Posts by Julia Pix
Moves to overturn whaling ban rejected
Last week, the 68th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC, the body that regulates whale hunting) took place in Portorož, Slovenia. WDC has sent experts to participate in this forum for more than 25 years. For decades, whaling and whale conservation interests have clashed at the IWC and this year, once again, a motion…
Read MoreHead in a spin – my incredible spinner dolphin encounter
Sri Lanka is home to at least 30 species of whales and dolphins, from the ocean giants (blues and sperms) to lesser-seen beaked whales and copious numbers of dolphins. WDC has been working for over a decade to support the whale watching industry there. We developed Project BLUEprint with Sri Lankan partners to equip local…
Read MoreA humpback whale teacher named Salt who helps keep you and me alive
Salt is a remarkable whale. In fact she’s probably the most famous humpback whale in the world. She was one of the first humpbacks to be identified back in 1975 when researchers began recognising and cataloguing individuals, and we know that she’s at least 46 years old. She has 15 children and is a great…
Read MoreSri Lanka oil spill brings fears for whales and dolphins
Spinner dolphins in Sri Lanka © Andrew Sutton Experts are increasingly concerned at the plight of a Singapore-registered cargo ship, the X-Press Pearl, laden with nitric acid and other chemicals, which had been ablaze for almost a fortnight. The fire is now out but the vessel is slowly sinking off Negombo, near the capital, Colombo,…
Read MoreNorway urged to abandon plans to experiment on captured whales
50 of the world’s leading whale and dolphin scientists have signed a letter from WDC urging the Norwegian government to stop potentially cruel and dangerous experiments on wild minke whales going ahead. Approval for the research was made by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet). The whales will be captured off Vestvågøy in the Lofoten…
Read MoreNorway urged to abandon plans to experiment on captured whales
Take action Please sign the petition on change.org Ask the Norwegian prime minister to stop these cruel experiments. Sign now – the whales could be captured any day. 50 of the world’s leading whale and dolphin scientists have signed a letter from WDC urging the Norwegian government to stop potentially cruel and dangerous experiments…
Read MoreMeet the brainiacs of the underwater world – deep thinkers with intricate emotional lives
Whales and dolphins have big brains, and large brained beings have a few things in common. We live long lives, we’re sociable and our behaviour is complex. Females give birth to just a few children and take extraordinary care of each baby, teaching them life skills and helping them to become independent. Whales and dolphins behave in ways…
Read MoreWhales and dolphins have flippin’ awesome support bubbles
Friends and family all get involved in bringing up the younger generation of whales and dolphins. Losing the childcare provided by our extended families, childminders, nurseries and schools has put pressure on many families. We rely on these support networks to take care of our young while we do what we need to do to…
Read MoreJoy and sadness watching Hector’s dolphins in their wild place
Dr Nicolette Scourse is an academic, educator, author and illustrator with a passion for whales, dolphins and the ocean. In her guest blog she remembers a magical time spent in the company of endangered Hector’s dolphins in New Zealand. She takes us on an evocative journey into their wild home and wonders about their future.…
Read MoreCovid and conservation – how we protected whales and dolphins together in 2020
© V. Mignon As we begin a new year, our chair of trustees, Lisa Drewe, wanted to share with you her reflections on 2020 and her hopes for 2021. We’re working through tough times together, but we are still filled with awe for whales and dolphins as well as hope and positivity for what we…
Read More