Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / Encores Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Thursday, July 23 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2

One of the greatest environmental crimes of the 20th Century was the secret and illegal slaughter of hundreds of thousands of whales by the Soviet Union and Japan during the Cold War.

Through never-before-seen archival footage, hidden documents, and personal records kept by Soviet scientists, "The Witness Is a Whale" exposes this ruthless killing for the first time on film.

Watch On Your Schedule: KPBS+ is a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.

You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience). Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.

Credits: Produced, directed and photographed by Nick Dean and Cheryl Dean. Executive producers: Martin Mészáros, Sabine Holzer.
Production companies: A co-production of Spindrift Images, Terra Mater Factual Studios and Mark Fletcher Productions