Welcome to 2007 and the Year of the Dolphin! As we enter this New Year, dolphins are facing more threats than ever before. Entanglement in fishing nets, starvation because of over fishing, chemical pollution and harmful noise disturbance are just a few of the dangers facing diminishing dolphin and porpoise populations the world over. Now with Year of the Dolphin, we have a unique opportunity to turn over a new leaf in dolphin conservation, and join together to secure a future for these magnificent animals.
The end of 2006 saw the devastating news of the first extinction of a river dolphin or any large marine mammal for 100 years, the baiji, or Yangtze River dolphin. For those of us who were lucky enough to see this graceful individual while it was still alive, this is tragic news. For those of us who will now never see this enigmatic animal, it is even more devastating.
WDCS International Projects Coordinator, Nicola Hodgins, said “I’ll always remember someone once saying to me that it would take the demise of the Giant Panda or some other charismatic creature to really make the world sit up and take notice……perhaps this can be the legacy of the baiji? Governments, industries and individuals around the world can all play their part to ensure that this absolutely DOES NOT happen again, elsewhere, to other species of cetaceans, most importantly the Ganges and Indus River dolphins and the few remaining populations of fresh-water Irawaddy dolphin, all of which have declining population figures. There are lessons to be learned and action to be taken……..and WDCS will continue to play its part!”
WDCS will continue to campaign, research, educate and raise awareness of the plight of all cetacean (whale, dolphin and porpoise) species throughout the world, but we can only do this with your help. Support WDCS and join tens of thousands of people who are passionate about whales and dolphins and want them to have the protection they deserve.
WDCS
is the global voice for the protection of whales, dolphins
and their environment
