Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Encyclopedia
the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is a wildlife charity
that is dedicated solely to the worldwide conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans).
The WDCS is a recognised partner of the Convention on Migratory Species, which is part of the United Nations Environment Program.
The WDCS works to:
in Wiltshire
, UK. It also has offices in Argentina
, Australia
, Austria
, Germany
and the USA, they also carry out projects in Asia
and the Americas
.
Stop - which aims to prevent; whaling, dolphin hunts, fisheries bycatch, captivity, chemical and noise pollution, the impacts of climate change and ship strikes. As well as supporting governments, charities and other organisations.
Protect - which, through the use of scientific research and conservation projects, aims to safeguard whale and dolphin communities, populations and whole species.
Connect - which, through media, events, exhibitions, visitor centres, websites and other means, aims to educate and inform people about the need to protect whales and dolphins.
During 2007 the WDCS:
The main focuses for this campaign are Japan
, Denmark
and Iceland
, as well as on Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling
.
on the southern shore of the Moray Firth
on the east coast of Scotland
. They also run the ‘Dolphin and Seal Centre along the coast at North Kessock
. Both centres are close to Chanonry Point
which is reputed to be one of the best spots in the UK to view Bottlenose dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus) from the land.
WDCS also endorses a commercial eco-tourism travel company called ‘Out of the Blue’ which organises whale and dolphin watching trips around the world. During 2007 they ran 34 trips to over 14 destinations worldwide.
and UNEP, with the WDCS being partners in this project.
in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race
which started in Alicante
, Spain
, on October 11, 2008.
The aim of this partnership was to highlight the need for better global protection for whales and dolphins.
Team Russia’s yacht 'Kosatka' sailed under the logo 'We Sail For The Whale’; this campaign calls for the creation of twelve new marine protected areas for whales and dolphins by 2012.
The proposals announced so far include:
. One of the most important accomplishments has been the development of the Vikramshila Conservation Action Plan.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
that is dedicated solely to the worldwide conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans).
The WDCS is a recognised partner of the Convention on Migratory Species, which is part of the United Nations Environment Program.
Aims
The objectives of the WDCS are:- To reduce, and ultimately, eliminate the continuing threats to cetaceans and their habitats.
- To raise awareness of cetaceans and educate people about the need to address the continuing threats to their welfare and survival.
The WDCS works to:
- Prevent suffering in individual whales, dolphins and porpoises, whether in their natural environment or in captivity.
- Stop the deliberate killing of whales and dolphins for commercial and so-called 'scientific' purposes.
- Stop the unnecessary deaths of cetaceans from man-made threats such as pollution or entanglement in fishing nets.
- Prevent the extinction of endangered species and promote the recovery of all cetacean populations.
- Secure adequate protection for - and maintain the health of - all cetacean habitats.
- Promote a worldwide interest in cetaceans.
History
WDCS was established in 1987, its headquarters are in ChippenhamChippenham
Chippenham may be:* Chippenham, Wiltshire* Chippenham * Chippenham, Cambridgeshire-See also:* Virginia State Route 150, also known as Chippenham Parkway, USA* Cippenham, Berkshire, UK...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, UK. It also has offices in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the USA, they also carry out projects in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
Current work
The WDCS’s work is divided into three main areas:Stop - which aims to prevent; whaling, dolphin hunts, fisheries bycatch, captivity, chemical and noise pollution, the impacts of climate change and ship strikes. As well as supporting governments, charities and other organisations.
- Notably during 2007 they helped prevent JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
from gaining acceptance for a new category of whaling at the IWCInternational Whaling CommissionThe International Whaling Commission is an international body set up by the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling , which was signed in Washington, D.C...
meeting.
Protect - which, through the use of scientific research and conservation projects, aims to safeguard whale and dolphin communities, populations and whole species.
- During 2007 the WDCS funded 32 conservation and research projects across 25 countries around the world.
- The CetaceanHabitat website (which is supported by the WDCS), is dedicated to the conservation of the critical habitats of whales, dolphins and porpoises in national waters and on the high seas of the worlds oceans.
Connect - which, through media, events, exhibitions, visitor centres, websites and other means, aims to educate and inform people about the need to protect whales and dolphins.
