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Season guide

Whale Wars: Season 1

7 episodes Premiered Nov 7, 2008 Updated Jul 25, 2026

Whale Wars is a weekly American documentary-style reality television series. It premiered on November 7, 2008, on the Animal Planet cable channel. The series focuses on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's efforts to disrupt the Japanese whaling trade. The show follows the group's activities aboard the Motor Yacht "Steve Irwin" as they attempt to enforce international laws on the high seas. The series features the

Season overview

Whale Wars is a weekly American documentary-style reality television series. It premiered on November 7, 2008, on the Animal Planet cable channel. The series focuses on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's efforts to disrupt the Japanese whaling trade. The show follows the group's activities aboard the Motor Yacht "Steve Irwin" as they attempt to enforce international laws on the high seas. The series features the group's use of innovative techniques, including ship-to-ship contact, to disable and/or sink Japanese whaling ships. The confrontations are intended to disrupt whale carcass processing and disperse the whaling fleet.

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Episodes

S1·E1

Needle in a Haystack

Nov 7, 2008

Paul Watson is allegedly shot by the Japanese whaling crew during a confrontation between the whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru and the Sea Shepherd vessel MV Steve Irwin. The epis

S1·E2

Nothing's Ideal

Nov 14, 2008

After weeks of searching, the Sea Shepherds finally spot a Japanese whaling ship, the harpoon vessel Yushin Maru #2. Captain Paul Watson devises a dangerous plan for two of his cre

S1·E3

International Incidents R Us

Nov 21, 2008

Without negotiation and confrontation with the MV Steve Irwin, the Yushin Maru № 2 agreed to transfer Pottsy and Giles to a government ship that would then meet with the Steve Irwi

S1·E4

We Are Hooligans

Nov 28, 2008

Giles Lane and Ben Potts safely return to the MV Steve Irwin. The crew then discovers that an unknown ship, allegedly spying for the Japanese whaling fleet, has been following them

S1·E5

Doors Slamming and Things Breaking

Dec 5, 2008

The MV Steve Irwin experiences several technical difficulties, including a damaged engine, hydraulic crane, and helicopter. Running on only one engine, the ship must return to port

S1·E6

Ladies First

Dec 12, 2008

After noticing that the suspicious ship Fukuyoshi Maru № 68 has found and followed the MV Steve Irwin again, Watson unsuccessfully attempts to send four female crewmembers to board

S1·E7

Boiling Point

Dec 19, 2008

After power was restored to part of the ship, the MV Steve Irwin finally finds, follows, and comes face to face two times with the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru, which