The WeWhale Pod Episode 17 - Podcast Panel on Combatting Ghost Gear
This special panel episode of The WeWhale Pod focuses on the problem of ghost gear in our waters and ways to combat it.
Our guests are:
- Harry Dennis and Gavin Parker, co-founders of Waterhaul, a social enterprise based in Cornwall in the UK that recycles abandoned marine nets into high quality products
- Sophie Lewis, Interim CEO of the World Cetacean Alliance
- Tom Mustill, biologist turned filmmaker and author of How to Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communications. Tom is also an Ambassador for the World Cetacean Alliance.
The panel chats about what ghost gear is and how it affects whales and other wildlife all over the planet. Every year, hundreds of thousands of cetaceans are trapped in ghost gear — lost or discarded fishing equipment that drifts through our oceans like a deadly web.
The guests also discuss the process of disentanglement and how changes in the fishing industry (namely a move to plastic gear in recent decades) have contributed to the global problem of ghost gear.
In September 2023, a humpback whale became entangled in fishing gear in Algoa Bay, South Africa, and was fighting for his life.
Thankfully, after a rescue operation, he was freed and able to swim away. The ghost gear was recovered and through collaborative links with the World Cetacean Alliance, made its way to Waterhaul, which saw an opportunity to create something unique from this near-tragedy.
A limited range of sunglasses, made from this recovered ghost gear, is available to purchase. You can check them out, along with more about the rescue operation, on the Waterhaul website. And learn more about the World Cetacean Alliance.
Take a listen to the episode below:
Thanks to Skalaa Music for post-production.
Dolphins That Made a Mark on the World: Fungie
We take a look at Fungie, a bottlenose dolphin living in Dingle, Ireland, who featured in news headlines and captured the hearts of people both there and around the world.
How Fungie’s story began
Back in 1983, a male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin was first noticed off the Kerry coast in Ireland.
The Dingle Harbour Lighthouse Keeper, Paddy Ferriter, began watching this lone wild dolphin as he escorted the town’s fishing boats to and from the harbour.
He had no pod of his own and stayed close to the harbour most of the year. This is relatively unusual for dolphins, who are social creatures and don’t tend to stay living in one place all the time.
The local fishermen enjoyed the company of this dolphin and gave him the name ‘Fungie’ (pronounced Fun-ghee). Over time, he developed from a timid observer of humans into a more playful character.
It wasn’t clear why Fungie was on his own – whether he had become separated from his pod or had struck out on his own. During the following years, he remained on his own, suggesting that he’d easily adapted to this solo dolphin life.
Fungie weighed in at around 500 lbs and measured four metres long. He had some body scars, suggesting he’d had interactions with other dolphins, porpoises or whales. Dingle Harbour, however, was a safe place for him, free of any aggressions with other animals.
Fungie puts Dingle on the map
During the 1980s, word soon spread about this friendly Dingle resident and a local tourist industry cropped up around him. Boat tours regularly took people out into the waters during the summer months. Fungie would come out to meet the boats, jumping high out of the water to the delight of people wanting to take a photo of him. Sea swimmers and kayakers also found Fungie siding up to them to say hello.
As Fungie attracted news headlines in Ireland and around the world, more international visitors came to see him. He was said to put Dingle on the map. Gift shops and pubs in the town took on his name, such was his fame.
Fungie kept up his regular habit of escorting fishing boats out to sea and back. He was also observed playing with small boats and sailing dinghies.
He enjoyed eating salmon and, on several occasions, he was spotted eating a fish commonly known as ‘Garfish’, a species not previously recorded as part of a dolphin’s diet. During winter, he had to travel a little further afield to find food.
Guinness World Record holder
In 2019, Fungie was named in the Guinness World Records as the longest recorded solitary dolphin in the wild. This was given after a report by global charity Marine Connection, which reviewed the world’s documented lone whales and dolphins.
Guinness World Records said that Fungie was estimated to be at least 40 years old.
Fungie disappears
Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in 2020 meant tour boats had to stop bringing groups out to sea. Early on in the pandemic, Jimmy Flannery, who runs Dingle Sea Safari, took it on himself to try and keep Fungie company.
“He craved human interaction, that’s what he lived for,” Jimmy told CNN in a 2021 article.
Tours eventually resumed but in October 2020, it was reported that Fungie had gone missing.
Up to then, he’d never disappeared for more than a few hours at a time so the local community was understandably concerned for his welfare.
