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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...
Leaping harbour porpoise

The power of harbour porpoise poo

We know we need to save the whale to save the world. Now we are...

Meet the 2022 Interns: Saya Butani

I'm happy to welcome the newest member of the WDC team, Saya Butani, who is this year's Conservation Outreach intern! Saya had an action-packed first week where she attended a stakeholder meeting and went on her first ever whale watch! She is already putting her creativity skills to good use by developing promotional material for WDC's safe boating programs. We are so happy to have her with us and can't wait to see all that she accomplishes this summer!

Saya

Meet Saya Butani!

Hometown: Herndon, VA

Favorite food: Pad Thai

Song that pumps me up: Higher Love by Kygo and Whitney Houston

Show I can always rewatch: New Girl

First concert: Fall Out Boy

Tell us the story of what sparked your interest in the environment, conservation, and/or whales and dolphins 

My interest in the environment began with watching Animal Planet and going to the Smithsonian National Zoo in elementary school! I have loved animals ever since, and visiting places like the Hall of Ocean Life at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History propelled my interest in whales and other marine life.

In high school I had the opportunity to take biology and environmental science courses which fueled my passion for conservation, and I’ve remained interested in it well into college!

Why did you want to be an intern with WDC? 

I wanted to be an intern with WDC because I think that the goals of this organization are so important! I was also really drawn to WDC because I have been interested in marine life since I was little, and the opportunity to help employ their strategies to try and conserve whales and dolphins, animals I have really come to appreciate, sounded really exciting! I also really appreciate their commitment to diversity and inclusion!

What are you most excited to learn/do during your internship? 

I’m most excited to learn about all of the details that go specifically into marine mammal conservation, and to be helping with boater outreach! I am also really excited to get to know all of the people who work for WDC better! Working with WDC over the summer is also giving me the chance to see whales for the first time!

What is your favorite fact about marine mammals? 

Everyone in my family loves gardening and keeping houseplants, so my favorite fact about marine mammals is that whales are gardeners of the ocean!

We are excited to have Saya on our conservation team!

To support WDC's paid internships and conservation initiatives, please consider making a donation so we can continue to host young professionals like Saya.

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