in Tehran, Iran, in this espionage thriller starring Niv Sultan and Shaun Toub. The series is created by Moshe Zonder, head writer of Fauda.

Tehran is renewed and a third season is in the works.

The Big Conn

From the makers of McMillion$, The Big Conn explores one of the largest government frauds in US history, with ill-gotten gains valued in the billions of dollars, all centering on one man: Eric C. Conn. The four-part docuseries tells an incredible tale of how Conn evaded the eyes of the law for so long.

Shining Girls

Elisabeth Moss leads this adaptation of the award-winning novel, Shining Girls. She plays journalist Kirby, who realizes that a modern day murder is somehow linked to her own personal childhood assault. Kirby’s reality continously shifts as she discovers just how interconnected she is with the killer.

The Long Game: Bigger Than Basketball

Makur Maker accepted a position at Howard University in 2020, becoming the first top 100 NBA draft prospect to commit to a historically Black college. This five-part docuseries covers what is behind behind Maker’s groundbreaking decision.

They Call Me Magic

With intimate access to Earvin Johnson, and his friends and family, They Call Me Magic charts Johnson’s incredible career as an NBA basketball legend as well as his business and philanthropic impacts later after he retired from the game. The four part docuseries also examines Johnson’s HIV diagnosis and the effect it had on changing how the disease was perceived in worldwide culture.

Roar is an eight-part anthology series of genre-bending feminist fables, based on a novel of short stories by Cecelia Ahern. Cast includes Nicole Kidman, Alison Brie, Cynthia Erivo, Meera Syal and more.

Told in three languages — Korean, Japanese and English — Pachinko is a sweeping epic with a story that spans four generations of a Korean immigrant family. The show flashes between timelines to follow the main character, Sunja, from a child and all the way through to elderly adulthood.

Pachinko has been renewed for a second season. New episodes premiere on August 24.

Jared Leto and Anna Hathaway star as Adam and Rebekah Neumann, in this limited series drama about the whirlwind rise and fall of WeWork. Based on insane real events, the series highlights the crazy and — often — unhinged decision-making at the top of the office space startup.

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

Samuel L. Jackson (as the titular Ptolemy Grey) leads this six-part series about a man suffering with dementia. A miracle treatment restores Grey’s memories … but only for a month. With renewed vigor, Grey can finally right some wrongs of his past that he had previously forgotten all about.

Dear…

A documentary inspired by the Apple ad campaign ‘Dear’. The series finds people who have written letters to their heroes, expands on their stories and shows how everyone can be inspired. Famous faces featured include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee.

Lincoln’s Dilemma

This four-part docuseries explores the details and nuance in the story of former President Abraham Lincoln’s journey to end slavery. Using archival footage and interviews with scholars, journalists and educators, the series lays out a more complete view of an America struggling to reconcile issues of economy and race.

Severance is a dystopian workplace thriller, in which employees at Lumon Industries undergo a procedure that separates their home and work memories. In the ultimate test of work-life balance, Mark Scout (played by Adam Scott) slowly confronts the secrets of the mysterious corporation that he works for.

Severance Season Two Release Date

Severance fans will welcome the news that the series has been renewed for a second season. A release date for the upcoming season is yet to be confirmed.

Four suspects are at the center of an investigation into the abduction of an American businesswoman’s son. Suspicion follows the FBI as they down track the suspects and hunt for clues as to the perpetrator. The focus of doubt shifts across the series, as more information comes to light about each person’s whereabouts and motivations.

Suspicion was cancelled after only one season.

El Deafo is a three-part animated story about Cece, who is somewhat isolated from other kids at school because of her need to wear hearing aids. But with the help of an alter ego ‘El Deafo’, she learns to treat her hearing aids as a superpower rather than a disability. Her increasing confidence helps her to make new friends.

This docuseries explores the ambiguity of war, centering on the 2018 case in which US Navy platoon chief Eddie Gallagher was accused of war crimes. The show includes interviews with Gallagher as well as members of the team that reported him to authorities, and never-before-seen footage of the controversial mission in Mosul, Iraq.

The Shrink Next Door

Psychiatrist Ike Herschkopf (played by Paul Rudd) crosses ethical and moral boundaries to exploit the vulnerable patient Marty (played by Will Ferrell) for his own gain, slowly taking over his entire life. Based on a true story, dark comedy drama The Shrink Next Door exposes this wholly-dysfunctional relationship.

