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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...

WDC Report Captures the Attention of NZ Politicians

New Zealand’s endemic dolphin species (the Hector’s dolphin and its subspecies Maui’s dolphin) have been in rapid decline since the 1970s due to fisheries by catch. The overall population has decreased from about thirty thousand down to about seven thousand, with the Maui’s subspecies now down to about 50 adults.

WDC has been working to protect these dolphins for many years and has been spearheading the call for a national dolphin sanctuary.

Last week we formally released our report showing New Zealanders want their dolphins protected and are prepared to pay for it. A representative sample of a thousand people were polled and the results show they are prepared to pay more for their fish if it means the dolphins are protected.

WDC’s NZ consultant Gemma McGrath and eminent dolphin expert Professor Elisabeth Slooten took our report to Wellington, the political capital of NZ and met with politicians from various parties to try and persuade them to take dolphin protection policies to the national election in late September. We are optimistic that most parties will indeed do this.

NZ media have given the report positive coverage with headlines like “Kiwis would pay to protect dolphins” and “New Zealanders Willing to Pay Tax for Maui Dolphin Protection”.

The report “ASSESSING NEW ZEALANDERS’ WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY TO PROTECT THE ENDANGERED NEW ZEALAND DOLPHIN (CEPHALORHYNCHUS HECTORI) A BENEFIT-COST ANALYSIS COMPARING THREE SCENARIOS.” can be found on our website at:

http://whales.org/sites/default/files/new-zealand-dolphin-report.pdf