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WDC also has offices in Argentina, Australia, Germany and the USA PATRONS Julia Bradbury, John Craven, Jerome Flynn, Monty Halls, Miranda Krestovnikoff, Michaela Strachan
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IN DIVElash !, Get Sp our kids’ magazine, at whales. org/adopt
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Chris ButlerStroud, WDC chief executive
well as the value of society and community. I’ve been reflecting on the fact that every whale and dolphin counts too. That’s why we need your help with our campaign to save them from dying in fishing gear in UK seas. We know how to prevent these senseless deaths; we just need the political will to act. Let’s make it happen.
How links with businesses can benefit whales and dolphins
Contents 12
04 Breaching news
21 Whale culture
Updates from the world of whales and dolphins
Why identity matters for conservation
24 Fundraising
10 Sanctuary news
21
12 Bycatch
26 Flippin’ awesome
Our campaign calls on the governments of the UK to end deaths in nets We meet some of our key business partners
26
Become one of our vital sofa supporters
Little Grey and Little White’s temporary move to a landside care pool
16 Partnerships
@whalesorg
youtube.com/ whalesorg
I
hope this finds you all safe and well and, like me, looking forward to the freedoms that science promises us in the months to come. The lockdown restrictions have affected us all in different ways and helped us focus on the importance of every individual life, as
16
facebook.com/ whalesorg
@whalesorg
Contents, 1
WDC EDITOR Julia Pix
18 Gallery
One giant leap for Jumpy the orca
Tune in to some of the current theories about whale song
28 Adoption updates The latest news about your favourite dolphins, humpbacks and orcas
34 The last word
Great Escapes star Monty Halls never leaves a dolphin behind
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BreachingNews Updates from the world of whales and dolphins
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S U C C ES S !
We win campaign calling for protected areas in Scotland ROB LOTT, FERNANDO TRUJILLO, SHUTTERSTOCK
Sites to help Risso’s dolphin and minke whale populations are agreed at last
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ith your support, we’ve been campaigning for a decade to get protected areas for Risso’s dolphins and minke whales in the waters around Scotland. We were thrilled in December when the Scottish government announced it will be creating the marine protected areas, or MPAs, that we have
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fought so hard to achieve. The news represents a huge victory for you too, as this was a team effort. The Scottish government will be creating four protected areas that will include the three sites WDC proposed in
2011 to help populations of minke whales in the Sea of Hebrides and the Southern Trench, and Risso’s dolphins off the coast of Lewis. When we formally proposed these MPAs, we set up a field research project on Lewis to
‘Our research provided the Scottish government with information it needed to establish the protected zones’
increase our understanding of the Risso’s dolphins who live around the island. The project provided the Scottish government with the information it needed to establish protected zones. Our Shorewatch volunteers also gathered valuable data and our supporters in Scotland lobbied their MSPs. In 2012, we presented more than 36,000 signatures to the
News, 1
OPPOSITION TO TO LOUD LOUD OPPOSITION SEA DETONATIONS We joined calls from conservation groups and actor Joanna Lumley for wind farm developers to reconsider how they clear unexploded Second World War bombs to make way for offshore wind turbines. Traditional methods of using explosives to blow up these bombs can injure whales and dolphins and also damage their hearing, affect their navigation
and communication, and lead to stranding. A preferred method of detonation is the much quieter ‘low order deflagration’, a process developed by UK company Alford Technologies. ‘It’s crazy to me that wind farm developers are able to just blow up bombs that are left over from the Second World War,’ said Ms Lumley.
Around
Joanna Lumley
WDC’s lobbying of the Scottish government over many years has paid off at last All freshwater dolphins in the wild are now threatened
The last river dolphin in captivity
river dolphin kept at Duisburg Zoo in Germany has died, leaving just one river dolphin left in captivity. Baby (also known as Orinoco or Butu) was 47. He led a sad life, captured at a very young age with his mother and three other individuals in the Apure River, Venezuela. Baby had been ill and was eventually put to sleep. A dolphin named
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Scottish environment minister calling for the sites to be designated, and continued to lobby for action. The sites were agreed in 2018 and formally designated in December 2020. A big thank you to every one of you who helped us to achieve this major victory for whales and dolphins.
Huayrurin, held in a tank in the Peruvian port city of Iquitos, is now the last captive river dolphin. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation for Nature) – the body that assesses the survival prospects of plants, animals and fungi – recently placed the tucuxi river dolphin on its endangered species Red List, which means all freshwater dolphins in the wild are now threatened.