Snoopy in Space

Snoopy and Charlie Brown start a whole new adventure … in space. Follow Snoopy on his steps to becoming a NASA astronaut as the Peanuts gang explores the moon and beyond. Snoopy in Space is part of a wider Apple deal that includes Charlie Brown and Peanuts classics, and new original titles.

In a modern interpretation of Emily Dickinson’s life, Hailee Steinfeld stars as the misunderstood American poet in her coming-of-age story. Dickinson blends classical themes and carefully-crafted set pieces with anachronistic language and flair, personifications of Death, among other twists.

Dickinson ended with its third season on November 5, 2021.

Apple’s first Korean drama is the six-part series Dr. Brain. The show features a daring brain scientist named Sewon. He discovers that the closest members of his family have mysteriously died. In an attempt to find closure, Sewon connects to their brains to try and uncover exactly what happened.

Doug Unplugs

Have fun with Doug, the inquisitive robot, in this kids animated adventure series. Most robots spend their days downloading facts. Doug wants to explore the world. Doug Unplugs encourages children to always be curious, try out new activities, and learn more about Planet Earth.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrote, directs and stars in this ten-part series about a teacher who thinks he is stuck in a rut. The show explores Mr. Corman’s anxieties and his underlying musical ambitions, as he struggles to find happiness in the daily grind of life.

Mr. Corman was cancelled after only one season.

Watch the Sound With Mark Ronson

Mark Ronson reveals how musicians turn sound into music, specifically tackling how technology is changing the development of modern songs and soundtracks. This docuseries features interviews with Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Charli XCX and more.

Home Before Dark

Based on the true story of young investigative reporter Hilde Lysiak, Home Before Dark shows how a young girl uncovers a cold case that even her own family tried to hide. The appeal of the show spans generations, just like its cast.

Lisey’s Story

With all episodes written by Stephen King, Lisey’s Story is a deeply personal horror thriller. Following the death of her husband, Lisey, played by Julianne Moore, must confront her past relationship. The show blends real-world heartbreak and despair with supernatural encounters.

The Me You Can’t See

Produced by Oprah and Prince Harry, this docuseries tackles issues of mental health in modern society. It features interviews with people from all walks of life, united by the challenges and struggles of emotional well-being. Stars featured include Lady Gaga, Glenn Close and DeMar DeRozan.

1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything

The music of 1971 reflected the political and cultural upheaval of the time. This docuseries explores the innovative artists and bands of the era, featuring John Lennon, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner and more.

This docuseries explores the life of living creatures at microscopic scale. Paul Rudd narrates stunning sequences of animals that are so, so, small. Tiny World features a variety of species and habitats, including the depths of the forest, the dry sands of the desert and the underwater biodiversity of the coral reef.

Earth At Night In Color

What would be pitch black to human eyes, is revealed in full color in this innovative docuseries. The show used cutting-edge camera equipment to film animals going about their normal business, in the dead of night. Tom Hiddleston narrates.

Calls is a strange addition to Apple TV+’s lineup, as it relies on audio for storytelling and features almost no visuals at all. Each episode features an eerie phone call conversation as a group of strangers simultaneously experience an apocalpytic event.

Losing Alice

A fictional psychological thriller that follows Alice, a film director, as she becomes obsessed with a young screenwriter. The show examines how Alice succumbs to the allure of power and success.

Becoming You

Olivia Colman narrates ‘Becoming You’, a docuseries covering the first 2000 days of 100 children’s lives. It features a wide variety of kids from an array of cultures and from all walks of life. The show highlights young people find their own way in the world, from their very first step.

Long Way Up

Long Way Up follows Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman on a 100-day journey riding electric Harley-Davidson motorbikes. The show is about best friends travelling through Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Mexico. The new trip is the latest installment in the Long Way franchise. Apple TV+ is also streaming the prior adventures, Long Way Down and Long Way Round.

The Oprah Conversation

The Oprah Conversation is the reincarnation of Oprah’s iconic talk show format. The interview format explores deep topics affeecting the world. In the opening episode, Oprah explores racism in culture, in conversation with Emmanuel Acho.

Little Voice

Featuring original music from Sara Bareilles, Little Voice charts the path of a fledgling music artist trying to make a name for herself in New York. Brittany O’Grady stars as Bess in this romantic tale as she finds her voice in the big city.

