Whale and Dolphin Conservation (International)

Close-up of a dolphin's head emerging from water with text about phone chemicals found in dolphin brains.

Chemicals used in smartphone screens have been found in deceased dolphins 😔
Scientists detected synthetic liquid crystal monomers in their blubber, muscles and brains.
Our marine pollution lead, Sonja, spoke to The Telegraph about what this means for our oceans 👇
https://ow.ly/6bMS50YmPnq

Two weeks ago, our campaign lead attended TUI Group’s AGM in Hanover to raise concerns about captive whale and dolphin entertainment. A direct question was put to leadership representing our supporters and the whales and dolphins affected. Find out what happened below 👇

Icelandic courts rule in two whaling related cases - Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Find out more below👇 2/2

Icelandic whaling ships docked under a clear blue sky with a close-up of a person making a heart shape with their hands on a ship's deck. With the text: Whaling in the Spotlight as Icelandic Courts Deliver Two Key Verdicts

Two landmark court cases connected to whaling in Iceland have now been decided. Protesters who climbed the masts of whaling ships have faced trial, and a ruling has been made in an employment compensation case against Icelandic company Hvalur hf. 1/2

Local people vote for new WDC electric van - Whale and Dolphin Conservation

This will allow the team to deliver education, conservation, and Shorewatch marine monitoring work throughout Scotland. A huge thank you to everyone who voted and to the Moray Local Action Fund for their support.

Big news 🥳

Thanks to thousands of votes from people in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray, our Scottish Dolphin Centre team has been able to buy a new electric van and beach-cleaning equipment through Scotland’s Just Transition Fund.

Keep your eyes peeled for more updates! #TUIAGM #EmptyTheTanks #DontGoToTheShow

WDC is on the ground at the TUI AGM 🔈
Don't Go To The Show campaign lead Rob is holding #TUI accountable for supporting the captivity of whales and dolphins. Whales and dolphins shouldn’t live their lives in concrete tanks. We’re making sure TUI and its shareholders know it.

Four melon headed whales swimming gracefully underwater in clear blue ocean waters.

#DYK a melon headed whale, isn't a whale? They're actually a member of the dolphin family 😮 Little is known about the regal melon-headed whales, but they are usually found far offshore but some populations are associated with islands groups around the Philippines & Hawaii.
📷Christopher Swann

🎉 We’re celebrating the third anniversary of Games For Waves, WDC’s gaming and streaming initiative.

So let's look back at what our community has achieved in the past 12 months, starting with World Ocean Day Festival 2025. 🎮🌊

Discord Link in bio 🔗

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LmcCyyj-GhI

We love porpoises!

Big Oil is wrecking our seas & marine life is paying the price 🐬

We're working with scientists to lift the lid on the oil & gas industry’s dirty secrets, using marine strandings to expose the truth.

The data will speak for the animals that can’t.

🚫 End new oil & gas: https://bit.ly/490ZLPq

Shorewatch - how people power is keeping track of whales and dolphins in Scotland - Whale and Dolphin Conservation Whale and Dolphin Conservation's citizen science project, Shorewatch, allows hundreds of volunteers to record sightings data in Scotland.

👉 See this year’s highlights via the link.

Person using binoculars to spot common dolphins swimming near the shore with distant mountains under a cloudy sky. With the text: 14058 Shorewatches taken place14 species of whale and dolphin sighted75 Shorewatch sites around Scotland A sighting 347 days out of the year.

2025 was a big year for the WDC Shorewatch team. Over 14,000 watches and whales or dolphins seen almost daily.
Thanks to our volunteers, long-term data is helping drive real protection, including an protected area for Risso’s dolphins off the Isle of Lewis.

Celebrating 3 years of Games For Waves: We achieved a lot together in 2025. A photo of a smiling woman wearing WDC branded clothing.

Celebrating our gamers at Games For Waves: Over the next 2 weeks we'll be sharing our highlights. A photo of a smiling woman wearing sunglasses with a graphic of a whale behind.