During 2007 the WDCS:
- Hosted the launch of Scotland’s first legal code of conduct for wildlife watchers, following a successful campaign to secure the relevant legislation.
- Hosted school activity programmes in the US, UK, Australia and Germany to teach children and students
- Partnered with the UN Convention on Migratory Species in launching the Year of the DolphinYear of the DolphinThe year 2007 was proposed and declared as the Year of the Dolphin by the United Nations and United Nations Environment Programme , along with the UN Convention on Migratory Species, and its specialized agreements on dolphin conservation ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS and the WDCS.-Background:Dolphins are...
.
'StopBloodyWhaling' Campaign
WDCS also organise the Stop bloody whaling campaign which aims to stop commercial whaling at ‘every level - in international meetings; in the press; through public protests and by encouraging governments to take stronger actions against whaling nations’.The main focuses for this campaign are Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, as well as on Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling
Aboriginal whaling
Aboriginal whaling is the hunting of whales carried out by aboriginal groups who have a tradition of whaling....
.
Wildlife Visitor Centres
The flagship WDCS Wildlife Centre is based at the mouth of the River SpeyRiver Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
on the southern shore of the Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
on the east coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. They also run the ‘Dolphin and Seal Centre along the coast at North Kessock
North Kessock
North Kessock is a village on the Black Isle north of Inverness.-Description:...
. Both centres are close to Chanonry Point
Chanonry Point
Chanonry Point lies at the end of Chanonry Ness, a spit of land extending into the Moray Firth between Fortrose and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, Scotland....
which is reputed to be one of the best spots in the UK to view Bottlenose dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
(Tursiops truncatus) from the land.
WDCS also endorses a commercial eco-tourism travel company called ‘Out of the Blue’ which organises whale and dolphin watching trips around the world. During 2007 they ran 34 trips to over 14 destinations worldwide.
Year of the Dolphin
2007 (extended to 2008) was designated the (International) Year of the Dolphin by the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and UNEP, with the WDCS being partners in this project.
2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race
The WDCS were announced as official partners for Team RussiaTeam Russia
Team Russia was the name of the Russian backed entry in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race. Team Russia was founded by Oleg Zherebtsov, the founder of the Lenta hypermarket chain in Russia...
in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race
2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race
The 2008–09 Volvo Ocean Race was a yacht race held between October 4, 2008, and June 27, 2009—the 10th edition of the round the world Volvo Ocean Race....
which started in Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, on October 11, 2008.
The aim of this partnership was to highlight the need for better global protection for whales and dolphins.
Team Russia’s yacht 'Kosatka' sailed under the logo 'We Sail For The Whale’; this campaign calls for the creation of twelve new marine protected areas for whales and dolphins by 2012.
The proposals announced so far include:
- The Alborán SeaAlboran Sea|300px|thumb|]]The Alboran Sea is the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Spain on the north and Morocco and Algeria on the south...
in the Mediterranean. - The Ross SeaRoss SeaThe Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land.-Description:The Ross Sea was discovered by James Ross in 1841. In the west of the Ross Sea is Ross Island with the Mt. Erebus volcano, in the east Roosevelt Island. The southern part is covered...
in Antarctica. - Part of the SundarbansSundarbansThe Sundarbans [Sundarban Tour Booking-9051115228] is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world.The name Sundarban can be literally translated as "beautiful jungle" or "beautiful forest" in the Bengali language...
in the Bay of BengalBay of BengalThe Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
. - Areas of the AmazonAmazon RiverThe Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
and OrinocoOrinocoThe Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
river basins in South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Gangetic Dolphin Conversation
WDCS together with the Vikramshila Biodiversity Research and Education Centre (VBREC), led by Dr. Sunil Chaudhary,the Environmental Biology Laboratory of Patna University, and T.M. Bhagalpur University, initiated a project to improve the conservation value of the 50km Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin SanctuaryVikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary
Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India. The sanctuary is a 50 km stretch of the Ganges River from Sultanganj to Kahalgaon. Designated in 1991, it is the only protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins in Asia...
. One of the most important accomplishments has been the development of the Vikramshila Conservation Action Plan.