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© Charlie Phillips/WDC

About whales & dolphins

Welcome to the world of whales and dolphins

We still know relatively little about many of these species. Some have only been identified from bones and live in the deepest and most remote places in the ocean. Only by finding out more about their lives can we develop meaningful conservation measures that will protect them and their homes.

Blue whale

The world of whales and dolphins

An introduction to these amazing creatures and their lives beneath the surface. There is so much we still have to learn...

North Atlantic right whale

Meet the whales

Whales come in all shapes and sizes. Some you will probably be familiar with, others are so elusive and rare that even scientists have never seen them!

Two leaping dolphins

Meet the dolphins

From the awe-inspiring orca (killer whale) to the tiny franciscana, dolphins are incredible. They are perfectly adapted for their aquatic world.

Breaching porpoise

Meet the porpoises

Porpoises are smaller than most dolphins and generally shy. The seven species includes the vaquita, the most endangered species of cetacean.

Brain Power

Dolphins have long been recognised as having a high degree of intelligence and are often compared to humans and other animals. But how exactly do you measure how intelligent a dolphin is? After all, their needs are very different to ours.

Stories from the surface

We are still learning so much about whales and dolphins. From the discovery of fossils that help tell us how they evolved, to new species being identified, here are some of the latest stories about these amazing creatures.

Rare footage of nursing blue whale recorded

A whale watching company in California recently captured on film the rarely seen activity of...
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Possible lifeline for threatened orcas in Russia

According to a draft order from the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, an orca ecotype...

Humpback whale calf helps stranded mother

Rescue teams off Queensland, Australia watched as a young humpback whale calf tried to to...

Dolphin with broken blowhole learns to breathe through mouth

A New Zealand dolphin has amazed researchers in New Zealand by adapting to breathe through...

Please help us save whales and dolphins

By adopting a whale or dolphin, by making a donation, or by fundraising for WDC, you can help us provide a safe future for these amazing creatures.

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Adopt

Adopt a whale and help us protect these amazing creatures.

Bottlenose dolphin at surface

Donate

Your gifts help us take action for whales and dolphins.

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Fundraise

Run, bake, walk, cycle… what could you do for whales and dolphins?