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Vaquita. Photo Thomas Jefferson

Scientific Committee gives first ever official species extinction warning

Photo: Thomas Jefferson We have welcomed the urgent call by experts to protect the vaquita...
blue whale

Whale fossil from Peru may have been heavier than blue whale

Scientists examining the bones of a 39 million-year-old ancient whale have concluded that it may...
Humpback whale © Christopher Swann

Humpback whales breach in synchronisation

Humpback whales are renowned for their incredible acrobatic displays, but a family in the USA...
Long-finned pilot whale

Unusual activity witnessed before pilot whale stranding

Just days after a pod of long-finned pilot whales stranded on an island in the...
All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings

Minke whale hunts stop in Iceland

Iceland’s commercial hunt of minke whales has ended for this year. The common minke whale is the...
Port River dolphins

New report reveals 100,000 dolphins and small whales hunted every year

When you hear the words ‘dolphin hunts’ it’s likely that you think of Japan or...

Japan set to resume commercial whaling

Reports from Japan suggest that the government they will formally propose plans to resume commercial...

End the whale hunts! Icelandic fin whaler isolated as public mood shifts

Here’s a sight I hoped never again to witness. A boat being scrubbed and repainted...

Australian Government to block Japanese whaling proposal

Japanese Government officials have reportedly confirmed that they will propose the resumption of commercial whaling...

Did Icelandic whalers really kill a blue whale?

*Warning - this blog contains an image that you may find upsetting* They say a...

Icelandic whalers breach international law and kill iconic, protected whale by mistake

Icelandic whalers out hunting fin whales for the first time in three years appear to...

Pregnant whales once again a target for Japanese whalers

Figures from Japan's whaling expedition to Antarctica during the 2017/18 austral summer have revealed that...

Doubts remain after Icelandic Marine Institute claims slaughtered whale was a hybrid not a blue

Experts remain sceptical of initial test results issued by the Icelandic Marine Institute, which indicate...

Norway's whaling season begins

April 1st saw the start of the whaling season in Norway. Despite a widely-accepted international moratorium...

SOS alert for whales off Norway!

I have to admit to bitter disappointment when I arrived in Tromsø, northern Norway, a...

Icelandic fin whale hunting to resume

Iceland’s only fin whaling company, Hvalur hf,  announced today that it will resume fin whaling...

SeaWorld experiences further slump in visitor numbers

New figures have revealed the number of visitors to SeaWorld San Diego plunged 14 percent in 2017, as more than a half million fewer people visited the marine park.

The rate of decline is considerably steeper than the overall 5.5 percent attendance decrease in 2017 for all 12 parks operated by parent company SeaWorld Entertainment.

Financial uncertainty and public outcry against the keeping of whales and dolphins in captivity have plagued SeaWorld in recent years and the company announced last year that it would end the breeding of orcas in captivity.

SeaWorld cites the re-emergence of negative feeling towards the keeping of whales and dolphins in captivity as playing a part in recent falling attendances at its San Diego park, and that a ‘reduced marketing spend’ on its campaign to boost it’s reputation had been a factor.

Former SeaWorld CEO, Joel Manby recently stepped down after failing to reversed the company’s fortunes during his three years in post. Just days after Manby’s departure, it was announced that SeaWorld’s chief creative officer, Anthony Esparza, was leaving too, and only one week ago, the company announced chief marketing officer, Denise Godreau, was also departing despite being hired little more than a year ago.

Sea World attendances and profits have been falling since the release of Blackfish, the award-winning film focusing on the life of Tilikum, an orca from Iceland who was held in captivity by SeaWorld and who died last year.

Holding whales and dolphin captive is cruel. You can help end this practice. WDC is working to establish a sanctuary for beluga whales held in captivity.

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