Little Voice was cancelled after the debut of its first season on July 10, 2020.

Defending Jacob

Defending Jacob tells the story of a legal attorney whose teenage son has been accused of murder, based off the best-selling book of the same name. The story culminates with an epic twist that you can’t predict. The limited series stars Chris Evans, Jaeden Martell, and Michelle Dockery.

Oprah Talks COVID-19

As everyone self-isolates, Oprah Winfrey hosts video conversations with noted doctors, scientists, recovering COVID-19 patients, and the health workers on the front line fighting this pandemic. Every episode is free to watch, no TV+ subscription required.

Amazing Stories

A remake of the 1980’s classic sci-fi show, the Amazing Stories anthology series is produced by Steven Spielberg. Each episode follows a different tale in a completely different setting. With a family-friendly age rating, the series aims to appeal to parents and children alike.

Visible: Out on Television

Described as a five-part documentary series, Visible looks at the portrayal and development of LGBTQ characters on television. It also examines the consequences of coming out in the television industry and how attitudes have evolved, albeit slowly.

Oprah’s Book Club

Renowned American talk show host Oprah Winfrey brings her famous Book Club to Apple TV. Every few months, Oprah records interviews with the author of her book picks at locations around the world.

Fancy Dance

Jax (Lily Gladstone) has been caring for her niece Roki (played by Isabel Deroy-Olson) since her sister’s mysterious disappearance. Jax and Roki embark on a road trip to find answers, meanwhile Roki’s grandfather presents a troubling custody battle. The movie portrays the nuances of life as indigenous women in a colonized world against the backdrop of a failed justice system.

The twisty spy drama Argylle sees fictional author Elly Conway caught up in the world of espionage, as she discovers that stories she wrote in her books actually happened. Bryce Dallas Howard and Sam Rockwell lead the film, with a supporting cast that includes Henry Cavill, Catherine O’Hara, Bryan Cranston, John Cena and Dua Lipa.

Girls State

From the same directors as the acclaimed Apple Original Film ‘Boys State’, ‘Girls State’ brings the female perspective to the mock government experiment. The movie follows a group of Missouri teenage girls, from various backgrounds and social classes, as they consider their unique approaches to running a political career.

Joaquin Phoenix stars as Napoleon Bonaparte, in Ridley Scott’s latest historical epic. The film features stunning depictions of six significant battles in Napoleon’s military career, interspersed with insights into his personal life, rise to power, and his complex relationship with wife Josephine (played by Vanessa Kirby).

Killers of the Flower Moon

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon explores the unspeakable crimes against the Osage Nation, in a conquest for oil riches. Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons star in this three-hour crime western epic.

The Family Plan

Mark Wahlberg stars as Dan Morgan in this action comedy film. Dan is living comfortably with his family, having withheld the fact that he was once a career assassin. When he realizes that he has been located by someone that wants him dead, he takes his family on a ‘road trip’ to Las Vegas to try and end it once and for all. His cover is blown, and his family is now along for the ride.

Fingernails

Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, and Jeremy Allen White star in this sci-fi romantic drama. This film explores what happens in a world where the compatibility of couples can be tested for. Anna (Buckley) and Ryan (White) are told they are a perfect match for each other, but Anna isn’t so sure. She forges a new love interest with Amir (Ahmed), a co-worker at the love testing institute

The Pigeon Tunnel

Writer of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and other espionage fiction, John le Carré’s life is brought to the fore in this insightful film, directed by award-winning documentarian Errol Morris. The film explores the throughline between le Carre’s relationship with his father, and the themes explored in his written work.

Flora and Son

Flora (Eve Hewson) attempts to get her wayward son, Max, a meaningful hobby. With the help of a second-hand acoustic guitar and the teachings of an LA musican (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), Flora and Max’s connection deepens.

The Beanie Bubble

Zach Galifianakis, Elizabeth Banks, Sarah Snook, and Geraldine Viswanathan star in this retelling of the late 90s Beanie Babies craze. The film shows who came up with the smart business strategy that helped keep the hype train moving, and who took credit for it.

Stephen Curry: Underrated

From Apple and A24, this documentary explores the rise of Stephen Curry in the world of basketball, charting his course from an unknown college player to a four-time NBA champion. The film features a mix of exclusive interviews and new fly-on-the-wall footage.

