Skip to content
All news
  • All news
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Corporates
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent bycatch
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Science
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
  • Stranding
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
Fin whale shot with two harpoons

Whalers kill just days after Iceland’s hunt suspension is lifted

Whalers in Iceland have claimed their first victims since the lifting (just a few days...
Fin whale

Icelandic government lifts suspension on cruel hunts

The Icelandic government is to allow fin whales to be hunted again after lifting a...

Huge success for WDC campaign as Virgin Holidays ends SeaWorld trips

Branson orca

Virgin Holidays has announced that it is to stop selling tickets to SeaWorld as part of a move to cut links with facilities that hold whales and dolphins in captivity for entertainment. 

The announcement represents a huge success for WDC’s ongoing campaign to stop tour operators promoting and supporting the captivity industry, a campaign that specifically targeted Sir Richard Branson calling on him to drop SeaWorld.

WDC’s campaign film,  made media headlines and has been watched by over 100,000 people on YouTube, and was immediately followed by an instruction to Virgin Holidays by Sir Richard to stop working with any aquarium or theme park that continued to capture whales and dolphins from the wild or import whales and dolphins taken from the wild.

The holiday company later committed not to sell tickets to any new facilities that it didn’t already, and to supporting alternatives to captivity such as whale watching and sanctuaries.

‘Virgin Holidays finally cutting ties with facilities holding whales and dolphins in captivity is a great campaign victory for us but also a massive statement to the holiday industry,’ says WDC end-captivity campaigner, Cathy Williamson. ‘WDC is delighted Virgin Holidays will no longer support the captivity industry and we continue to call on all tour operators including Carnival, TUI, British Airways and others to stop selling tickets to facilities that hold whales and dolphins in tanks for human amusement.’

WDC has partnered with the SEA LIFE Trust to create the world’s first beluga whale sanctuary in Iceland. It is hoped these initiatives will help to encourage the rehabilitation of more captive whales and dolphins into natural environments around the world, and one day help to bring an end to whale and dolphin entertainment shows.

Help us end captivity by making a donation – however big or small – it makes a difference.

[shariff]

Related News

Harbour porpoise. Image: Charlie Phillips/WDC

Speaking up for the little guys – WDC in action

Whales and dolphins face so many dangers. These intelligent beings are crucial for the wellbeing of the ocean and therefore our planet. If their future...
Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in Iceland has been kept in port after yet more controversy...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the South West Atlantic...
Humpback whale fluke in Alaska.

An unforgettable first encounter – observing the whales we work to protect

I have kept a dark secret since joining WDC back in June 2021. Despite my reverence and admiration for whales, my work to help them,...

Leave a Comment