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Meet the 2023 Interns: Kaylee McKenna

I'm excited to introduce Kaylee McKenna as WDC's summer Marine Mammal Conservation Intern. Kaylee has...
Lasting legacies

Lasting Legacies: Orca Action Month 2023

Each June we celebrate Orca Month and the unique community of Southern Resident orcas, and this...
North Atlantic right whale - Peter Flood

Whale AID 2023: A Night of Music and Hope for North Atlantic Right Whales

The inaugural Whale AID concert to support Whale and Dolphin Conservation's (WDC's) work to protect...
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Meet the 2023 Interns: Thomas Zoutis

I'm happy to introduce WDC's first Marine Mammal Conservation Intern of the year, Thomas Zoutis!...
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Double Your Impact for Marine Animal Rescue & Response

On a chilly day this past December, the WDC North America team celebrated the first...
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WDC’s Education Wishlist = Cleared!

To the WDC Community, I want to thank you so much for your support of...
Hysazu Photography

Looking forward for Southern Resident orcas in 2023

Hysazu Photography 2022 was a big year for Southern Resident orcas - 2022 brought the...
Credit: Seacoast Science Center

The Unlikely Adventure of Shoebert, a Young Grey Seal Who Visited an Industrial Park Pond

Credit: Seacoast Science Center In mid-September, our stranding partners in northern Massachusetts were inundated with...

Earth Day Q&A with Waipapa Bay Wines’ marketing director, Fran Draper

We’ve been partnered with Waipapa Bay Wines since 2019 and we wanted to get to know Fran Draper, their Marketing Director, a bit better.

That’s why we’ve asked her a few questions like what her favourite Waipapa Bay tipple is, why they became a Climate Giant Project partner and most importantly … what’s her favourite whale or dolphin?

Fran mountain
  1. Tell us a bit about Waipapa Bay Wines? 

The name Waipapa Bay comes from a beautiful laid-back surf spot in New Zealand.  It’s a place of stunning, natural beauty and is a fantastic spot for wildlife watching which has inspired the ethos behind the wines – to produce great wines and help raise funds for Whale and Dolphin Conservation. 

  1. What’s your favourite wine in the Waipapa range and why? 

I love Sauvignon Blanc but actually my favourite wine in the range is the new Gruner Veltliner from New Zealand.  I like trying new wines, different grapes, different countries, and the Gruner is a lovely example of an unusual grape from a country you wouldn’t expect it from.

  1. Why has Waipapa Bay Wines become a Climate Giant Project partner? 

Waipapa Bay Wines has been supporting WDC since 2019, and through this partnership we’ve come to understand the crucial role that whales and dolphins play in protecting ocean ecosystems, and how this impacts on the climate crisis.  As a natural product, wine is sensitive to the vagaries of climate change, with weather directly affecting grape growth and health.  The WDC has shown us how the Climate Giant Project is the ocean’s alternative to planting trees, and we’ve been really excited to learn that one whale captures as much carbon dioxide as 30,000 trees in a year.

Humpback whale underwater in Caribbean
  1. What’s your favourite whale or dolphin and why? 

It’s got to be the mighty humpback whale - the way they can use their enormous tail and flippers to manuever in the water, and the sight of their tail as they dive!  I was lucky enough to spot them off the coast of Boston some years ago and the experience has stayed with me ever since.

  1. Today is Earth Day - if you could visit one place on earth right now, where would it be and why?

I have simple tastes, I love the calming expanse of the sea and the rugged nature of the mountains.  My ideal spot right now would be the Isle of Skye – but I’d love to take a trip to the WDC Dolphin Centre in Spey bay while there, it’s only a few hours down the road!

If you’d like to get your hands on a bottle of Waipapa Bay wines, visit the Ocado website here today.

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