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Michael J. Fox tells his story in this documentary that cleverly blends scripted elements, new interviews, and archive footage. As well as showcasing his rise to stardom in the 1980s, the film uncovers his private journey battling Parkinson’s disease, having been diagnosed at just 29 years old.

Cole (Chris Evans) is infatuated by Sadie (Ana de Armas) in this rom-com action thriller. Before he can get a second date, he learns that Sadie is actually an undercover secret agent and is caught up in an international espionage mission.

Starring Taron Egerton as Henk Rogers, the movie Tetris is a dramatic retelling of the story behind acquiring the distribution rights for Tetris. Rogers must collaborate with Tetris’s Russian inventor, Alexey Pajitnov, to secure the deal amid a tense Cold War environment.

Max hunts larger ill-gotten gains and plots to scam the New York elite, in a proposed heist of epic proportions — but will his greed backfire? Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, John Lithgow and more star in this twisty thriller.

Emancipation

Will Smith stars as Peter, a slave who takes it upon himself to flee his captor, escaping his life of cruelty in the hopes of returning to his family. He traverses the dangers of the Louisana swamps as part of his journey to freedom. The film is inspired by the famous photos of ‘Whipped Peter’, whose depiction of Peter’s brutal lashings helped accelerate the emancipation movement in the US.

Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds and Octavia Spencer star in this modernized, musical, comedic reimagining of A Christmas Carol. In this adaptation of the iconic Charles Dickens tale, it is the Ghost of Christmas Present (Ferrell) that reflects on his own past, present and future.

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me

Mental health is the focus in this documentary on Selena Gomez, who shot to fame as a child star on the Disney Channel. Using footage filmed across the last six years of her life, the Emmy-nominated actress intimately reveals her struggles with lupus and bipolar disorder.

Jennifer Lawrence stars as a soldier, Lynsey, who has just returned from the warzone of Afghanistan. She is dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury she sustained in the field. Lynsey bonds with James (played by Brian Tyree Henry).

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues

Black & Blues is a feature-length documentary on Louis Armstrong, one of the most influential figures in jazz music. Using archive footage and never-before-heard home recordings, the film presents intimate insights into the mind of the culture-defining musician.

Raymond & Ray

Half-brothers Raymond (Ewan McGregor) and Ray (Ethan Hawke) must come together to fulfill their estranged father’s final wish following his death: to have them dig his grave. In inviting guests to his funeral, they discover that their dad treated his friends very differently to how he treated them.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Based on the incredible true story, Zac Efron stars as Chickie, who takes it upon himself to travel to the front lines of the Vietnam war, to give allied soldiers a little bit of hope — and a can of beer. Upon arriving at the trenches, Chickie is forced to confront the harsh realities of war. The film also stars Russell Crowe, with Bill Murray in a supporting role.

The life of Sidney Poitier is explored in this documentary film, produced by Oprah Winfrey in collaboration with the Poitier family. Poitier’s legacy is brought to life with archive footage and interviews with Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Barbra Streisand and more.

The unluckiest person ever, Sam Greenfield, journeys into a secret world where magical creatures manage the good luck and bad luck experienced on Earth. Sam’s arrival threatens the balance of fortune, and chaos ensues. Luck’s voice cast features Eva Noblezada, Simon Pegg, Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg and more.

Cha Cha Real Smooth

Cooper Raiff wrote, produces, directs, and stars in this Sundance award-winning film. In Cha Cha Real Smooth, Andrew is a wayward unemployed young man working as a Bar Mitzvah party starter. He strikes up a friendship with Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic daughter, Lola at one of these parties — beginning a very unconvential love story.

The Sky Is Everywhere

Based on the novel by Jandy Nelson, The Sky is Everywhere tells the story of Lennie Walker, who is struggling with grief following the death of her older sister. Lennie navigates love and loss as she meets Joe Fontaine, the new guy at school, and is inspired to write a song of her very own.

The Tragedy of Macbeth

Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand lead a bold black-and-white adaptation of the Shakespeare classic. Joel Coen’s interpretation retains much of the original dialogue, albeit abridged to keep the story lean and focused. The stunning sets are stark and geometric, with clear German Expressionism influences, evoking the tone of a classical stage setting whilst still feeling impressively cinematic.

