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Dolphins captured for captivity in Taiji. Image: Hans Peter Roth

Loved and killed – whales and dolphins in Japan

Protests and criticism from outside Japan in response to the slaughter of whales and dolphins...
Narwhal with beluga whales

Unusual Whale Adoptions

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
Irrawaddy dolphin

Helping fishers protect dolphins in Sarawak, Borneo

Fishing nets are bad news for dolphins and porpoises, so we're working with local fishers...
Dolphin watching from Chanonry Point, Scotland. Image: WDC/Charlie Phillips

Discovering inner peace – whale and dolphin watching and mental wellbeing

Guest blog If you've ever seen whales or dolphins in the wild, you'll know that...
Whale tail

An ocean of hope

In a monumental, jaw-dropping demonstration of global community, the nations of the world made history...
North Atlantic right whale Porcia and her calf.

Critically Endangered Right Whale Babies Spotted

Kidzone - quick links Fun Facts Curious kids Blogs Fantastic fundraisers Gallery Splish and Splash...
The infamous killing cove at Taiji, Japan

Why the Taiji dolphin hunt can never be justified

Supporters of the dolphin slaughter in Japan argue that killing a few hundred dolphins every...
Image: Peter Linforth

Tracking whales from space will help us save them

Satellite technology holds one of the keys to 21st century whale conservation, so we're exploring...

Stop the River Dolphin Slaughter: WDC presents Brazilian Public Prosecution Service with 176,599 signatures

WDC is working with Rafael da Silva Rocha, of the Brazilian Public Prosecution Service, and other partners in Brazil to stop the brutal slaughter of Amazon River dolphins, known locally as ‘botos’. Thank you to everyone who signed our letter of support to Rafael. Our Brazilian colleague Sannie Brum (from the Piagacu Institute in Brazil) presented Rafael with 176,599 signatures along with messages of support for his work.  In some areas of the Brazilian Amazon, river dolphins are illegally killed and used as bait in the piracatinga fishery. 

Piracatinga is a type of catfish and a new law (January 2015) has been passed banning catching them commercially, but in areas as remote as these it will be incredibly hard to police and enforce. This deliberate killing is the biggest threat to river dolphins in Brazil. The new law banning of the commercail piracatinga fishery is an attempt to reduce the demand for boto carcasses. WDC is working with Sannie and the Piagacu Institute to develop projects that will engage local people in protecting the dolphins who share their Amazon home, and the support you have shown Rafael and others trying to make a difference is extremely important to their efforts.

Find out more about river dolphins.