Search for Fungie
A search operation got underway with a dozen boats involved. Search and rescue divers checked out coves and inlets where Fungie normally swam and a sonar scan of the seabed was carried out.
There was faint hope when a sighting was reported in the Irish media but it turned out to be another dolphin. As more time passed, it sadly became more unlikely that Fungie would be seen again. It’s thought that he probably died of old age – when bottlenose dolphins die, they tend not to wash up on land.
A memorial was held for Fungie on the one-year anniversary of his disappearance, with boat operators offering free boat trips out to the entrance of Dingle Harbour and local people gathering to remember him. Around 1,000 people turned out to mark the moment.
The Fungie Effect
Fungie made a lasting impression on generations of people and marine biologist Kevin Flannery, who has been observing Fungie since 1983, says he also helped people understand why they should care about the ocean.
“An awful lot of people got educated about the marine world in the realisation that it wasn’t the place where you dump plastic and things, that it was a living entity where you had all these whales, dolphins, cetaceans of all sorts – and it was a place to be taken care of,” he told CNN.
“I suppose in that sense Fungie has educated millions of people,” he added, saying that the dolphin has contributed to a sea change in attitudes around sustainability.
Many of the boat tours that were centred around seeing Fungie have since diversified their tours, offering private trips of the harbour, sea safaris, tours of the nearby Blasket Islands and eco-tours.
Fungie left a lasting impression not only on the people in the local community but the countless people from all over the world who came to see this solitary but playful wild dolphin.
Captivity is cruel – why dolphins and whales shouldn’t be kept in captivity
Whales and dolphins belong in the wild, where they can live their natural lives. Here are just five ways that captivity impacts the lives of whales and dolphins and why it is cruel:
It’s completely against their natural behaviour
Dolphins and whales are highly intelligent and social animals who have evolved to travel great distances in the wild and find their own food. Orcas, for instance, travel an average of 65 kilometres a day though they have been documented to travel as much as 140 kilometres daily in the wild.
Being stuck in a tank, whales and dolphins don’t get to exercise as much as they are capable of and need to, are completely dependent on humans for food, and don’t have any autonomy over where they travel to or what they do every day.
Captivity affects cetacean health
Being kept in captivity has been shown to affect the long-term health of whales and dolphins. A study in 2017 found that a quarter of all orcas in captivity in the U.S. have severe tooth damage and 70% had at least some damage to their teeth. This damage usually occurs because captive orcas persistently grind their teeth on tank walls, out of frustration, boredom or stress (or all three).
Skin problems, ulcers, appetite loss and sunburn are also common health problems. Dorsal fin collapses happen regularly to orca held in captivity.
The psychological effects of being kept in captivity on whales and dolphins have long been documented, with cases such as Tilikum (the orca kept in SeaWorld and the focus of the documentary Blackfish) showing how devastating the impacts can be.
Tilikum at SeaWorld Orlando
Captivity reduces the life span of cetaceans
Several studies have shown that whales and dolphins living in captivity have shorter life spans than their contemporaries in the wild.
Research by zoology student Grace Long, while on placement with Whale and Dolphin Conservation in 2018, used data from the Ceta-Base website. She found that the average survival time in captivity for all bottlenose dolphins who lived more than one year was 12 years, 9 months and 8 days. This was much less than the wild where they live to between 30 and 50 years.
The research also showed that 52% of bottlenose dolphins successfully born in captivity don’t survive past one year, a higher mortality rate than the wild.
Animal campaigners and some scientists argue that dolphins can take their own lives. Lori Marino, a behavioural neuroscientist, dolphin expert and Executive Director of The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy, published a paper on the subject.
She writes that dolphin’s brains have “sophisticated capacity for emotion and the kinds of thinking processes that would be involved in complex motivational states, such as those that accompany thoughts of suicide.”
The death rate for captive orcas is 2.5 times higher than in the wild (as published in Marine Mammal Science).
Captivity affects social bonds
Whales and dolphins have complex social bonds and are used to interacting with many other individuals in their species (and sometimes also with other species). Being stuck in a tank either by themselves or with only a couple of other animals is incredibly isolating, monotonous and unfulfilling.
Just think of Tokitae who spent most of her life on her own in a cramped tank in the Miami Seaquarium. We can only imagine how lonely this highly intelligent social being felt all those years.
