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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...
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...

WDC in Japan – Part 2: Digital dolphins

Welcome to the second chapter of my incredible journey to build alliances in Japan. As...
Amanda the intern

Meet the 2023 Interns: Amanda Eskridge

We are so excited to welcome Amanda Eskridge, our final Marine Mammal Conservation Intern of...

Save the whales, save the world – convincing governments that whales will help us fight the climate crisis

Whales and dolphins are awesome. They are intelligent, self-aware, socially complex and they need and deserve our protection. But, did you know they are also our allies in fighting the climate crisis?

As we begin a new year with hope and optimism, we’re thinking big like a whale and setting our ambitions high.

Blue whale © Andrew Sutton

Help save the world by saving the whales with a donation

Whales store harmful carbon

Like trees, these magnificent giants remove harmful carbon from our atmosphere and store it in their bodies and they do this simply by eating their favourite food - tiny plant-like creatures called phytoplankton. These little marvels absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by photosynthesis, then fish and other plankton eat them, and then whales eat the fish and plankton. And so the carbon moves up the food chain. The carbon that is not released as carbon dioxide by the whales when they breathe, is concentrated in their bodies over time.

Whale fall low res UPDATED 23.06.2020

Planet-saving poo

As if that isn't incredible enough, whales also help save the planet with their poo! Whale faeces is packed full of nutrients which fertilise phytoplankton and as well as absorbing carbon, phytoplankton also release half the world’s oxygen. You could say they give you every other breath you take. If you think of forests as one of the Earth’s lungs, the ocean is the other.

Whale pump infographic

More whales means a healthier planet

When humans slaughtered more than three million whales in the 20th century, we didn’t just kill sentient, intelligent individuals with families, societies and cultures, we removed huge carbon stores and these whales’ contribution to fighting climate change.  Allowing whale populations to recover will have an enormously beneficial impact on climate change. More whales mean more carbon can be removed from our atmosphere and more whale poo to keep the ocean healthy and ‘breathing’.

We need whales in our climate plans

Our Green Whale project is dedicated to ensuring that climate policymakers understand the enormous role of whales and dolphins in helping us achieve our climate targets by restoring a healthy ocean and a healthy planet.

Whales and humans are in this together – if we save the whales, we will help save the world. They are doing their bit so it’s time we humans honoured our part by making sure they can thrive.

Will you help to make a big impact on one of the world’s biggest challenges, by getting behind the world’s biggest creatures? Donate today and you'll help fund more research into the contribution whales make in maintaining a healthy planet. The more compelling evidence we have, the more effectively we can lobby governments and policymakers to include whale conservation in their climate plans.

Every whale and dolphin counts.

Every pound you can donate today counts too and will make a difference.

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