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Policy & Advocacy

The Green Whale

As ecosytem engineers whales and dolphins can play a vital role in helping to tackle the climate crisis.

Latest policy developments

All policy news
  • All policy news
  • Create healthy seas
  • End captivity
  • Prevent deaths in nets
  • Stop whaling
  • Strandings

Animal culture crucial for conservation says new research paper

WDC's Philippa Brakes, together with a number of experts working on a wide range of...

Can space technology tell us how many whales there are?

This exciting project is part of Deloitte's Gravity Challenge, a global programme that encourages corporates,...

Captivity ‘done and dusted’ in Australian state

The new regulations were introduced by NSW environment minister Matt Kean and followed inquiry into...
Small cetacean report

PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS

Every year WDC produces a series of reports, scientific papers and expert responses to consultations.

WDC expertise

The WDC team consists of staff, external consultants and other colleagues with a huge range of expertise in the issues concerning whales and dolphins. We are widely respected by peers, governments and other organisations as well as international media.

Dolphin dating game

WDC Project manager, Nicola Hodgins, gives a Tedx talk on our research project in Scotland that has discovered mating between Risso's dolphins and bottlenose dolphins.

Rights for whales and dolphins

WDC Chief Executive, Chris Butler-Stroud, gives a university presentation on the widening arguments to give whales and dolphins rights as we learn more about them.

Save whales, save ourselves

Regina Asmutis-Silvia, Executive Director of WDC North America, talks about marine mammals' complex patterns of behaviour and their key role in the ocean ecosytem.

WDC has carried out vital conservation work in over
countries over the last 30 years.

Our successes

End captivity

Stop whaling

Create healthy seas

Prevent deaths in nets

Upheld ban on commercial whaling

More protection for dolphins in New Zealand

Reducing fishing gear threat to right whales

Whale meat no longer moved through EU ports

Marine protected area created in Bangladesh

UK commits to reduce death in nets

Marine protected area created in Antarctica

US import of captured beluga whale stopped

Speed limit for ships along the US east coast

Harbour porpoise homes protected in UK

Online whale meat sales stopped in Japan

World's first beluga whale sanctuary

We work with partners from all sectors to secure a future where whales and dolphins are safe and free.

Whether an individual, corporate sponsor, trusts or other grant-making body, find out how your support can help whales and dolphins.

Every whale and dolphin - safe & free

There are 4 vital ways that we are fighting for the survival of whales and dolphins.

Together we can:

Corky, an orca (killer whale) in captivity at SeaWorld

End captivity

Whales and dolphins have a right to live free and healthy lives. These highly intelligent individuals should not suffer for human entertainment.

Japanese whaler with harpoon hunting minke whales

Stop whaling

Commercial whaling is illegal. And yet, every year, Japan, Norway and Iceland kill around 1,500 whales.

Humpback whale tail in Antarctica

Create healthy seas

Commercial fishing, oil and gas drilling, and shipping are threatening the lives of whales and dolphins.

Common dolphin trapped in net

Prevent deaths in nets

Hundreds of thousands of whales and dolphins are accidentally caught and killed in fishing gear every year.