What makes whales and dolphins so special?
Like us, whales and dolphins are intelligent beings capable of experiencing pleasure and suffering pain. And like us they have culture and societies all of their own.
Many live in complex social groups, communicate in different dialects, pass on culture through generations, engage in play and even grieve the loss of family and friends.
Understanding and appreciating this social complexity is essential to ensure that whale and dolphin populations not only survive, but thrive.
WDC believes whales and dolphins should have special recognition, and deserve the kind of protection that only comes with legal rights.
How much do we really know about them?
Scientists around the world are constantly surprised by whales and dolphins, the complexity of their social lives, and their incredible communication skills and intelligence.
We have so much to learn about these amazing individuals, and the more we learn the more we are amazed at what we find.
There is clear scientific evidence that, like humans, some whales and dolphins are highly intelligent:
- Many socialize and live in complex societies
- Some exhibit play behaviour, which may help them learn key skills, or may even just be fun
- There is evidence that some species grieve for their dead
- Some species have cultural ways of behaving, which they pass on to their offspring and their peers.
Some species possess brain cells known as spindle neurons, believed to be associated with empathy and emotional intelligence. People used to think that these cells were only found in the brains of humans and some other primates.
Some individuals have specific roles to play within their communities as leaders and innovators, just like us. And, like us, they have the right to live in a world where they are safe and free.
The more we discover, the more we are inspired and humbled. The more we learn, the more our human-centric view of the world is challenged as we realize our responsibilities towards other intelligent beings with whom we share our blue planet.
Whale and dolphin culture
What have scientists learnt so far about culture in whales and dolphins?
Sentient and sapient whales and dolphins
Whales and dolphin have emotions and feelings and live complex, diverse lives.
Scientific evidence for whale and dolphin rights
The science behind the argument for whale and dolphin rights.
Personhood - who are whales and dolphins?
Whales and dolphins are a 'who' not a 'what'. So how should we treat them?
Latest news about whale culture
Why do female orcas live so long after they stop having babies?
Orcas are one of only five species known to experience menopause and females can live for many decades after their last calf. The only other mammals reported to exhibit this unusual life history strategy are short-finned pilot whales, belugas, narwhals and humans. The question of why females of any species should stop reproduction before the…
Dolphins sync when they work together
A new study has shown male bottlenose dolphins synchronise (sync not sink) their physical and verbal actions when they work together in a very similar way to humans. Using long-term acoustic data from studying a population of dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia, researchers discovered that the male dolphins in the group matched the tempo of…
Whale culture should play a part in their conservation says new international study
An international group of researchers working on a wide range of species, including whales, argues that cultural knowledge of these creatures needs to be taken into consideration when planning international conservation efforts and laws. A paper published in leading journal Science (Tuesday 26 February) makes a compelling case that growing scientific evidence on social learning, which can…
We hope that one day we will celebrate whale and dolphin rights being recognised in law. When these rights are recognised; whaling will not be allowed, and no human will be able to own a whale or dolphin, or cause them deliberate harm.
Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans: Whales and Dolphins
To help us achieve our aim, WDC played a key role in developing a ‘declaration’, which you can sign to show your support.
Please help us protect whales and dolphins and their homes
Do you agree that whales and dolphins have a right to live free and healthy lives, safe from the threats of whaling, captivity, pollution and fishing fleets?
Help WDC establish the recognition of whale and dolphin cultures into global and local conservation policy.
Adopt
Adopt a whale or dolphin and help us end captivity.
Donate
Your gift will help us ensure the needs of whales and dolphins gain proper recognition.
Fundraise
Run, bake, walk, cycle… what could you do to help?