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| Founded | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Type | Conservation Charity (Registered Charity No. 1014705) |
| Location |
|
Area served | Worldwide |
| Method | Research, conservation, lobbying and negotiation |
Key people | Chris Butler-Stroud (Chief Executive) |
| Website | uk |
Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), formerlyWhale and Dolphin Conservation Society in theUK, is a wildlife charity that is dedicated solely to the worldwide conservation and welfare of allwhales,dolphins andporpoises (cetaceans). It has offices in the UK,North America,Germany andAustralia.[2]
WDC was established in the UK in 1987. Its headquarters are inChippenham in Wiltshire, UK. Until late 2012, it was known as the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.[citation needed]
Mike Bossley established the Australian Dolphin Research Foundation, which was the precursor to the Adelaide branch of WDC Australasia.[3] He was WDC's Manager of Science and Education in Australasia until his retirement in June 2015, after 12 years of working with the organisation. After retirement, he stayed on as a part-time consultant, devoting his time to theNew Zealand dolphin campaign.[4]
Today it is a leading NGO solely dedicated to the protection of cetaceans and their living environments. WDC operates worldwide with offices inMunich, Germany;Adelaide,South Australia;Wiltshire, UK; andMassachusetts, United States.
WDC is a partner of theConvention on Migratory Species (CMS, also known as theBonn Convention), which is part of theUnited Nations Environment Programme. The organisation also develops regional protection agreements and conventions and closely cooperates with theorca (killer whale) research stationOrcaLab in British Columbia, Canada.
The flagship Scottish Dolphin Centre is based at the mouth of theRiver Spey on the southern shore of theMoray Firth on the east coast ofScotland.[5] On the north side of the Firth liesChanonry Point which is reputed to be one of the best spots in the UK to viewbottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from the land.[citation needed]