Our vision is a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free
Whales and dolphins are awe-inspiring.
They are intelligent beings, vital for the health of the ocean and planet.
They have suffered from terrible harm - deliberate and accidental - and their homes and populations are under threat. But it's not too late. Together we can still help them recover and flourish and they can help us reconnect with the wild, and repair the damage we have caused.
Why WDC?
WDC is the leading global NGO dedicated to whales and dolphins.
We are lean, ambitious, impactful, and internationally respected.
Our expert-led teams in the UK, Europe, the Americas, and Australasia work across the whole spectrum of threats, from climate breakdown to accidental entanglements in fishing gear.
We bring together, and work hand-in-hand with, businesses, philanthropists, scientists, NGOs, governments and grassroots communities to find solutions to the problems faced by whales and dolphins.
Our Approach
We deal with complex, global issues, so we take an integrated approach to finding solutions that create positive change. We do this through:
Protecting whales and dolphins:
Delivering conservation, research, and rescue, directly and in partnership with others.
Influencing decision-makers:
Providing a powerful voice for whales and dolphins among governments and businesses.
Campaigning for support:
Delivering campaigns, education, science, and storytelling that inspire public support and action.
Being inclusive:
Whales and dolphins need all of us, so we work to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team of ocean champions who give a voice to these majestic creatures.
Our Aim
To reverse the global decline in whale and dolphin populations by:
Stopping cruelty from deliberate harms such as whaling and captivity.
Creating safe seas, free from the threat of pollution, collisions with vessels and accidental entanglement in fishing gear.
Winning recognition of whales and dolphins as sentient, socially complex beings, and our allies in the fight against climate and nature breakdown.
Our 10-Year Ambitions
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End commercial whaling
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Reverse the growth in captive facilities worldwide
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Achieve sustainable fishing solutions that reduce impacts on whales and dolphins internationally
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Secure a ban on gillnets in the UK
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Win meaningful protection of at least 30% of the ocean for whales and dolphins
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Secure the UK's first ever Marine Mammal Protection Act
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Achieve international recognition - from classrooms to governments - of the benefit and value of whales and dolphins as vital for life on Earth
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Strengthen whales’ and dolphins’ legal protections globally through recognition of their rights
