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Fishers' involvement is crucial. Image: WDC/JTF

When porpoises and people overlap

We're funding a project in Hong Kong that's working with fishing communities to help save...

Mindful conservation – why we need a new respect for nature

'We should look at whales and dolphins as the indigenous people of the seas -...
A dolphin called Arnie with a shell

Dolphins catch fish using giant shell tools

In Shark Bay, Australia, two groups of dolphins have figured out how to use tools...
Common dolphins at surface

Did you know that dolphins have unique personalities?

We all have personalities, and between the work Christmas party and your family get-together, perhaps...
Leaping harbour porpoise

The power of harbour porpoise poo

We know we need to save the whale to save the world. Now we are...
Holly. Image: Miray Campbell

Meet Holly, she’s an incredible orca leader

Let me tell you the story of an awe-inspiring orca with a fascinating family story...
Humpback whale. Image: Christopher Swann

A story about whales and humans

As well as working for WDC, I write books for young people. Stories; about the...
Risso's dolphin at surface

My lucky number – 13 years studying amazing Risso’s dolphins

Everything we learn about the Risso's dolphins off the coast of Scotland amazes us and...

Jack of All Trades

Jack of All Trades is a saying that dates back to the 16th Century.  It defines someone that is skilled in many different areas and most certainly applicable to the crew of the WDCS NA office.  The work of the past month is a testament to the multi-level talents exhibited by all in our office (with the possible exception of my time management skills, which has delayed this blog from going out until now!).

Whether it is pulling together information to protect dolphins in the Florida Keys, submitting a report on drive hunts to a journal for scientific publication, or writing to thank our supporters, we are writers, editors, journalists and story tellers.  And whether it was meeting with Cleo, a

young lady from California who organized a lemonade stand with her friends to raise funds for us, or co-sponsoring an Environmental Education seminar with NOAA, we are teachers and educators. The funds that support our work are interwoven into events,  grant applications and phone conversations that flow through the office on a daily basis.  And while none of us has formal IT training, we are all a bit more skilled at fixing computers and data base development than any of us would care to be.

But the one thing I can say we are not, is quitters.  Since I last touched base, another 200+ pilot whales were killed in a grind in the Faroe Islands bringing this year’s total to almost 500 needlessly slaughtered whales.  The body of a critically endangered right whale was found floating off Nova Scotia, entangled in fishing gear.  And we documented yet another fresh vessel wound on a six month old humpback calf off our coast.  Some days can be overwhelming but the only request I have ever had from anyone in this  office is to find them more time in a day to work on an issue.

Tomorrow we will be meeting to discuss the next issue of our newsletter celebrating the 25th year of WDCS in operation.  There will be no shortage of topics to discuss, just a shortage of time as I’m told that our meeting needs to be short as folks have to attend a meeting on whaling, a Whale SENSE evaluation on a whale watch boat, drop off a computer for repair (that we couldn’t fix ourselves) and get a mailing out the door. I’m sure the office phone will be ringing then too!  Just another regular day…………..