Whales and dolphins are known to grieve for their dead but Southern Resident orca J35, known as Tahlequah, carried her dead new-born in a record ordeal of 17 days, swimming 1,000 miles with her family. Her tour of grief has been followed by people around the world since her calf died a short time after…

An unprecedented attempt has been launched in the Pacific Northwest to save ailing Southern Resident orca Scarlet (J50), a young female who has been in poor condition throughout the summer.  The Fisheries Department of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), the Center for Whale Research,…

A computer simulator that resembles a video game could save the endangered St. Lawrence beluga whales. The simulator will help scientists to enter data about beluga whales and ships to evaluate and understand how much time each whale spends in the acoustic range of a vessel. The research project just received a $2.1 million from…

Iceland’s commercial hunt of minke whales has ended for this year. The common minke whale is the main species targeted by Japan, Norway and Iceland when they undertake ‘scientific’ and/or commercial whaling. Iceland has continued to kill whales despite the International Whaling Committee’s ban on commercial whaling, using loopholes and its much-disputed move to take a so-called ‘reservation’ in 2002. Out of a quota…

Holiday giant Thomas Cook stops selling tickets to Seaworld and Loro Parque Following a three month ultimatum to improve welfare standards Whale and Dolphin Conservation welcomes Thomas Cook’s decision to stop selling tickets to SeaWorld in the United States and Loro Parque in Tenerife. After a successful WDC campaign calling on tour operators to fully implement…

In heartbreaking news from the Pacific Northwest, the Center for Whale Research has reported that a newborn calf has died less than an hour after being born.  On Tuesday, July 24th, the Center observed a new calf born in the endangered Southern Resident orca population to a member of J pod, Tahlequah (J35), a 20-year-old…

We are delighted to announce that Game of Thrones star Jerome Flynn has agreed to become a WDC Patron. Jerome is well-known for his role as skilled mercenary Bronn of the Blackwater in the global TV hit, Game of Thrones. He also starred in ITV’s Soldier Soldier and Ripper Street. Aside from acting both on…

Experts remain sceptical of initial test results issued by the Icelandic Marine Institute, which indicate that a whale controversially killed just a few days ago by whalers was a blue/fin hybrid, not a pure blue. Blue whales are a protected species even in Icelandic waters but hybrids are not and, despite their equally rare status,…

A NASA-funded study has warned that marine creatures like whales and dolphins will be exposed to greater threats from boat traffic as sea ice continues to melt in the Arctic. The study found that narwhals in particular would be under threat as new shipping lanes opening up as a result of sea ice melting due…