In the past few years, we have witnessed the first anthropocentrically caused extinction of a dolphin species, the Baiji, in recent history. There are currently several other cetacean species on the brink of extinction or endangered. Moreover, many cetacean subpopulations are under siege from various stresses. We now know that cetaceans are not only intelligent, highly social mammals, but they possess cultural traditions. These characteristics necessitate a move from the traditional “number-based” approach of conservation to a more progressive “protection-based” strategy that takes into account their psychology as unique individuals, their social complexity, and their cultural identities. In this special issue of the Journal of Marine Biology, we will explore the topic of dolphin and whale protection from several angles. First, we will place the importance of this issue in historical context and provide an updated picture of the urgent conservation issues facing cetaceans today, particularly in a global ecosystem rife with degradation. Second, we will discuss the various strategies posed and utilized to address cetacean conservation problems ranging from empirical and scientific studies and applications to public education and advocacy aimed at human behavioral and social change. Finally, we will examine various trajectories for the future from continuing current practices to implementing bolder, more progressive, and less conventional approaches to cetacean protection. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Recent extinctions and endangered cetacean species
• Climate change
• Habitat destruction (oil spills, toxins, chemical pollution, etc.)
• Noise pollution
• Whale watching
• Cetacean immunology and disease
• Laws and treaties
• Dolphin drives, whale hunting, and bycatch
• Cetacean culture and social modeling
• Cetacean psychology
• Public education
• The role of advocacy

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