Photography credits
no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0 · Displayed with a responsive crop.
SYMBOLIC ADOPTION
Blue Whale
Balaenoptera musculus
The ocean's largest animal, sustained by tiny prey.
$500Recommended contributionSymbolically AdoptSymbolic adoption · Personalised certificate · Supports Happy Orbis
Symbolic adoption does not transfer ownership of an animal, identify an individual animal or promise that your contribution directly funds or saves that animal.
MEET YOUR OCEAN ANIMAL
Why it matters
Blue whales filter immense mouthfuls of water to reach krill. Their scale makes the connection between the smallest marine life and the largest animals especially striking.
Explore where it livesWhere it lives
Open oceans worldwide, with regional feeding and migration patterns.
Its role in the ocean
Filter-feeds mainly on krill.
Main threats
Vessel strikes, ocean noise, pollution and climate-related changes.
Conservation status
Endangered
Global assessment. Local populations and protections may differ.
Read the assessmentMAKE IT PERSONAL
A gift with your name on it.
Learn more
Source providers are credited for their information. Inclusion does not imply partnership or endorsement.
GIVE WITH PURPOSE
How your support helps
Your contribution supports the wider work of Happy Orbis and its programmes. Contributions may be pooled to fund programme delivery, technology, volunteer coordination, education, research support and operational costs.
- Ocean research
- Environmental monitoring
- Volunteer coordination
- Environmental education
- Happy Orbis technology
- Ocean-focused programmes
- Platform operation
- Research support
- Regeneration preparation
A symbolic adoption or contribution does not guarantee a specific measurable outcome such as the removal of a particular quantity of plastic, a defined number of research hours, the protection of a particular animal or successful habitat restoration.
Read our transparency statementWORLD EMERGENCY CARD
Happy Orbis is primarily funded by World Emergency Card.
World Emergency Card supports the operation and development of Happy Orbis as part of its broader commitment to global safety, health and responsible international initiatives.
Get your World Emergency Card profile — $80/yearSupport our work through World Emergency Card
Support Happy Orbis directly
A voluntary contribution to our operations. Separate from symbolic adoption.
Choose your contributionA GIFT BUILT ON TRUST
Your questions, answered.
What is symbolic adoption?
Symbolic adoption does not transfer ownership of an animal, identify an individual animal or promise that your contribution directly funds or saves that animal.
What do I receive?
After confirmed payment, you receive a personalised digital certificate, a printable PDF, a shareable image and a public verification URL.
Can I send it as a gift?
Choose a recipient, add your message and select an available delivery option. For gifts to children, an adult manages the purchase and email address.
Can I choose my contribution?
You can choose a contribution from $10 to $1,000. Recommended amounts help you decide; they do not represent an animal’s financial value. Ocean Guardian is a $1,000 contribution.
What happens if payment fails?
An unpaid order does not issue a valid certificate. You can check the order status and start a new checkout.
How do refunds affect a certificate?
Contact Happy Orbis with your order reference. Confirmed refunds appear in the order record and revoke the certificate’s validity. The audit record is retained.
Does my gift guarantee an environmental result?
A symbolic adoption or contribution does not guarantee a specific measurable outcome such as the removal of a particular quantity of plastic, a defined number of research hours, the protection of a particular animal or successful habitat restoration.
Photography credits
Displayed with a responsive crop.
