Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
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| Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society | |
|---|---|
| Type | Conservation charity (Registered Charity No. 1014705) |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters |  Brookfield House, 38 St Paul Street, Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK [1] |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Website | http://www.wdcs.org/ |
(WDCS) the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is a wildlife charity that is dedicated solely to the worldwide conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans). [2]
Contents |
[edit] Aims
The objectives of the WDCS are:
- To reduce, and ultimately, eliminate the continuing threats to cetaceans and their habitats.
- To raise awareness of cetaceans and educate people about the need to address the continuing threats to their welfare and survival.
The WDCS works to:
- Prevent suffering in individual whales, dolphins and porpoises, whether in their natural environment or in captivity.
- Stop the deliberate killing of whales and dolphins for commercial and so-called 'scientific' purposes.
- Stop the unnecessary deaths of cetaceans from man-made threats such as pollution or entanglement in fishing nets.
- Prevent the extinction of endangered species and promote the recovery of all cetacean populations.
- Secure adequate protection for - and maintain the health of - all cetacean habitats.
- Promote a worldwide interest in cetaceans.[3]
[edit] History
The WDCS was established in 1987, its headquarters are in Chippenham in Wiltshire, they have offices in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Germany and the USA. The WDCS also carries out projects in Asia and the Americas.
[edit] Current work
The WDCS’s work is divided into three main areas: Stop, Protect and Connect
The CetaceanHabitat website (which is sponsored by the WDCS), is ‘dedicated to the conservation of the critical habitats of whales, dolphins and porpoises in national waters and on the high seas of the world ocean’. [4]
[edit] Wildlife Visitor Centres
The WDCS Wildlife Centre is based at the mouth of the River Spey on the southern shore of the Moray Firth on the east coast of Scotland. They also run the ‘Dolphin and Seal Centre’ along the coast at North Kessock. [5] These centres are both close to chanonry point which is reputed to be one of the best spots in the UK to view Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from land.
The WDCS also has a commercial eco-tourism travel wing called ‘Out of the Blue’ which organises whale and dolphin watching trips around the world.
[edit] Year of the Dolphin
2007 was designated the (International) Year of the Dolphin by the United Nations and UNEP, with the WDCS being partners in this project. This has now been extended to include 2008.[6]
[edit] Fund Raising
Nigel Marven is running in the 2008 London marathon to try to raise £20,000 for the WDCS.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ WDCS Contact Information
- ^ WDCS Homepage
- ^ From WDCS website, (exact link is no longer working)
- ^ Cetacean Habitat homepage
- ^ WDCS Wildlife Centres
- ^ Year of the Dolphin homepage
- ^ Marven, Nigel. Nigel Marven's Fundraising Page.
