Killer Whales and Their Prey in Iceland

Thanks to the generosity of friends like you, Earthwatch continues to recover from the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty expeditions returned in 2022, and our dedicated scientists welcomed back 640 volunteers throughout the year. This is marked progress over last year, when just 260 volunteers participated on a handful of teams, but still far short of our pre-pandemic levels of 39 expeditions and over 2,100 volunteers. The road ahead to a full recovery is long, but with ongoing support from our global community of donors, volunteers, corporate partners, foundations, scientists, teachers, students, and concerned individuals, we are confident that Earthwatch will get there in the next few years.

Earthwatch’s Killer Whales and Their Prey in Iceland expedition returned this year for its 4^th season following a two-year pause. Dr. Filipa Samarra and her staff welcomed 34 volunteers on six teams from June through August. We look forward to receiving the results from this year’s data collection efforts and Dr. Samarra’s analysis later this year. In the meantime, Earthwatch will finish wrapping up its marine conservation efforts at nine other locations around the world, from Costa Rica to South Africa, from Indonesia to Australia and the United States. As the health of our oceans remains under threat from overfishing, pollution, coastal development, and climate change, every year’s worth of data collected is vital to our complete understanding of the challenges at hand, and our ability to identify the most effective protection and remediation strategies.

Although Earthwatch volunteers do contribute financially to the expeditions they participate on, the cost of scientific equipment, permits and licenses, group accommodations, and 24/7 support staff quickly exceeds what we can reasonably ask volunteers to contribute beyond their significant donations of time and labor. Earthwatch must raise over $500,000 annually in order to fully fund our year-round conservation efforts. This is why donors like YOU are so critical to Earthwatch’s success. Thank you for your steadfast commitment to protecting endangered marine wildlife and preserving the health of our oceans.

Gratefully,

Your Friends at Earthwatch