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Orca Lulu's body contained PCB levels 100x above the safe limit. Image: SMASS

Toxic tides, troubled whales: the toll of chemical pollution

In last week's blog, we examined the challenges whales and dolphins face as they travel...
Group of orcas at surface

Breaking barriers for whales and dolphins at the Convention of Migratory Species

Many species of whales, dolphins and porpoises undertake long journeys, encountering human-made obstacles along the...
Tokyo

WDC in Japan – Part 1: Finding allies in Tokyo

At the end of May, I embarked on an incredible journey to Japan on behalf...
Amazon river dolphins leaping

The state of river dolphin conservation

At Whale and Dolphin Conservation, we partner with conservationists and communities fighting to save river...
Researchers in Southeast Alaska studying whale poo

We’re funding crucial research on whale poo to combat the climate crisis

The ocean is one of the lungs of our planet, and whales help it to...
Narwhal surfacing

The unicorns of the sea must be protected – CITES

The narwhal, is under threat. Often referred to as the unicorns of the sea, narwhals,...
Sperm whales

We’re pushing governments for action for our climate heroes – whales

The climate crisis is the greatest threat to all life on Earth. But there is...
Dolphins captured for captivity in Taiji. Image: Hans Peter Roth

Loved and killed – whales and dolphins in Japan

Protests and criticism from outside Japan in response to the slaughter of whales and dolphins...

WDC raises plight of New Zealand dolphin at scientific meeting

WDC has a small but hardworking team at the Biennial meeting of the Marine Mammal Society taking place this week at the University of Otago, in Dunedin, NZ. At the meeting are Erich Hoyt from the UK, Philippa Brakes from NZ and Mike Bossley based in Australia, all of whom have been involved in presenting cetacean conservation material to the conference.

The Biennial is the most important meeting for marine mammal scientists and over a thousand from all over the world are attending this meeting. This provides an important opportunity for us to network with scientists performing important cetacean conservation work, as well as to meet with other NGOs working on cetacean conservation.

Much of our WDC activity has focussed on drawing attention to the plight of the New Zealand Dolphin, whose population is plummeting from being drowned in set nets and trawls. These dolphins could be saved if fishers used alternative techniques. Prior to the meeting we commissioned research which reveals that the people of NZ are fully prepared to pay extra for their fish and chips if it means the dolphins are protected, so there is no excuse not to change fishing methods.

On Tuesday next week WDC will be running a workshop for NZ politicians and policy makers to explore practical ways to implement protection measures.

New Zealand Dolphins (sometimes called Hectors and Mauis dolphins) are found only in New Zealand and are one of the smallest dolphins in the world.