Pumps and conveyor belts. How could more whales help save us?
We are excited to announce backing for two ground-breaking research projects to assess the little understood impact whales have on marine productivity and carbon capture. The projects, run by scientists from US and UK universities, will explore the extent to which whales transfer vital nutrients as they feed, defecate and migrate. The Alaska Whale Pump…
Read MoreOffshore Wind: Don’t Blow It
Recently, new areas were added to the growing list of potential sites for offshore wind development on both the East and West Coasts of the U.S. The Biden-Harris Administration announced the news with excitement, as these two areas – off the coast of Oregon and in the Central Atlantic – are part of the Administration’s…
Read MoreUkraine invasion may have triggered dolphin deaths
Following reports a few weeks ago that military dolphins were being used by Russia as part of its invasion of Ukraine, it now seems that more dolphins may have been casualties in the ongoing war. Scientists think that the increase in noise pollution caused by Russian naval activity in the northern Black Sea could be…
Read MoreCongressional Leaders Introduce Bill to Save the North Atlantic Right Whale
Washington (February 16, 2022) – Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) today introduced the “Right Whale Coexistence Act,” formerly known as the SAVE right whales act. This important legislation aims to support the recovery of the North Atlantic right whale, a critically…
Read MoreDeloitte chooses WDC as charity partner to help save whales and save the planet
We are delighted to announce that Whale and Dolphin Conservation has been chosen as a WorldClimate UK charity partner by leading global professional services firm Deloitte. The new partnership will help WDC grow its ambitious ‘Green Whale’ initiative, which seeks to establish whales as an ‘international public good’ and allies in the fight against climate…
Read MoreNew population estimate deal another blow to critically endangered North Atlantic right whales
A new population estimate released by the New England Aquarium indicates the population of North Atlantic right whale declined by another 8% between 2019 and 2020 with only 336 individuals estimated to remain. The species is sometimes referred to as the “urban whale” given its remaining habitat lies along the busy eastern seaboards of the…
Read MoreNorthwest elected leaders to assess breaching the Snake River dams
Southern Resident orcas need Snake River salmon, and a new announcement from key elected officials in the Pacific Northwest moves us one important step closer to restoring this critical source of food for these endangered orcas. This announcement follows years of campaigning by conservation groups including WDC, and a landmark proposal earlier this year by…
Read MoreJoint response concerning “no apparent shortage of prey for Southern Resident killer whales” in the Salish Sea
October 14, 2021 On October 12, the University of British Columbia (UBC) issued a press release claiming that a newly published study[i] has “debunked” the idea that there are fewer Chinook salmon available during the summer for the endangered Southern Resident killer whales compared to the abundance of fish available to the Northern Resident killer whales.…
Read MoreHeavy Hearts for Southern Resident Orcas
Less than a day after the brief return of the Southern Resident orcas to their home waters in the Salish Sea, our excitement turned to sorrow with the devastating news that K21 (Cappuccino) was seen lagging far behind his podmates, severely emaciated and with a completely collapsed dorsal fin. While he has not been sighted…
Read MorePacific Gray Whale Population Drops by Nearly 25%
Being taken off the endangered species list sadly doesn’t guarantee a carefree future for whales. Recent research estimates that the population of Pacific gray whales off North America’s West Coast has declined by almost a quarter since 2016. These whales are known for the epic migrations between their Arctic feeding grounds and the breeding lagoons…
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