An Amazon River dolphin
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Captive whales are forced to perform in circus-style shows
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Setting out a new vision for whales and dolphins in tourism Conservation groups join together to appeal to the travel industry to end ticket sales
SHUTTERSTOCK
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e’ve teamed up with other welfare and conservation organisations to call on the travel industry to work with us to end support for whale and dolphin captivity, and no longer prop up this cruel practice through ticket sales and promotions. Whales and dolphins in captivity have been put at further risk as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, as tourism has virtually shut down and facilities may no longer be able to afford to feed and care for individuals. Together with the Born Free Foundation, Humane Society International, World Animal Protection and the
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WDC and other groups want a better future for captive dolphins
World Cetacean Alliance, we’ve published A Vision for Whales and Dolphins in Tourism. This document highlights the devastating plight of around 3,500 whales, dolphins and porpoises held in tanks around the world. These individuals suffer mentally and physically as a result of their captivity and we’re challenging holiday companies and tour operators to end their support for this cruelty. As we build back from the pandemic, the travel industry has the chance to help reshape our relationship with cetaceans by supporting responsible whale and dolphin watching in the wild, and ocean sanctuaries where they can live more natural lives.
News, 2
Taking a wrong turn can be life-threatening for pilot whales
PILOT WHALES SAVED IN SRI LANKA More than 100 pilot whales were saved after beaching near the Sri Lankan capital Colombo last November. Local volunteers and navy personnel rushed to the
scene to help guide the whales into deeper water. Pilot whales can strand in large numbers as they live in very tight social groups and, when a lead individual has
A few weeks before this incident, more than 450 pilot whales stranded in various locations along a stretch of coastline in a remote part of Tasmania in Australia.
made a navigational mistake or one of the group is sick or wounded, the rest of their pod will often follow that individual towards the shoreline and into trouble.
Whale skeleton could reveal secrets of past he remains of an ancient whale have been discovered in Thailand. The immaculately preserved skeleton was found inland near Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok. It is thought to be of a 3,000 to 5,000-year-old Bryde’s whale – a species that still roams the seas around Thailand. Samples from the 39-foot skeleton have been sent for carbon dating to gauge the whale’s age more accurately. Analysis could reveal more secrets of how whales such as
T The skeleton is thought to have belonged to a 3,000 to 5,000-year-old Bryde’s whale
this one lived, and the conditions around them at the time. The whale was found on land which has risen 12 to 14 feet from the sea naturally over a period of around 10,000 years. Bryde’s whales can grow to 54 feet in length. They spend most of their time alone or in pairs and eat mainly microscopic prey such as plankton and krill. Experts are excited to be able to examine a skeleton that has been preserved in such good condition, with some remains still being uncovered from the site. Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 7
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New blue whale population discovered Scientists pick up and record calls in Indian Ocean
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previously unknown population of blue whales has been found living in the Indian Ocean, after researchers picked up and recorded an unrecognised song travelling hundreds of miles through the sea. Blue whale vocalisations are very low frequency and can reach other whales through the water up to 500 miles away. Each population has their own unique call and many blue whale populations have been identified based on their distinct songs. While studying whales in the region, scientists were amazed to hear whale calls
‘Many blue whale populations have been identified by their unique song’
Blue whale song can carry for 500 miles
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that had not been reported before. The discovery of this new population is significant because, although there may have been more than 350,000 blue whales in the ocean at one time, hunting on an industrial scale has decimated their populations and now there are only between 5,000 and 15,000 of them left.
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OUR GAMING PARTNER IS HELPING TO SAVE A SPECIES
CAROLINE WEIR, ANDREW SUTTON, TIM STENTON
The Yogscast donate share of £2.1m to vital WDC work There’s great news for our hopes to save the Atlantic humpback dolphin from extinction. Gaming content creators and long-term WDC supporters, The Yogscast, have helped to fund the project. An amazing £195,000 was raised through Yogscast’s Jingle Jam, an annual charity live streaming event that takes place in December on the streaming platform Twitch. Viewers bought games bundles donated by more than 30 developers worldwide, and in just two weeks over £2.1m was raised for 12 charity
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projects, our Save a Species project being one of them. With fewer than 1,500 adults left, Atlantic humpback dolphins are critically endangered and they are already thought to be extinct in some areas. The only place in the world these beautiful dolphins live is along the West African coastline, from Morocco in the north to Angola in the south. They face several major threats including hunting, death in fishing nets and the destruction of their homes. But these are all issues we
can help to solve. With the funds raised through Yogscast’s Jingle Jam, we can undertake vital field research, campaign for protection laws and work with communities in West Africa to allow these dolphins to recover. We want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to the Yogscast community for purchasing the bundle, all the games developers who supported the bundle with their games, and Tiltify and Honest PR for helping our efforts to bring these amazing dolphins back from the brink of extinction.