And, of course, if animals in captivity don’t get on with each other (not helped by the close quarters they live in), it can cause tensions, aggressions and physical harm.
Tokitae in her tank in Miami Seaquarium. Photo: Drones for Animal Defense
The process of capture is cruel and can cost lives
Taking whales and dolphins into captivity by force is a cruel process – separating them from family and causing physical distress and mental pain. Sometimes, there is associated loss of life when animals are being captured – Taiji in Japan is a good example of this.
The drive hunt of dolphins takes place every year from September to March in the cove in Taiji (made famous in the documentary The Cove). Large numbers of dolphins are driven to the shore – some are selected for live trade to aquariums and marine parks whilst others are slaughtered for their meat.
Deep dive…into False killer whales
While their name suggests otherwise, false killer whales are actually dolphins. They’re highly social and playful, often found hanging out with other species (particularly bottlenose dolphins).
False killer whales have long and slender bodies – usually black or dark grey with lighter areas on their undersides – and they have narrow pointed heads with a prominent melon. They also have no beaks, sharp teeth, long S-shaped pectoral fins and a tall, tapered dorsal fin.
The species looks similar to pygmy killer whales but they’re much bigger and have those unique looking pectoral fins. They get their name because the shape of their skulls is similar to that of killer whales (orca). That’s where the similarities end because killer whales have a very different appearance overall to false killer whales.
There are some similarities to pilot whales, which is why there is another name for this species – false pilot whales.
Social bonds are super important to this species. They’re usually found in groups of 10 to 40 dolphins, though they do sometimes join with other pods to form super pods of hundreds of animals.
A study in Hawaii showed that false killer whales remained around the island chain for a minimum of 20 years and formed stable associations with other individuals for at least 15 years.
Sadly, because they are so attached to each other, false killer whales have a tendency to beach in large groups when one or more individuals strand themselves (whether due to illness, injury or their navigation getting disturbed).
The species swims quickly, sometimes leaps out of the air, bow rides and is often seen approaching vessels. It measures up to six metres in length and can weigh up to 1.3 tonnes.
The relationship between false killer whales and bottlenose dolphins has been captured by the team behind Blue Planet II. The two species were filmed off the coast of New Zealand, gathering together in great numbers.
A Massey University research project, which took place over 17 years, delved deeper into why false killer whales and bottlenose dolphins off New Zealand like to hang out together and what activities they do.
Not only were they seen hunting together but they socialised, travelled and rested together over long periods of time (sometimes years) and over long distances. Later research and underwater filming by the BBC has shown that both species are actively involved in the herding of prey, even though bottlenose dolphins target the smaller kahawi and false killer whales prefer the larger kingfish.
They work cooperatively to enable the other species to capture their prey, and vice versa. The same research showed, for the first time, that false killer whales often rest at night and may enter shallow bays to do so.
Where do false killer whales live?
Found in tropical, warm and temperate waters all over the world, false killer whales are often found in the deeper waters. This means there’s still a lot to learn about the species.
A lot of what we do know comes from research of the population of false killer whales living in shallower waters off Hawaii.
Areas where the species are found include the Gulf of Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, the Sea of Japan, Philippines, the Bay of Biscay, Red Sea ad Mediterranean Sea.
They’re also spotted in the warm Gulf Stream waters off the east coast of the U.S. and also off the West Coast (as far north as British Columbia in Canada). They are also found in the Mariana Archipelago and in American Samoa.
Population
It’s difficult to estimate the global population of false killer whales, as they live so far out to sea. They are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and the Hawaii population is designated as Endangered on the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
What do they eat?
False killer whales mostly eat large fish and squid. They eat bigger fish (such as tuna and mahi mahi) than many other dolphin species do.
Threats to false killer whales
Entanglement in fishing gear
Like other cetaceans, false killer whales can become entangled in fishing gear which goes on to cause injury, fatigue, comprised feeding, and sometimes even death.
They are often viewed as a nuisance by fishermen when they steal fish from longlines and this had led to direct kills in some fisheries, including in Japan, St Vincent and Taiwan.
Environmental change and pollution
Climate change and pollution are a threat to all whales and dolphins because of the loss of habitat as waters become warmer.
Plastics and micro plastics, along with chemical pollutants, entering into the water system are a serious threat to all creatures in our ocean.
As false killer whales are near the top of the food chain, they accumulate a lot of toxins from the marine environment. This can result in diseases and reproductive issues.
