Whale and Dolphin Conservation

BREAKING: Iceland’s largest whaling company has cancelled the 2025 hunt. No fin whales will be killed this summer. This could be the beginning of the end for whaling in Iceland. 🐋 #EndWhaling #Iceland #WaveOfChange 👉https://lnkd.in/ezjjMeK6  

BREAKING NEWS: Iceland’s largest whaling company cancels the 2025 hunt. As our head of hunting Luke McMillan asks, could this be the beginning of the end for whaling in Iceland? 🐋🇮🇸 #EndWhaling #Iceland

The seas around #Scotland are home to an amazing diversity of #wildlife, but we've filled their home with fishing gear, noise, and pollution. And now, #species and #habitats are struggling where once they flourished. WDC’s Catherine Bain volunteers as a first responder to rescue whales who become entangled in fishing gear in the waters around Scotland. From freeing a humpback whale entangled in rope to responding to a tragic incident with a #spermwhale wrapped in creel lines near the Isle of Skye, Cath's stories serve as a stark reminder of our need to #RestoreScottishSeas 👉 https://ow.ly/ZqcE50VxnFu We're already working to reduce entanglements, but we could do more. Stay tuned over the coming weeks to find out how you can help.

In the world of whales and dolphins, family bonds are everything. Orcas stay with their siblings for life, learning and passing down knowledge through generations. Bottlenose dolphins grow up playing and exploring the ocean together, forming lifelong friendships. Just like them, we value and protect our families. Writing a Will is one of the most meaningful ways to care for your loved ones and it can also be a powerful way to protect the whales and dolphins that inspire us. By including a gift in your Will, you can help safeguard their ocean home and protect them from the many threats they face every day. 🌊 On #NationalSiblingsDay, let’s celebrate family, both human and marine. Find out how your Will can make a lasting impact: https://ow.ly/6J9w50VxniH

Happy World Unicorn Day! 🦄 Did you know that the ocean has its very own unicorn? Meet the narwhal, a truly unique and fascinating whale of the Arctic. Here are some incredible facts about the unicorn of the sea: ✨Their famous "horn" is a spiralled tooth that can grow up to 3 meters long and is packed with sensory receptors. 🌊 Narwhals are deep-diving experts, reaching depths of 1,500 meters in search of food. 🐋 They travel in close-knit pods, navigating the icy waters of Canada, Greenland, and Russia. These incredible whales face increasing threats due to climate change and human activity. Now, more than ever, we need to take action to protect the #UnicornOfTheSea. Learn more about how you can help here: https://ow.ly/Ropv50Vrklr 📷Minden Pictures

The first #minke #whale has been killed in the #Norwegian 2025 whaling season 👉 https://lnkd.in/ep6mdKw7 Despite declining demand for whale meat, the #Norwegian #government has shockingly increased the quota to 1,406 whales whilst continuing to ignore the global ban on #commercialwhaling. Whaling is not only cruel, with whales suffering long, painful deaths from grenade harpoons, but it also flies in the face of science that shows whales play a role in maintaining a healthy #ocean. We will continue to work in Norway alongside animal rights organisations and youth activists, to build a future where Norway is known for protecting whales, not hunting them. #WaveOfChange #NorwayForWhales #Endwhaling #StopWhaling

This has been a devastating week for whale conservation. On 1 April, Japan’s commercial whaling season began off the coast of Hokkaido. A female minke whale, 8.1 metres long, weighing over 5 tonnes, was killed using an exploding harpoon by the whaling company Ayukawa Hogei. The first minke whale of an annual quota of 144. Her body was later offloaded at Nemuro port and will be sold as sashimi in supermarkets within days. Just two days later, on 3 April, Norway resumed its own commercial whaling operations. The first minke of the season was killed in the Varangerfjord by the crew of the Reinebuen. Norway’s quota for 2025 has risen to 1,406 minke whales, a substantial increase from 2024 due to unfulfilled killing targets last year. That’s a combined total of over 1,500 whales now legally permitted to be killed in just two countries this year. As someone who lives and breathes this topic, I can tell you: - There is no robust market demand for whale meat in either country. - Scientific justification for these hunts does not withstand scrutiny. - There is no humane way to kill a whale at sea. Both Japan and Norway are continuing to undermine global marine conservation efforts by operating outside the mandates of the INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION, using quotas that do not reflect ecological necessity or public interest. At Whale and Dolphin Conservation, we are gathering evidence, working with policy-makers and building international pressure to bring these practices to an end. This isn’t culture. This isn’t scientific research. This is state-sanctioned cruelty. #StopWhaling #AnimalWelfare #EndWhaling

New research has revealed that #whales adapt their songs in response to environmental changes, offering valuable insights into #ocean health 👉 https://ow.ly/2yGY50Vp0hp During the six years study scientists discovered a fascinating pattern: during a prolonged ocean heatwave, when food was scarce, whales sang less. As foraging conditions improved, their songs returned.

When we think of Japan and whales, we may think of commercial whaling and Taiji’s dolphin hunts. But we often forget that these practices are only supported by a minority. Most people in Japan find whales as fascinating and amazing as anyone else in the world, and whale watching is on the rise. However, the growing popularity of whale watching brings its own challenges. Overcrowded boats and unethical practices can disrupt whale behavior and cause them immense stress. But on Zamami Island in Kerama National Park, a passionate community is proving that responsible whale watching can be a force for good. After industrial whaling decimated humpback whale populations, the local community was determined to create a safe haven for whales to return to. By setting voluntary guidelines, limiting tour hours, and prioritising the welfare of the whales, they’ve done just that. We wanted to learn more from their efforts, so WDC’s Katrin Matthes traveled to Okinawa to meet the people leading this inspiring initiative.👉

#Morgan the captive #orca has given birth, but this isn’t a cause for celebration. Her newborn calf now faces a lifetime in #captivity, confined to a small concrete tank for human #entertainment. Dolphins deserve to be wild and free, not trapped in artificial enclosures 👉 https://lnkd.in/egbZZyRA #DontGoToTheShow #EndCaptivityForever