Skip to content
All articles
  • All articles
  • About whales & dolphins
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Green Whale
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Scottish Dolphin Centre
  • Stop whaling
We're at COP28 to Save the Whale, Save the World.

We’re at COP28 to save the whale, save the world

Ed Goodall Ed is WDC's head of intergovernmental engagement. He meets with world leaders to...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
We must protect our non-human allies. Image: Tom Brakefield, aurore murguet, johan63

We’re urging governments to protect all of our climate heroes – CITES

Katie Hunter Katie supports WDC's engagement in intergovernmental conversations and is working to end captivity...
The Natütama Foundation are dedicated to protecting endangered river dolphins. Image: Natutama

Guardians of the Amazon: protecting the endangered river dolphins

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Amazon river dolphins. Image: Fernando Trujillo/Fundacion Omacha

Amazon tragedy as endangered river dolphins die in hot water

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin © Mike Bossley/WDC

WDC in Japan – Part 3: Restoring freedom to dolphins in South Korea

Katrin Matthes Katrin is WDC's communications and campaigns officer for policy & communication in Germany...
Wintery scene in Iceland

Seeking sanctuary – Iceland’s complex relationship with whales

Hayley Flanagan Hayley is WDC's engagement officer, specialising in creating brilliant content for our website...
Whaling ship Hvalur 8 arrives at the whaling station with two fin whales

A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

Luke McMillan Luke is WDC's Head of hunting and captivity. Now that the 2023 whaling season...

A Vancouver future free of whale and dolphin captivity?

On the 31st July 2014, something historic happened in Vancouver, Canada. At a special meeting organised to focus on the captivity of whales and dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium, the Vancouver Park Board voted unanimously in favour of an end to captive breeding at the aquarium. The Board has now directed its staff to bring forward an amendment to the park bylaw that regulates activity at the aquarium, that would prohibit breeding of whales, dolphins and porpoises at the aquarium, unless they are a threatened species. The Board has also ordered the establishment of an oversight committee of experts on animal welfare, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the whales and dolphins held at the aquarium, which includes belugas, Pacific white-sided dolphins and harbour porpoises. It also asked the aquarium to investigate alternatives to whale and dolphin captive displays. 

The aquarium has long been the subject of intense criticism over its incarceration of whales and dolphins and this decision follows recent statements from Vancouver’s Mayor, which support the phasing out of whale and dolphin captivity at the aquarium and growing concern about the aquarium’s expansion plans and whether further belugas will be housed there. Whether these plans will be affected by the Park Board’s decision remains to be seen. 

WDC supports these efforts to phase out captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium. The Vancouver Park by-law already prohibits the import of whales and dolphins captured in the wild after September 1996 and an amendment to prohibit captive breeding should prevent further whales and dolphins being born at the aquarium to suffer a lifetime in captivity.