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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (June 5, 2026) — In honor of World Ocean Day, the Santa Barbara Zoo announced today that the Zoo has joined the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program as an ambassador, underscoring the Zoo’s commitment to global wildlife conservation efforts by supporting more responsible shipping practices that reduce one of the top risks whales face globally – ship strikes.
The Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies program (BWBS) is a partnership between government agencies, foundations, research partners and environmental NGOs working to make our skies cleaner, and the ocean quieter and safer for whales. BWBS collaborates with many of the global ship operators to reduce strike risk, particularly for the endangered blue, fin, and humpback whales that migrate up and down California’s coast. It’s estimated that approximately 80 endangered whales are fatally struck by vessels each year off the U.S. West Coast, though the exact number is unknown. By encouraging and independently verifying shipping lines’ voluntary cooperation with Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) in areas of critical whale habitat, participating vessels reduce the risk of ship strikes by approximately 40%. VSR also reduces a significant source of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties’ air pollution (from maritime trade), and underwater noise pollution, which can interfere with whales’ ability to forage, communicate, hunt, and navigate.
Through BWBS’ ambassador program, brands, retailers, ports, logistics and marine technology providers are empowered to support more responsible shipping within their supply chain and send a clear demand signal that the efforts by participating shipping lines is not only good for whales and clean air, but also for business. The Santa Barbara Zoo was eligible to be an ambassador as several of the Zoo’s key vendors ship with participating shipping lines who participate in the BWBS program, voluntarily reducing speeds to protect whales and air quality. Ambassadors help spread awareness of opportunities to protect endangered marine life, increase air quality and how to make informed future shipment decisions to prioritize more sustainable shipping choices.
The Santa Barbara Zoo is a recognized leader in wildlife conservation, education, and community engagement which welcomes almost half a million visitors a year. It’s home to more than 140 species and champions the protection of marine and terrestrial wildlife through hands-on conservation programs, scientific partnerships, and public outreach. Located on 30 acres, the oceanfront Zoo overlooks the Santa Barbara Channel, where dozens of large vessels transit each day to and from major ports that intake approximately 40% of imports to the U.S.
The Zoo is committed to protecting California’s most vulnerable coastal species by partnering with government agencies, tribal nations, and NGOs to support multi-agency recovery efforts for ESA (Endangered Species Act)-listed fauna and flora. For decades, the Zoo has been an active field partner in California condor recovery efforts, played a key role in the recovery of the island fox on the northern Channel Islands, and assisted in re-establishing California red-legged frogs in historic habitat. The Zoo continues to participate in those recovery efforts and has broadened its reach to include rehabilitation and release of rescued western snowy plovers, and monitoring and assisting in the management of threatened and endangered species such as the southern sea otter, western monarch, arroyo toad, and California tiger salamander.
“We are thrilled that the Santa Barbara Zoo is the first AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) facility to become an ambassador for BWBS,” says Nadya Seal Faith, Conservation & Science Associate, “Supporting the coastal ecosystems that our guests, staff, and even several of our animals are able to see from Zoo grounds was a natural fit of our conservation ethos to focus locally, ensuring the sustainability of our uniquely biodiverse area. What’s really exciting though, is that we now have the opportunity to lead the way and engage more zoos and aquariums in this pivotal program.”
More than 76 shipping companies have participated in the program since its launch in 2014, and their vessels have voluntarily reduced speeds for more than 2,077,000 nautical miles. Since the program’s inception, these whale-safer transits resulted in over 260,000 MT of regional greenhouse gas emissions avoided and over 7,390 tons of NOx emissions avoided. BWBS currently has 39 ambassadors, including the Santa Barbara Zoo.
“Bringing companies and institutions into BWBS’s ambassador program is a key part of how we’re driving change and ensuring participating shipping lines know their efforts are appreciated and valued by their customers. We’re thrilled to welcome the Santa Barbara Zoo to the program and sincerely appreciate its partnership in helping spread awareness. The Zoo can play a unique role in educating the public about how shipping and whales share our coast, and how BWBS supports the Zoo’s efforts to advance the preservation and recovery of some of California’s most vulnerable whale species.” – Becca Tucker, Director of Corporate Engagement, Blue Whales and Blue Skies.
To learn more about the impact of the program, and opportunities to ship more responsibly see here: https://bluewhalesblueskies.org/impact/.
See here for more on the ambassador program: https://bluewhalesblueskies.org/ambassador-program/join/
For more about Santa Barbara Zoo’s conservation work: https://www.sbzoo.org/conservation
About Santa Barbara Zoo
The Santa Barbara Zoo is a leader in wildlife conservation, education, and community engagement, advancing efforts to conserve biodiversity and ecosystems in California and around the world. Beautifully located on 30 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Zoo is home to more than 500 animals representing over 140 species in open, naturalistic habitats designed to support animal wellbeing and conservation learning, all in service of its mission to conserve the natural world through education, science, and unforgettable experiences.
The Zoo is also home to California’s first licensed outdoor preschool, setting a new standard for nature-based early learning, and was the first AZA-accredited zoo on the West Coast to become a Certified Autism Center, reflecting its commitment to inclusive, accessible education for all. The Santa Barbara Zoo is located at 500 Niños Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Visit sbzoo.org.
About Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS)
Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (BWBS) is a collaborative partnership among government agencies, foundations, and environmental nonprofits working towards safer whales, cleaner air and a quieter ocean. Partners include the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation; the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Santa Barbara County, Ventura County, San Diego County, Northern Sonoma County and San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control Districts; Monterey Bay Air Resources District; Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, Greater Farallones, and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries; California Ocean Protection Council and Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. Container, car carrier, bulk, fuel carrier ships and, as of 2026, passenger lines are eligible to participate.
