Helping fishers protect dolphins in Sarawak, Borneo
Fishing nets are bad news for dolphins and porpoises, so we’re working with local fishers in Hong Kong and Sarawak, Borneo to save lives and make sure they can coexist. The rivers of Sarawak, a state on the northwest tip of the southeast Asian island of Borneo, are home to Irrawaddy dolphins, Indo-Pacific finless porpoises…
Read MoreAn ocean of hope
In a monumental, jaw-dropping demonstration of global community, the nations of the world made history when they agreed The High Seas Treaty – to protect 95% of the habitable space on Earth. Ed Goodall explores how we got there and what happens next. Last summer I was feeling frustrated when I wrote a blog about…
Read MoreWhen porpoises and people overlap
We’re funding a project in Hong Kong that’s working with fishing communities to help save the vulnerable finless porpoises who share the sea with them. When you picture Hong Kong, you probably think about a thriving business and banking metropolis, but did you know that living there, within some of the busiest waters in the…
Read MoreWe’re getting to know Risso’s dolphins in Scotland so we can protect them
Citizen scientists in Scotland are helping us better understand Risso’s dolphins by sending us their photographs. Risso’s dolphins are an amazing yet relatively little-known species. I’ve been lucky enough to spend time studying them off the west coast of Scotland over the last 13 years and I’ve come to recognise individuals and have enjoyed observing…
Read MoreWhy do whales and dolphins strand on beaches?
People often ask me ‘why’ whales and dolphins do one thing or another. I’m a whale and dolphin scientist and so it’s my job to know stuff like that. Over recent days, the world has watched the heart-breaking scenes on two remote New Zealand beaches as almost 500 pilot whales have died after becoming stranded.…
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 MoreTo protect whales, we must stop ignoring the high seas
Almost two-thirds of the ocean, or 95% of the habitable space on Earth, are sloshing around beyond human borders and the jurisdiction of any country. These waters contain some of the last wilderness areas on the planet, are packed with life, and some spots are so remote that few humans have ever ventured to them.…
Read MoreThe dolphin and porpoise casualties of the war in Ukraine
Rare, threatened subspecies of dolphins and porpoises live in the Black Sea along Ukraine’s coast. They are also victims of war, along with the researchers who study them. Last year, I worked closely with 20 scientists including both Ukrainian and Russian colleagues to identify dolphin and porpoise habitats in the Black Sea. Following our five-day…
Read MoreThe whale trappers are back with their cruel experiment
Anyone walking past my window might have heard my groan of disbelief at the news that, against all logic – rather like a bad Netflix series that has somehow been commissioned for a second season – the ‘minke whale trappers’ are back with their nets to have another go this summer! Starting tomorrow and despite…
Read MoreThe ocean is awash with plastic – can we ever clean it up?
You’ve seen pictures of plastic litter accumulating on beaches or marine wildlife swimming through floating rubbish in some ocean far away and, like me, you’ve probably wondered if and how we could ever clean up this mess. Marine plastic litter is a global environmental plague and a serious threat to marine wildlife. Up to 23…
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