The decimation of blue whale populations makes this new discovery particularly precious
Latest wildlife crime report reveals worryingly low conviction rates
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It’s game on for Atlantic humpback dolphins
new annual report on UK wildlife crime, produced by Wildlife and Countryside Link, has highlighted worrying levels of unwitnessed or unreported incidents, shockingly low conviction rates and continued exploitation of wildlife. Just 10 people were convicted of wildlife crimes in England and Wales last year, excluding convictions for fisheries crimes. WDC contributed a section on whale and dolphin crime to the report, which also highlights a concerning lack of progress by the National Police Chief’s Council wildlife crime strategy in reducing crime and increasing prosecutions.
WDC working with local police
Bats, birds, seals, dolphins and many other creatures are harmed by hunters, poachers, criminals and even normally law-abiding members of the public every year. WDC has been running a public awareness project
called Rude to Intrude to raise the profile of existing marine mammal laws, offer examples of what constitutes good behaviour on the part of recreational vessels and how to gather the evidence of crimes required to report incidents. Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 9
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News, 3
BreachingNews
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Taking great care with the belugas
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SEA LIFE Trust’s Jessica Whiton answers your questions about Little Grey and Little White’s
STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, SEA LIFE TRUST BELUGA WHALE SANCTUARY, TESNI WARD
winter move to their landside care pool Why did the belugas have to move back to the landside care pool? Who made the decision?
Q
The decision was made by me and the SEA LIFE Trust’s team of welfare and veterinary experts. Little Grey and Little White have spent most of their life indoors in human care. Our team did a lot to expose them to different things before they moved out to the bay, but we can’t simulate all the changes they will experience. Our plan had been to release the whales into the bay in the spring, giving them lots of time to adapt before the winter weather came. However, due to a number of unforeseen factors (not least the impact
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of the global pandemic) it was not possible and we weren’t able to move them to the bay until autumn. Our goal is to set Little Grey and Little White up for success and to give them more time to adapt when there are fewer extremes.
Is this move cruel as they have had a taste of the sea for the first time since they were young?
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We want the belugas to be set up for a long, successful life in their new
ocean bay home. Taking small steps for acclimatisation is very important for the whales and this adaptation is a gradual process that cannot be rushed.
Could they have been left in the care pool and moved for the first time in spring instead?
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We chose to move them out as part of the ‘Little Steps’ acclimatisation programme. Little Grey and Little White surprised us in many ways, for example how quickly they started catching live fish.
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What have you done to keep Little Grey and Little White happy in the care pool?
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Jessica filming with John Bishop
Sanctuary news, 1
A good first impression The belugas are scheduled to return to the bay this spring
Jessica describes the first time she met Little Grey and Little White: ‘They were so beautiful and inquisitive. Every being is shaped by their experiences. How we learn and change from those experiences is what makes us unique and beautiful. These two girls have incredibly rich and complex personalities and I look forward every day to them teaching me a little more about themselves.’
Little Grey and Little White adapted well to life in the sea
Our team’s primary goal is to make sure the whales are given the best care possible. Acclimatisation training is an important part of that so they will have plenty to keep them active, and maintaining medical behaviours to keep healthy. Ongoing support and donations make this level of care possible, helping us prepare them to thrive in the sea.
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Will they have to move every winter?
The goal is for them to stay in the bay permanently after they move back in spring. I think they will acclimatise very well for next winter.
MEET JESSICA
Jessica Whiton joined the SEA LIFE Trust’s expert team in 2020. Her role involves guiding the team of veterinarians, welfare experts and behaviourists to ensure Little Grey and Little White have a comfortable transition and that the care Jessica is head of the care team
programme provides each of them with what they need to live their best life. On releasing the belugas into the bay, Jessica said: ‘It’s like letting your kids drive for the first time or sending them off to school – have I done the work I need to do to prepare them, so they’re not scared and they’re successful?’