- Clownfish · (c) Petr Knotek, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Seahorse · (c) Doreen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Starfish · (c) Darren Obbard, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Hermit Crab · (c) Donald Davesne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Cleaner Shrimp · (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Sea Urchin · (c) Sarah Faulwetter, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Moon Jellyfish · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Blue Tang · (c) Emanuele Santarelli, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lionfish · (c) Dan Schofield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Pufferfish · (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Moray Eel · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Cuttlefish · (c) Charlotte Kirchner, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Common Octopus · (c) Golfopolikayak, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Squid · (c) Daniel Benák, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Nautilus · (c) Karim Haddad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Blue Crab · (c) Jenni Ly, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- European Lobster · (c) Viktor V. Grøtan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Spiny Lobster · (c) Robin White, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Mantis Shrimp · (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Nudibranch · (c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Angelfish · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Butterflyfish · (c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Parrotfish · (c) Robin White, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Barracuda · (c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Yellowfin Tuna · (c) Alberto Alcalá, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Swordfish · (c) Sylvain Eichhorn, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Sailfish · (c) Matteo Cassella, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reef Manta Ray · (c) R Vasconcellos, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Bluespotted Stingray · (c) Daniel Benák, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Electric Ray · (c) Nathan Mesnildrey, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Bamboo Shark · (c) Lawrence Hylton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Nurse Shark · (c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Reef Shark · (c) Ewout Knoester, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blacktip Shark · (c) Chris Kirby-Lambert, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Blue Shark · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Thresher Shark · (c) alicia penney, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Lemon Shark · (c) John Burnett, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bull Shark · (c) Ewout Knoester, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tiger Shark · (c) Jay Brasher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Hammerhead Shark · (c) Robin White, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Loggerhead Turtle · (c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Hawksbill Turtle · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Green Sea Turtle · Photo: NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center · Original photograph · Public domain in the United States (NOAA-created photograph)
- Leatherback Turtle · (c) Pam Kleinsasser, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Harbour Seal · (c) nbasargin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Grey Seal · (c) Lars Willighagen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Elephant Seal · (c) Garth Harwood, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Walrus · U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / CC BY 2.0 · Original photograph · CC BY 2.0
- Sea Otter · (c) benjchristensen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Manatee · (c) Robin White, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Dugong · (c) Gergely Nigg, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- African Penguin · (c) Leonardo Rapisarda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Emperor Penguin · (c) mattward, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- King Penguin · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Albatross · (c) eloise kerroux, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Puffin · (c) Julia Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Brown Pelican · (c) Laura Gaudette, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Cormorant · (c) tomisc, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Common Dolphin · (c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Bottlenose Dolphin · (c) Sydney Dragon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Striped Dolphin · (c) Lucas Benaiche, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Spinner Dolphin · (c) Robert Webster, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Indo-Pacific Dolphin · (c) Wynand Uys, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Pink Dolphin · (c) Andrew Lai, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Harbour Porpoise · (c) Fábio Olmos, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Beluga Whale · (c) Lucy Keith-Diagne, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Narwhal · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Orca · Photo: NOAA Fisheries · Original photograph · Public domain in the United States (NOAA-created photograph)
- Pilot Whale · (c) Vsevolod Rudyi, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Sperm Whale · (c) Vsevolod Rudyi, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Humpback Whale · (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Minke Whale · (c) Nils, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Fin Whale · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Bowhead Whale · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Southern Right Whale · (c) Alan Bell, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Blue Whale · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Basking Shark · (c) Sandra Keller, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Whale Shark · (c) Daniel Benák, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Great White Shark · (c) Michel Frisch, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Giant Oceanic Manta Ray · Photo: NOAA / George Schmahl · Original photograph · Public domain in the United States (NOAA-created photograph)
- Sawfish · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0
- Coelacanth · Bruce A.S. Henderson / CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Ocean Sunfish · Yohann Cordelle / CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Blue Marlin · (c) Michel Frisch, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Giant Grouper · (c) Ewout Knoester, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Humphead Wrasse · (c) Sockrosma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Leafy Seadragon · (c) ttsquid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Sea Snake · (c) Martín Sánchez Vilchis, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Saltwater Crocodile · (c) khalebyordan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Marine Iguana · (c) Rob Foster, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Coconut Crab · (c) Drew Avery, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Japanese Spider Crab · Dallas Krentzel / CC BY 2.0 · Original photograph · CC BY 2.0
- Blue-ringed Octopus · (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Dumbo Octopus · Ziegler & Sagorny (2021), BMC Biology 19:81, Figure 1a–c / CC BY 4.0; cropped to photographic panels · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
Emperor dumbo octopus specimen (Grimpoteuthis imperator), photographed before preservation.
- Giant Squid · (c) Auckland War Memorial Museum, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
Preserved giant squid specimen (Architeuthis dux), Auckland War Memorial Museum.
- Colossal Squid · Scotted400 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
Preserved colossal squid specimen at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
- Giant Pacific Octopus · Giant Pacific Octopus — Steve Jurvetson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Original photograph · Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
- Horseshoe Crab · (c) Kristy Morley, some rights reserved (CC BY) · Original photograph · CC BY 4.0
- Vaquita · Paula Olson / NOAA / Public domain (NOAA employee work) · Original photograph · Public domain (NOAA employee work)
- Giant Barrel Sponge · no rights reserved · Original photograph · CC0 1.0