Starring Mahershala Ali, Swan Song explores the ultimate dilemma: would you let a clone take your place? Ali’s character, Cameron, is tragically diagnosed with a terminal illness. But, in the near-future sci-fi setting, Cameron has the opportunity to replace himself with a perfect, healthy, human clone. The catch is that he cannot tell his family what he has done. Cameron struggles with the ramifications of this heart-breaking choice, learning much about love and life along the way.

‘Twas the Fight Before Christmas

Jeremy Morris is perhaps the only person who has been banned by a federal court from putting up Christmas decorations. This documentary film shows the extreme lengths Morris will go to celebrate the holiday season, and the neighborhood’s less-than-welcoming response to a Christmas bonanza taking place on the driveway of his North Idaho home.

Tom Hanks stars as the eponymous inventor, who is one of the last human survivors in this post-apocalyptic world. Finch builds a robot to keep him — and his beloved dog — company as they embark on a cross-country expedition in increasingly harsh conditions.

The Velvet Underground

Todd Haynes brings a refined perspective on a genre-defining rock band in The Velvet Underground. Leaning heavily on the cinematic language of the ’60s — such as montage and split screen compositions — the film is far from a standard run-of-the-mill rock documentary.

Come From Away

The Come From Away musical tells the story of the small town of Gander, who generously opened their doors to more than 7,000 people who found themselves stranded in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. They would go on to develop long-lasting bonds and friendships. This filmed version of the musical features many original Broadway cast members, and was performed to an audience of 9/11 survivors and front-line workers.

Ruby, played by actress Emilia Jones, is the only hearing person in her family. She has grown up helping out, and generally acting as interpreter, for her deaf parents. In this heartwarming and hilarious film, Ruby discovers a passion and a talent for singing. She must reconcile her new-found career ambitions with her family commitments.

CODA premiered at the 2021 Sundance film festival and took home the grand jury prize for drama. Following positive audience reception and critical acclaim, the film ultimately won the prestigious Best Picture award at the 2022 Oscars.

Who Are You, Charlie Brown?

Featuring interviews with people that worked with him and were inspired by him, this documentary explores the life of Charles Schulz, creator of Charlie Brown. It shows how Schulz became interested in cartoons and how that evolved into the development of the Peanuts series. The film interweaves a new Peanuts animation featuring Charlie Brown and the gang tackle the question of ‘who are you?’ in a school essay.

Dr Michelle Fournet wants to prove that whales identify each other by sound and Dr Ellen Garland aims to show how whalesong is not so dissimilar to human speech. Fathom centers on the intricacy of scentific research. It also highlights how the scientists readjust to normal life, after spending months dedicated to observing one species of animal.

The Year Earth Changed

The year of human quarantine allowed wildlife flourished in unexpected and profound ways and The Year Earth Changed explores 2020 from the perspective of the natural world. David Attenborough narrates this fascinating documentary film, featuring scenes such as the penguin takeover of Cape Town and the appearance of whales in Glacier Bay.

Tom Holland stars as Cherry, in this hard-hitting drama feature directed by the Russo brothers. After joining the army at a young age, Cherry falls into the depths of heroin addiction. He becomes a bank robber to service his cravings, with the film examining the real impact of the opoid crisis in America.

Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry

A documentary film depicting the meteoric rise of Billie Eilish’s career. Recorded mostly in 2019, the film shows the artist’s triumphs and personal struggles as she crafts her debut album. An album so successful that it lands her five Grammy wins, at the age of eighteen.

Justin Timberlake stars as Eddie Palmer, who has just completed a 12 year prison sentence. Palmer’s neighbor disappears, leaving him in the care of her 7 year old son Sam. As the pair develop a close bond, Palmer’s past comes back to haunt the relationship.

Wolfwalkers

Wolfwalkers is the latest installment from Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. A young hunter, Robyn, comes to Ireland and discovers the magical world of the Wolfwalkers, after originally intending to exterminate the last remaining wolf pack. The film tells an enchanting folklore tale and received glowing reviews from critics, including an Oscar nomination for best animated feature.

Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds

Fireball is a documentary film about the human response to meteorites and shooting stars, or more cryptically the ‘visitors from darker worlds’. Werner Herzog explores how these happenings have shaped human culture and beliefs.

On The Rocks

On The Rocks stars Rashida Jones and Bill Murray, in a romantic comedy film directed and written by Sophia Coppola. Jones’ character, Laura, suspects her husband might be having an affair. On the Rocks is a light-hearted and fun caper to find out the truth.

Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You

A documentary showcasing the creative process of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, as they record their new album ‘Letter to You’. The film includes 10 final take performances from the album.

An illuminating documentary following the 2018 Boys State in Texas, providing a fascinating insight into the machinations of politics. Boys State won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance festival.

A cinematic World War II naval thriller starring Tom Hanks. Hanks play Krause, a commander on his maiden voyage to escort a convoy of merchant Allied ships across the North Atlantic. The film follows their quest as they face the German submarines trying to stop them in their tracks.

A documentary about the father relationship in a family. The 80-minute movie starts with interviews with famous faces but pivots into an exploration of how fathers in ordinary families are dealing with the many stresses of life.

Beastie Boys Story

The Beastie Boys Story takes a personal look at the band’s highs and lows over the last 40 years. The documentary is narrated by band members Mike Diamond and Adam Horvitz, in an intimate live theater setting, and directed by the award-winning Spike Jonze.

Based on a true story, the movie follows two businessmen who take on the oppressive racial climate of the 1960s by pretending to be just a janitor and chauffeur, whilst they secretly grow their business empire.

Hala puts the spotlight on a teenager attempting to balance the innate freedoms of teenage life with her traditional Muslim upbringing. A secret romance could split the family relationship altogether.

The Elephant Queen

A documentary spanning footage shot over four years of an elephant herd traveling across Africa. The film centers around the matriarch Athena but also pays attention to other animal species encountered along the way.

MLS Season Pass

Watch all Major League Soccer games, with no blackouts or geographic restrictions, exclusively on the Apple TV app with MLS Season Pass. Apple TV+ subscribers can watch some of the matchups at no extra charge, and get a discount on the full Season Pass package.

MLB Friday Night Baseball

Apple has partnered with the MLB to offer a doubleheader of two live baseball games, every Friday of the regular season, exclusively for Apple TV+ subscribers. Apple also streams ‘MLB Big Inning’, a daily live show featuring game highlights. You can also watch a 24/7 stream of MLB replays, historic games and more content.

Shorts and Specials

The bloody hundredth.

Narrated by Tom Hanks, documentary The Bloody Hundredth serves as a companion piece to the dramatization of events in Masters of the Air. In this one-hour special, viewers find out the real-life stories of several airmen in the 100th Bomb Group.

Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin

In this original Peanuts special, the beloved character of Franklin Armstrong is given a backstory for the first time. Franklin depends on a notebook containing his grandfather’s advice on friendship. After a few false starts fitting in, Franklin and Charlie Brown work together to make a car to race in the town’s Soap Box Derby.

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas

Hannah Waddingham stars in a musical extravaganza holiday special, filmed at the London Coliseum. Singing iconic Christmas classics to a rapturous crowd, Waddingham is joined by special guests including Leslie Odom Jr., Luke Evans, Sam Ryder, and surprise appearances from her Ted Lasso co-stars.

The Velveteen Rabbit

Based on the beloved children’s book by Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit comes alive in this holiday special. Combining animation and live action, William gets a new toy for Christmas, a woven rabbit doll. The rabbit magically comes alive and the pair go on a wondrous adventure.

Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie

The newest Snoopy special for Apple TV+ sees introvert Marcie in the running for class president. She has a bunch of great ideas to improve lunchtimes, but lacks the confidence to be in the spotlight. She finds a way to express her ideas — to great effect — without taking all of the attention.

Apple Music Live

In collaboration with Apple Music, Apple TV+ streams live concerts from some of the biggest artists in music. The series debuted with a performance by Ed Sheeran, premiering tracks from his new album, Subtract.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Charlie Mackesy’s book is brought to life in this carefully-crafted Christmas Day special, featuring beautiful hand-drawn animation. Four unlikely friends team up on an inspiring journey of exploration.

Snoopy Presents: Lucy’s School

Lucy is worried about starting at a new school in the fall, so she decides to start her own instead. The Peanuts gang enroll as her students. However, Lucy soon learns that running a school is easier said than done. The new Peanuts special debuts in time for back-to-school season and pays respect to the important role of teachers in children’s lives.

Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love

In the latest Charlie Brown special for Apple TV+, Peppermint Patty grew up with a mother, so she isn’t quite as excited for Mother’s Day as everyone else. However, the Peanuts gang help to make her see that the day celebrates all kind of families too.