Hunting
False killer whales are one of the species targeted by the dolphin hunts in Taji, Japan, and as mentioned previously, they are sometimes killed by fisheries when they steal fish from longlines.
Natural Predators
Two false killer whales in Hawaii carry scars from large shark bites, indicating that large sharks target the species sometimes. An attack by orcas has also been observed in New Zealand.
WeWhale launches new dolphin observation experiences in Sotogrande, Spain
Sotogrande in Spain has been revealed to be the latest dolphin observation destination for WeWhale.
The marine area around Sotogrande in Andalucia is one of the top places in the Mediterranean Sea to observe several types of dolphin species all year round. The most commonly seen species are common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and striped dolphins, and with a bit of luck, migrating fin whales or sperm whales can also be seen in the waters.
WeWhale’s eco-friendly hybrid vessel, ‘Bretema’, is equipped with a hydrophone and along with its low freeboard, it provides the best possible impressions for guests while observing dolphins in their natural habitat.
Founder of WeWhale, Janek Andre, said, “We are excited to launch Sotogrande as our latest dolphin observation destination and we look forward to welcoming guests on board to enjoy an eco-friendly and animal-friendly experience with us. Sotogrande is a spectacular destination, just 25 kilometres northeast of Gibraltar, and we’re delighted to now have a base there and to be part of the community.”
Guests can join WeWhale on board for three new experiences, available to book from now until 31 October. There are two daytime dolphin observation experiences, which can be booked as part of a shared group experience or as a private experience for friends, family, workmates etc.
A private sunset experience, where guests can enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets on the coast of Sotogrande while searching for dolphins, is also available to book. ‘Bretema’ departs from Puerto Deportivo de Sotogrande.
The WeWhale team is motivated to take guests out into the ocean in small groups, explaining about the ocean, the importance of its inhabitants, and bringing greater understanding to the world of whales and dolphins.
The team actively contributes to ocean conservation efforts by utilising nets to clean up ocean garbage and by looking out for animals ensnared in fishing lines. Furthermore, the team surveys the marine area for any possible wildlife crimes such as harassment towards dolphin pods or whales.
In addition, 7.5% of the net revenue from WeWhale experiences is donated to non-profit organisation, WeWhale Association, to help fund a range of dolphin and whale protection projects.
The new Sotogrande whale and dolphin observation experiences can be found here on the WeWhale website:
https://wewhale.co/experiences/
Deep dive…into Striped dolphins
One of the most widespread dolphins in the world, striped dolphins are acrobatic and usually found in tight, cohesive groups.
You’ll find this species most often in deep tropical to warm temperate oceanic waters, so no wonder that they are classified as oceanic dolphins.
Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) are well known for their striking colour patterns, which includes bold, thin stripes extending from the eye to the short tapered pectoral fin. They also have another set of stripes down the side of their body.
Their rostrum, tail, pectoral fin and back are usually dark blue or gray and the underside of the body is much lighter in colour (white or pink). Their eyes are normally outlined by dark colouration.
They’re a similar shape and size to common dolphins (measuring up to 2.6 metres in length) and they have a long beak and a tall curved dorsal fin.
Striped dolphins are built to move fast and they are incredibly acrobatic, meaning they can often be spotted at the sea surface or bow-riding off boats. They can reach speeds of up to 37 kilometres an hour.
The species also displays a unique behaviour called roto-tailing, where they leap high out of the water and magnificently rotate their tails while airborne.
Very sociable and curious, this species travels in large groups. Pods usually number between 25 and 100 though they are sometimes seen in groups of several hundred animals. Scientists have observed that striped dolphins rarely associate with other species of dolphins and whales.
Where do Striped dolphins live?
Striped dolphins prefer warm waters that are deep and oceanic – this means they’re most often found in waters between latitudes 50° North and 40° South. They live in the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans and adjacent seas, including the Mediterranean Sea (where they are one of the most commonly encountered dolphins).
What do they eat?
Striped dolphins’ diets vary depending on their habitat. Off the coasts of Japan, South African and in the northeast Atlantic, they usually feed on lantern fish. To reach this prey, the dolphins have to dive down to depths between 200 and 700 metres.
In coastal areas of the northeast Atlantic, the species feeds on cod and anchovy. And in the Mediterranean, their favourite food is squid. Striped dolphins are also known to feed on octopus, krill and crustaceans.
