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Dolphin in Brazil helping with fishing illustration

Dolphins and fishermen working together

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
Gray whale (eschrichtius robustus) Gray whale in Ojo de liebre lagoon Baja California.

Why we’re walking for whales to save the world

We've got enormous ambitions when it comes to fighting climate breakdown, and so two members...
Dolphins with keepers in the new Windsor Safari Park. Image: PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo

Three decades on from UK’s last dolphin show, what needs to change?

The UK hasn't had captive whales and dolphins on display for 30 years, but it's...
Fishers' involvement is crucial. Image: WDC/JTF

When porpoises and people overlap

We're funding a project in Hong Kong that's working with fishing communities to help save...
Whale evolution cover

How did whales end up living in the ocean?

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Fishers chatting

Scottish fishers working with us to reduce risks to whales

Small changes to fishing gear could make a big difference to whales around Scotland, and...

Mindful conservation – why we need a new respect for nature

'We should look at whales and dolphins as the indigenous people of the seas -...
tins of whale meat

How Japan’s whaling industry is trying to convince people to eat whales

Japan's hunters kill hundreds of whales every year despite the fact that hardly anyone in...

Farewell To An Old Friend…

Hi Everyone,

I meet thousands of people every year who come here to watch dolphins and out of the crowd there are always a few people who stand out. Christine Duggan (in the photo below) her Mum Jean and her Dad John have been coming up here to the Moray Firth ever since I started working at the Dolphin & Seal Centre at North Kessock in the mid 1990’s – indeed they were my very first visitors through the door. The Duggan family have been huge (and very long time) supporters of WDC – way back when the (WDCS) Adopt a Dolphin programme had Sundance first appearing as a young calf with the orangey yellow blotch on his dorsal fin that gave him his name and Christine adopted him right away, later adding Kesslet to her dolphin “family”.

 photo ChristineDugganweb.jpg

Very sadly Christine died earlier this year from a brain tumour that recurred after twenty years and I was proud to know her, be her friend and keep in touch about the dolphins over much of that period. I will miss her passion for the welfare of the dolphins, the many, many laughs that we have had together over the years and the way that her and Jean would grab a big bag and do impromptu beach cleans wherever they went. Sadly Jean passed away this year too so our thoughts at WDC are with John Duggan at this very sad time.

Charlie.

About Charlie Phillips

Field officer - Adopt a Dolphin