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Norway ups whale kill numbers and removes whale welfare protections

The whaling season in Norway has begun on the back of disturbing announcements from the...
Image taken from an unmanned hexacopter at >100ft during a research collaboration between NOAA/SWFSC, SR3 and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. Research authorized by NMFS permit #19091.

Southern Resident orca petition to list them under Oregon Endangered Species Act advanced

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to advance a petition seeking to protect...
Hysazu Photography

WDC and Conservation Partners Continue to Seek Oregon Endangered Species Protection for Southern Resident Orcas

On Friday, April 21st, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will determine whether the petition...
WDC Seal Rescue April 2023 (1)

WDC conducts milestone seal rescue in Marshfield

For Immediate Release, April 10, 2023 MARSHFIELD, MA - A young grey seal was found...

Vancouver Aquarium display of whales and dolphins to end

After years of opposition from anti-captivity campaigners, the Vancouver Aquarium has finally announced that it will no longer keep whales and dolphins in captivity. Last year, the Vancouver Park Board which runs Stanley Park where the Aquarium is based, voted to stop the aquarium from bringing in any new whales and dolphins in the future. The Aquarium, which currently holds one Pacific white-sided dolphin, opposed the decision but has now agreed that it will end its captivity programme.

WDC Policy Manager, Rob Lott welcomed the decision. “We are delighted to hear that Vancouver Aquarium will no longer display whales and dolphins. This surprising but welcome decision is another nail in the coffin for the captivity industry and comes after a long battle between the Aquarium and the City’s Park Board and animal welfare advocates, like WDC, who successfully argued that public opinion had shifted on the issue of keeping whales and dolphins in tanks.

Four whales and dolphins have died at the aquarium in the last 12 months and the future for Helen, the sole remaining dolphin, is uncertain. WDC is now calling on the Aquarium to assess Helen, together with the reported four belugas Vancouver currently has on loan to other institutions, as potential candidates to be moved to a more natural sea sanctuary environment like the one that WDC is establishing with Melrin Entertainments in Iceland.”

Find out more about WDC’s sanctuary work for beluga whales and support our work.