Snoopy Presents: It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown

In this brand new animated special, Charlie Brown looks to see how he can best make a positive impact on the environment. Starring Snoopy and all your favorite Peanuts characters, It’s The Small Things aired to help celebrate Earth Day 2022.

Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne

‘For Auld Lang Syne’ is a brand new Peanuts holiday special, featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang. In this special, Lucy tries to arrange the best New Year’s Eve party ever to make up for a somewhat disappointing Christmas.

Mariah’s Christmas: The Magic Continues

Mariah Carey returns to Apple TV+ in a more subdued affair than her 2020 special. It features an exclusive performance of her new holiday song ‘Fall in Love at Christmas’, featuring Khalid and Kirk Franklin, as well as an interview with Zane Lowe.

This beautiful short film follows the journey of a nature-loving astronaut who is stranded on a small, desolate, planet. The astronaut visibly blushes at the arrival of a friendly, pink, alien lifeform.

9/11: Inside the President’s War Room

This documentary special features exclusive access to the highest-level of decison makers in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack, including interviews with President George W. Bush and his chief of staff, as they break down — minute-by-minute — the government response to the events of that terrible day.

Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special

Mariah Carey leads a holiday celebration spectacular, featuring original performances of a dozen Christmas classics. The special includes the debut performance the new holiday track ‘Oh Santa’, sung by Carey, Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson.

Helpsters Help You

Shot on iPhone during the pandemic, Cody the monster broadcasts from the Helpsters workshop to demonstrate how it is still possible to learn, play, and have fun whilst stuck at home. Band Grouplove join Cody for a special celebration to thank all the people helping to keep others safe and healthy.

Fraggle Rock: Rock On!

The classic Fraggle Rock puppet show returns with a new series of shorts that show how friendship can bind us all. Amidst coronavirus lockdown measures, ‘Fraggle Rock: Rock On’ is recorded in the homes of the production team, shot on iPhone 11.

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth

An animated short film that follows a young boy learning about wonders of nature, in celebration of Earth Day. The story is based on the best-selling book by Oliver Jeffers. The film is narrated by Meryl Streep.

Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10

Peanuts celebrates the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in this live-action mockumentary revealing Snoopy as the fourth member of the Apollo 10 mission, also starring Jeff Goldblum and Ron Howard.

Coming Soon: Upcoming TV+ Release Dates

• Sunny : July 10 — Watch Trailer
• Fly Me To The Moon : July 12 (in theaters) — Watch Trailer
• Me : July 12 — Watch Trailer
• Lady in the Lake : July 19 — Read the Book
• Omnivore: July 19
• Time Bandits : July 24 — Watch Trailer
• Women in Blue : July 31
• The Instigators : August 9 — Watch Trailer
• Yo Gabba GabbaLand! : August 9
• Bad Monkey : August 14
• Pachinko Season Two : August 24 — Read the Book
• Slow Horses Season Four : September 4 — Read the Book
• La Maison: September 20
• Wolfs: September 20 (in theaters) — Watch Trailer
• Disclaimer: October 11
• Blitz: November 22
• F1 : June 25, 2025 (in theaters)
• Bread & Roses: TBA
• Vietnam: The War That Changed America: TBA

Back Catalog Content

Apple TV+ is focused on producing new TV shows and movies, which means exclusive originals make up the vast majority of the available content. However, the service includes a handful of older titles to stream: ‘Fraggle Rock’ , ‘Long Way Round’ , ‘Long Way Down’ , ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ , ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ , ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ , ‘Happy New Year, Charlie Brown’ , ‘Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown’ , ‘It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown’ , ‘It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown’ , ‘The Peanuts Classics’ , ‘Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales’ and ‘I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown’ .

These classics are now airing on Apple TV+ as Apple has reached deals to make new seasons, or reboot the franchise entirely, so the older episodes are made available for customers to catch up.

More Coming to Apple TV+

That’s a total of 251 TV shows and films to watch on Apple TV+ . Apple has a lot more originals in development, with new content being added every couple of weeks. We’ll keep this post updated with the latest official announcements of new Apple TV+ content.

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Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog . Message Benjamin over email or Twitter .

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Many people feel it is a waste of money to try to save endangered animal species, for example the tiger or the blue whale. To what extant do you agree or disagree with this statement?

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• endangered species
• biodiversity
• intrinsic value
• existential threat
• conservation
• economic benefits
• funding allocation
• competing needs
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