Threats to Striped dolphins
Entanglement
One of the main threats to striped dolphins is, unsurprisingly, entanglement in fishing gear. This can go on to cause injury, fatigue, comprised feeding and sometimes even death.
Vessel strikes
Striped dolphins are at risk of vessel strikes throughout their range but the threat is higher in areas with busy ship traffic.
Environmental change and pollution
Climate change and pollution are a threat to all whales and dolphins because of the loss of habitat as waters become warmer.
Plastics and micro plastics, along with chemical pollutants, entering into the water system are a serious threat to all creatures in our ocean.
Striped dolphins, like other cetaceans, use noise to communicate and to locate prey. Increased noise pollution from vessels and other human activity interferes with this ability.
Hunting
The species is the targeted for its meat in several countries around the world, including Sri Lanka, some Caribbean countries and Japan (including in the infamous Taji dolphin drive hunt).
Natural predators
As with other dolphin species, striped dolphins are sometimes the prey of orca and large sharks.
The WeWhale Pod Episode 16 - Patrick Dykstra
Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Patrick Dykstra, wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter, who has for many years travelled the globe, diving with whales and learning more about their behaviours.
He tells us how seeing an exhibit of a blue whale at the Smithsonian Museum at the age of 16 inspired his love of whales and the ocean. And how he transited from being a corporate lawyer to becoming a wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter.
Patrick also talks about his work as a cinematographer on Blue Planet 2, and how he almost got hit by a humpback whale while filming! And he explains how his film, Patrick and the Whale, was prompted by a close encounter with a sperm whale in Dominica.
Take a listen to the episode below:
You can find out more about Patrick's work on Instagram.
Thanks to Skalaa Music for post-production.
New whale and dolphin observation experiences launched by WeWhale in Denia, Spain
WeWhale is excited to launch its latest destination for whale and dolphin observation experiences. The historic coastal city of Denia, on Spain’s Costa Blanca, plays host to the four new experiences, available now to book (until 31 October).
The Denia coastline is a prime whale-watching destination in this region, with a wide range of marine life to be spotted including bottlenose dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, long-finned pilot whales, common dolphins and sperm whales. The second largest whale in the world, the fin whale, migrates along this coastline every year and is often spotted during the warmer months of the year. Cabo de San Antonio marine reserve, a protected area spanning 900 hectares, sits between Denia and Xabia/Javia.
WeWhale’s sailboat in Denia, ‘El Som Mar’, is 100% electric and ensures an immersive encounter with marine life. WeWhale boats are equipped with hydrophones and 360-degree cameras so that guests on board have a full and engaging experience.
Founder of WeWhale, Janek Andre, said, “We are proud to launch Denia as our latest whale and dolphin watching destination, building on our successes in the Canary Islands. We believe that the only way to offer animal and eco-friendly observation tours is to remodel vessels to become silent and CO2 neutral boats. It’s been a joy to see ‘El Som Mar’ through this process to being 100% electric and it’s a pleasure to welcome guests on board to enjoy responsible whale and dolphin observation experiences.”
The new experiences include both morning and sunset tours, and are available both as a shared group experience or as a private experience (where you can book the entire boat for a private journey with friends/family/workmates etc.)
The WeWhale team is motivated to take guests out into the ocean in small groups, explaining about the ocean, the importance of its inhabitants, and bringing greater understanding to the world of whales and dolphins. The team actively contributes to ocean conservation efforts by utilising nets to clean up ocean garbage and by looking out for animals ensnared in fishing lines. Further, the team is surveying the marine area for any possible wildlife crimes such as harassment towards dolphin pods or whales.
In addition, 7.5% of the net revenue from WeWhale experiences is donated to non-profit organisation, WeWhale Association, to help fund a range of dolphin and whale protection projects.
All of the new Denia whale and dolphin observation experiences can be found here on the WeWhale website:
https://wewhale.co/experiences/
The Great Migrators
Whales travel tens of thousands of kilometres during their lifetime, and they usually make these epic migrations twice a year. The reasons why they undertake such lengthy journeys is that they need to forage for food and later in the year, they move to breeding grounds.
It’s vital that whales’ migratory routes all over the planet are protected and threats to the animals are eradicated, ensuring they can live safe and long lives.
We take a closer look at four whale species who can definitely be called ‘The Great Migrators’.
Grey whales
Grey whales (Eschrichtius robustus) make one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal, travelling between 15,000 to 20,000 kilometres.
