Emergency Petition Seeks to Shield Right Whale Moms, Calves From Vessel Strikes
For Immediate Release, November 1, 2022 WASHINGTON—Conservation groups filed an emergency rulemaking petition with the National Marine Fisheries Service today to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from being struck and killed by vessels in their calving grounds off the coast of the southeast United States. The requested rule mirrors a National Marine Fisheries…
Read MoreFederal Proposal Aims to Protect Endangered Right Whales From Ship Strikes
For Immediate Release, July 29, 2022 WASHINGTON— The National Marine Fisheries Service proposed a rule today to better protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from being run over and killed by vessels in U.S. waters. Vessel strikes are one of the two primary threats to right whales; the other is entanglement in fishing gear.…
Read MoreElusive whale seen alive for the first time
Using DNA evidence, scientists have been able to officially confirm the first live sightings of the Sato’s beaked whale. Up to now the only Sato’s whales seen have been the few that have washed up dead and some unconfirmed reports from whale hunters. As a result, we know very little about their lives, habits, where…
Read MorePumps 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…
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