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CAMPAIGN VERSION REPRO OP SUBS
We’re calling on the UK and devolved governments to take action ART
now to end tragic and horrific deaths in fishing gear
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f you had the power to save the lives of many thousands of dolphins, porpoises and whales, you’d do it, wouldn’t you? Of course you would. That’s all we’re asking the UK and devolved governments to do – to use the power they have to stop dolphins, porpoises and whales dying in fishing gear in the seas around the UK. Globally, fishing gear kills more dolphins, A dolphin porpoises and whales killed by than any other threat, fishing gear including hunting. Hundreds of thousands of them die horribly this way every year – more than 1,000 in UK waters. Known as ‘bycatch’, this unintentional entanglement is also a massive problem for seals, seabirds, turtles, sharks and
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Timeline 2004-2005 We join forces with Greenpeace to witness and highlight common dolphin deaths in nets in the English Channel
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other species. It’s a major issue but we know the solutions and we need less talk, more action from the UK and devolved governments.
WASHED ASHORE Every winter the same tragedy reveals itself as the bodies of hundreds of bycaught dolphins wash up on the beaches of south-west England. The winter storms make this often unseen death toll gruesomely visible, but it’s not just a winter problem and those whose bodies wash ashore are only a small percentage of the number of dolphins dying. Dolphins, porpoises and whales die in UK fishing gear in our seas all year round. It’s a horrific way for a dolphin or whale to
2004 and 2011 WDCS (as we were then) publishes reports on bycatch in the north-east Atlantic fisheries
2008 WDCS exposes the suffering inflicted on dolphins and porpoises trapped in nets
die and it’s upsetting for the people out there fishing. Fishers don’t want to catch dolphins and porpoises in their nets, or whales to get tangled up in their ropes, and those eating fish don’t want dolphins and porpoises to have died in the catch. Just as people eating lobster or crab don’t want a whale to have suffered to bring it to their plate. It’s a grim picture but it doesn’t have to be this way. Our major new campaign holds the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to account over these unacceptable and preventable deaths.
‘Our campaign holds the UK and devolved governments to account over these deaths’
March 2017 Our campaign urges the UK government to put strong laws in place to stop bycatch in UK seas after we leave the EU
Spring/ summer 2017 75,535 of you sign our petition
Bycatch campaign, 1 JULIA PIX is editor of Whale & Dolphin and Goodbye Bycatch campaign manager
This dolphin was found on a Devon beach with terrible injuries caused by a fishing net
September 2017 September 2017 MPs pledge their support
Success! Then Fisheries Minister George Eustice accepts our petition and promises action
March 2018
WDC initiates a two-year Scottish Entanglement Alliance, with partners from Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation, government agencies and NGOs, to find out how many whales and other species are entangled each year
April 2018 WDC’s Sarah Dolman gives a presentation on entanglement at a Zoological Society of London event, opened by George Eustice MP
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CAMPAIGN VERSION REPRO OP SUBS
Take action now at whales.org/ goodbye bycatch
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Campaign lead
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ROB WELLS, CSIP-ZSL AND MCGA, FISHTEK, GREENPEACE, WDC/CHARLIE PHILLIPS
Sarah Dolman oversees WDC’s bycatch programme
What’s your role?
I develop campaign strategy, working with scientists and colleagues in other NGOs and engaging with governments and parliamentarians in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to influence policy change.
Dolphins, porpoises and whales breathe air like you. Getting trapped in a net or rope below the surface is terrifying. A dolphin or porpoise caught in a net will thrash in panic as they try to reach the surface to take a breath. They can sustain terrible injuries before eventually running out of air and suffocating.
