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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...

Battle Scars…

Life can be rough at this time of year as an adult male dolphin – territories and females to defend, disputes to settle and also keeping some of the young upstart “lads” firmly in their place…it’s all go. As you can see in the composite photo below, both of the big male Bottlenose dolphins that you can adopt with us at WDC that I have seen in the last few days have been having a busy summer. Mischief, in the top section of the photo has picked up some brand new “rake marks” on his dorsal fin plus some along his back and the same goes for Sundance, the dolphin lower in the picture and he has some impressive new rakes on his body too. This isn’t unusual and in Bottlenose dolphin society this is all part of everyday life – Bottlenoses can fight, sometimes just a bit of rough and tumble (play-fighting) but at other times it gets really serious and their impressive array of teeth that are all the same size and shape come into use, often to dramatic effect like these rakes. They will eventually fade and may even get more new ones on top creating many layers that you can sometimes see in certain light conditions. Every scratch, every score, every bite mark tells a story, an encounter – a moment in time in the amazing world of a wild, free dolphin- the way that they all should be.