WDC orca champion picks up award
Beatrice Whishart MSP picks up her Nature Champion award The Scottish Environment LINK, an organisation that brings together groups in Scotland to protect and enhance wildlife, landscape and the marine environment, has announced its MSP Nature Champion of the Year. The award has been shared this year by Jenni Minto is the MSP Nature Champion…
Read MoreSuccess! Removal of last river dams to help threatened orcas in the US
Great news has emerged from the US concerning our work to protect the endangered orca population known as the Southern Residents. The Southern Resident orcas of the Pacific Northwest is a group of just over 70 individuals, the only orca population listed as endangered in the US and, after decades of campaigning work by tribes, conservation…
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My lucky number – 13 years studying amazing Risso’s dolphins
Everything we learn about the Risso’s dolphins off the coast of Scotland amazes us and helps us argue for their protection. Every time I step onto these islands, I have a feeling of excited anticipation about what this Risso’s research field season is going to bring. WDC started our Isle of Lewis (and Harris) project…
Read MoreMore important ocean areas for whales and dolphin protection identified
Scientists and observers from many different countries have identified and mapped 36 new Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs), from northern Mexico to the southern tip of Chile. IMMAs are essentially portions of ocean important to marine mammal species that have the potential to be set aside for conservation management. The addition of the latest 36…
Read MoreWDC’s Shorewatch work shortlisted for nature award
We are thrilled that our Shorewatch programme has been shortlisted in the Citizen Science category at RSPB Scotland’s prestigious Nature of Scotland Awards, and you can help us win! The Shorewatch citizen science programme, monitors at risk species of whale, dolphin and harbour porpoise in the Northern Isles. Members of the public are encouraged to train…
Read MoreLocal community helps piece together Risso’s dolphin puzzle
Thousands of photographs from members of the public have been published today in two WDC catalogues that help researchers piece together a Risso’s dolphin puzzle that will then protect these amazing creatures for years to come. So far we have received over 2000 photographs, including historical images, from Shetland, Orkney, and along the North and…
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