The baleen whales were once commonly found through the Northern Hemisphere but are now only regularly found in the North Pacific Ocean. There are two populations in this region: the Eastern Pacific grey whale (living along the Pacific coast of North America) and the Western Pacific grey whale (living around Korea, China and Japan).
In the case of the Eastern Pacific grey whale, it feeds in the summer in the Bering and Chukchi Seas between Alaska and Russia. In the autumn, it migrates south along the west coast of the U.S., as far as the Baja Peninsula in Mexico and the south eastern Gulf of California. In the beautifully warm waters there, they breed and give birth to calves.
Interestingly, research since 2004 has detected some members of the Western Pacific grey whale population making a migration to the Pacific coast of North America to visit feeding and wintering grounds used by their Eastern Pacific grey whale counterparts. You could call it checking out where their cousins live!
Grey whales usually migrate for about two to three months annually in large groups and they pace themselves, swimming up to 8 kilometres per hour.
Fin whales
There’s still a lot to be learnt about how this species lives as they’re usually found out in the open ocean as opposed coastal waters. But like other large whales, fin whales migrate between feeding and breeding grounds.
They make quick work of their migrations as they are called the ‘greyhounds of the sea’. Fin whales can cruise at up to 15 kilometres per hour and can accelerate in short bursts of speed of up to 28 kilometres per hour. The largest population of fin whales is thought to be in the North East Atlantic with an estimated 25,000 – 30,000 fin whales living there.
Fin whales are generally solitary or found in pairs, so they aren’t a species that migrate in a group. A study published in 2022 found that Antarctic fin whales could be migrating as far south as Chile – quite a journey!
Blue whales
Blue whales are found in all of the world’s oceans. They’re generally more common in the Southern Hemisphere (Antarctica, Australian and New Zealand waters). There’s also a resident population in the northern Indian Ocean.
In the North Atlantic Arctic, the blue whale can be spotted around Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, in southern Greenland, and in southern Svalbard. They’ve also been occasionally spotted in North Atlantic waters west of Ireland and Scotland and have been spotted off Galicia in Spain.
Generally speaking, blue whales spend their summers feeding in cold waters and then migrate long distances to warmer waters (nearer the equator) for mating season.
The Eastern North Pacific population of blue whales mostly feed off California from summer to autumn and then move north to colder waters off Oregon, Alaska and Washington State to continue feeding. During winter and spring, they migrate south to the waters of Mexico (mostly the Gulf of California) and the Costa Rica Thermal Dome.
Blue whales are occasionally seen swimming in small groups but are more often found migrating alone or in pairs (particularly with offspring).
Humpback whales
Humpback whales make one of the longest migrations of all animals, with some individuals travelling up to 8,000 kilometres between their feeding and breeding grounds.
Humpbacks are found in oceans all over the world, with major populations found in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and in the Southern and Indian oceans.
In the northern hemisphere, whales feed in the colder polar areas between June and October before heading south to breed in warmer waters in the months between December and April.
In the southern hemisphere, the populations feed around the Antarctic between November and March and migrate north towards the equator where they mate and give birth between July and October.
In the North Pacific, some humpback whales migrate from Alaska to Hawaii (4,800 kilometres) in as few as 32 days.
Along the coast of South America, scientists tracked one whale travelling just under 19,000 kilometres over 265 days. It travelled from its summer foraging area near the Antarctic Peninsula, up to its winter breeding area off Colombia and then back to the Antarctic Peninsula.
WeWhale hosts ‘Empty the Tanks’ rally in Lanzarote
WeWhale was delighted to take part again this year in Empty the Tanks, the worldwide protest against captivity of dolphins and whales.
We organised a rally at Rancho Texas Lanzarote Park in Lanzarote on Saturday 11 May, where fellow dolphin and whale lovers joined us to protest and bring awareness to the vital issue.
This is the eleventh year of Empty the Tanks, which is also marked online with photos and videos on social media. Both Empty the Tanks and Dolphin Project shared images and videos from protests around the world to remind us that we’re still united in this important cause.
We look forward to a day when these kinds of protests are no longer needed – when the captivity of whales and dolphins by humans no longer exists. Until then, we’re committed to keeping the pressure on companies who imprison marine animals that belong in the wild.
Thank you to everyone who joined us on the day and also those who supported the cause online. Learn more about Empty the Tanks.