A SLOW, PAINFUL DEATH
For a humpback whale wrapped in fishing rope, the time to die can be even longer as they can carry the gear for days, even weeks, as it cuts into their flesh and impedes their movement and ability to feed. If this level of suffering was What will winning this Sarah Dolman happening on land, it wouldn’t campaign mean to you? be tolerated, but under the water and This campaign is about implementing out of sight it has been allowed to continue the bycatch prevention law at sea and for years without nearly enough effort to stopping dolphins, porpoises and tackle it. whales from dying in fishing gear. Because of our campaigning, the new I’ll be delighted when we achieve that. UK Fisheries Act contains a legal
April 2018
WDC takes part in a two-day government workshop to help shape a UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy
May 2018 WDC leads the response from NGOs to the government’s consultation on its UK Dolphin and Porpoise Conservation Strategy
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An entangled humpback can take weeks to die
July 2018
WDC campaign lead Sarah Dolman starts work with the government and others to draw up a UK Bycatch Strategy Common dolphin
Sept 2018
requirement to ‘minimise and where possible eliminate sensitive species bycatch’. And ‘sensitive species’ includes dolphins, porpoises and whales. Now, with your support, we’re calling on the UK and devolved governments to back that up with action and put in place strong, effective, enforced measures that will make fishing safer and reduce dolphin, porpoise and whale bycatch to the occasional tragic accident. There’s been a lot of talk about ‘taking back control’ of UK waters but little
WDC leads an NGO group on production of a report which sets out how we can end bycatch in UK seas
July 2019
WDC submits a formal complaint to the EU against the UK and other European nations for their inaction to prevent dolphin and porpoise bycatch
October 2019 WDC attends the UK’s first training for fishers on how to disentangle a whale from fishing gear
Fish train
Will you help us save whale and dolphin lives? How you can help us say goodbye bycatch
M
ore than 1,000 dolphins, porpoises and whales die a slow and painful death, entangled in fishing gear in UK seas every year. Together, we can save lives.
DONATE TODAY
ONLINE: whales.org/nets
Your donation will help us to: • •
‘We’re calling for effective action that will drastically reduce bycatch’
• •
Work with fishers to understand and prevent entanglements Convince the UK and devolved governments to adopt strong measures to stop these tragic deaths Understand how new technologies can prevent entanglements Work with supermarkets to cut bycatch out of their supply chain
CALL: 01249 449500 Or use the form on the flap of this magazine
Will you help us today with a donation of £30, or whatever you can affo d? Thank you.
on-the-ground evidence of actually using that control to put new, robust measures in place that will save lives. Now we have left the EU, fishing in UK waters is governed by the UK Fisheries Act. The nuts and bolts of how this Act is implemented and enforced – the measures that will prevent dolphin, porpoise and whale deaths in fishing gear – are up to the UK and devolved governments. Whatever we feel about Brexit individually, we can all agree that, collectively, the UK has a duty to use this opportunity to be the leader that it claims to be by putting measures in place that mean we can finally say goodbye bycatch and save thousands of lives.
Fishers training
January 2020
The draft Fisheries Bill is published. This is the legislation that controls fishing in the UK after Brexit. It includes a commitment to minimise and, where possible, eliminate bycatch
Net threat
Pinger: warns dolphins of nets
May 2020
WDC funds research to show a pinger can reduce dolphin and porpoise deaths and does not cause them to move away from important areas
August 2020 WDC provides input to development of the government’s Joint Fisheries Statement. We need this to set rules to prevent dolphin, porpoise and whale bycatch
November 2020 The Fisheries Act is passed and the UK’s commitment to reduce and eliminate bycatch becomes law
February 2021
We launch a campaign to show the UK public expects new rules to be set and enforced to protect dolphins, porpoises and whales in our seas
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Bycatch campaign, 2
APPEAL
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WHAT OUR PARTNERS SAY
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A win-win for everyone
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James Schall (pictured right), former vice-president, digital business, SEGA Europe: ‘The work WDC does feels very real to people, and as the oceans come under more pressure and face more problems, we become more focused as a species to help. The work Humble Bundle does enables gamers to get behind campaigns they connect with and enjoy some amazing games as part of the process. It’s a win-win.’
One of our special relationships has helped WDC provide OrcaLab with Sonic, a much-needed boat
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Making a difference
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David Pallai, director at Mercury Learning and Information: ‘As a small, independent publisher, I understand the struggles of maintaining facilities and personnel. Being based near WDC’s North America office, I wanted to do all I could to ensure their important work protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales continues. I’m delighted to be able to use our products to support WDC’s efforts and to see that difference being made so close to home.’
BC WHALES, ORCALAB
Still more to do Kelley Allen, senior director and head of books at Humble Bundle: ‘Going whale watching with the WDC team in the summer of 2019 was a profound life experience that I shall never forget. I met some extraordinary people, such as Abbie Cheesman, Regina Asmutis-Silvia and Missy Walker, and saw first-hand Kelley Allen the impact of their work and dedication. I was moved beyond belief to learn so much about the tortured history between whales and humans. We have come a long way, but still have much more to do!’