Celebrating our creators at Games For Waves: Celebrating the incredible achievements of our community. A photo of a smiling man wearing Games For Waves branded clothing.

Games For Waves turns 3 this February. 🎮🌊 We’re looking back at our top 2025 moments—from #WorldOceanDay to Orcatober—celebrating what our community of developers, creators & gamers made happen. #charity

a close up of a person 's face with their eyes closed and a blurred background . ALT: a close up of a person 's face with their eyes closed and a blurred background .

Yes 🙌

a little girl is laughing and crying with the words `` omg yas ! '' ALT: a little girl is laughing and crying with the words `` omg yas ! ''

You got it! I know this was a hard one.

How incredible is this image?!

We rarely get to see what a dolphin looks like from above, but Christopher Swann managed to capture this breathtaking moment.

Can you guess the species of dolphin in this photo?

Dolphins & porpoises may look alike & both fall under the scientific umbrella term 'cetaceans', yet dolphins belong to the Delphinidae family & porpoises to the Phocoenidae family. After their shared ancestors returned to the sea, each evolved in unique ways, from skull shape & teeth to behaviour.

Captive whales threatened with death in Canada could now move to the US - Whale and Dolphin Conservation

There is another way. Ontario can help make the Nova Scotia whale sanctuary a reality. But this needs action now! 👉 tinyurl.com/28k3evu5
2/2

Close-up of a beluga whale swimming in a blue underwater environment at aquarium. With the text: Belugas at Marineland face death or forced move to US.

🚨 Marineland belugas update

30 belugas + 4 dolphins are still trapped at Marineland, Canada. The facility wants to send them to the US or suggests the only 'humane' option is to kill them. 1/2

Close-up of a whale lunging out of water near a seal on a rocky shore, illustrating hunting behaviour.

Whales and dolphins are incredibly intelligent. Using sophisticated communication, these clever beings have even figured out how to hunt more efficiently than we ever imagined👉https://ow.ly/C2KX50XWIZf
Image by Rob Lott, who has let us know this sea lion had a very lucky escape.

Spending time outdoors, listening to the sounds of the ocean, or even respectfully watching whales & dolphins in their natural habitats can provide a sense of peace, perspective, & joy. These gentle beings remind us to slow down, breathe, & appreciate the beauty of the world around us.
#BlueMonday

#DYK whales & dolphins rely on sound as their primary sense? Activities like shipping, offshore development, seismic surveys & oil & gas exploration create underwater noise that can injure, disturb & displace them. But there is hope. Meet our ocean noise campaigner Emma 👉 tinyurl.com/yuw52yra

Just how it should be 💙

Captured in Iceland in 1978 before arriving at SeaWorld Orlando in 1984. Her suffering is finally over. Our fight continues to make sure Katina and other captive whales and dolphins are the last generation held in captivity.
Swim free, Katina 💙

📸 Samantha Cornwall Photography | Inherently Wild

Image of orca Katina leaping out of the water in a marine park pool with blue structures in the background. With the text Swim Free Katina, in yellow with a black border.

Katina, the orca held at SeaWorld Orlando, has passed away at 50, the 46th orca to die at a SeaWorld facility 👉 tr.ee/RK0bzA

Happy New Year from our pod to yours! 🥳
Here’s to a year filled with hope, action, and another step closer to a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free.

Video: BlackBox

You've made it an amazing 2025 at WDC! You've made a real difference for whales and dolphins. None of our work would be possible without YOU.
Here’s to even bigger waves in 2026!
Check out some 2025 highlights below 👇

Image by Vicki James. The image is of a humpback whale breaching the ocean surface, water splashing around its body under clear daylight.

Feeling full after Christmas dinner?

Humpback whales would understand, they can munch through 1,360 kg of food every single day!
Have a fantastic Boxing Day!

Image by Vicki James.