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From Humble When businesses partner with us, their staff have a unique opportunity to help protect whales and dolphins ompanies who share our passion for whales and dolphins provide a vital source of funding for WDC. We are fortunate to have some amazing partners – large and small companies and brands from a variety of different industries – whose financial support and ability to raise awareness for our cause is essential in allowing us to continue our work to protect whales and dolphins. In fact, some of the people who have helped us secure our biggest successes over recent years aren’t scientists or conservationists. They are people, just like you and me, who are passionate about protecting these magnificent
C
Paul Spong and OrcaLab volunteers aboard Sonic
creatures and have found a way to get their employers and colleagues involved in our work, often with spectacular results. One such supporter is WDC ambassador James Schall. In 2014 we were introduced to San Francisco-based digital retailer Humble Bundle by James – a lifelong WDC supporter who was inspired to try and find a way to protect orcas from the horrors of captivity after ‘meeting’ Winnie the orca at Windsor Safari Park as a teenager. Fast-forward nearly 25 years and in his senior role at
Humble partnership, 1 ABBIE CHEESMAN is WDC’s partnerships manager
e beginnings video games publisher SEGA, James realised there was an opportunity to support WDC through his work and chose us as a charity partner for our first ever Humble Bundle fundraiser. Humble Bundles are collections of video games, books or software sold at a price determined by the purchaser. A portion of the price goes to charity and the rest is split between the developers.
FRIENDS OF WDC
Over the last six years friends of WDC, such as James and David Pallai of educational e-book publisher Mercury Learning and Information, have worked
‘These are vital donations to some of our most important campaigns’
with the team at Humble Bundle and helped us to raise an astonishing £2.5m through Humble Bundle sales. These are vital donations to some of our most important campaigns. Such special relationships are supporting our fight to secure a future for the Southern Resident orcas of the west coast of the US and Canada, and our efforts to prevent fishing gear entanglements of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, of whom only around 350 remain. They have also allowed us to provide a much-needed boat to our friends at OrcaLab to help them better monitor and protect the orcas featured in our adoption programme – Fife, Holly, Simoom and Bend – and their families.
GET THE BOSS INVOLVED
James Schall got his employer involved when he held a senior role at leading video games company SEGA, and he introduced us to other passionate people working in his sector. If you’re wondering if this is something you or your employer could do, James has this advice: Be passionate and be open about your desire to help – businesses are becoming more and more aware of the impact they and we have on the world. Everyone is trying to find their way of helping. Working with WDC is rewarding and beneficial for all.’ We’d love to hear from you and your employer. To find out more visit whales.org/partners or email us at partnerships@ whales.org
WDC ambassador James Schall
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High flyer
Jumpy was given his name the day this rare breaching shot was taken
This incredible image of a huge male orca ‘breaching’ or jumping clear of the water in northern Norway was taken last November by photographer and whale watch guide Krisztina Balotay. She named the orca ‘Jumpy’ that day and his name has stuck. Jumpy was with a pod of orcas, including a calf. They were travelling and feeding together on the schools of herring that are found in large numbers in these northern coastal waters during the winter months. Krisztina told us: ‘I took this photo in front of Dragon Mountain in Norway’s fjords. I looked into my viewfinder to try to get a photo of the calf and all of a sudden I saw a huge male breaching into my viewfinder! ‘I was incredibly lucky to get this shot. It was amazing to see how he flew. It looked so effortless as he lifted himself out of the water and into the air.’ Follow Krisztina’s Arctic whale adventures at orcachannel.com
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GALLERY
Navy and turquoise hoodie £27.50
Porcelain raindrop necklace £28.75
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Spring d of rwar
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On a Rising Tide by Charlie Phillips £20
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Mixed flower anklet/ bracelet £22.99
Rooster mug £4.99
PRODUCTION
You’ll find some exciting new products in our online shop, such as our navy and turquoise hoodie – perfect for keeping you cosy on chilly spring mornings. There are beautiful anklets and bracelets for sunnier days and a lovely range of greeting cards for any occasion, or for keeping in touch.
Order at whales.org/shop or call 01343 820339
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What will the future hold for them? MEGAN HOCKIN-BENNETT
Leaving a gift in your Will means we can continue working towards our vision of a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free. For more information, please visit whales.org/giftsinwills or email legacies@whales.org and request our legacy guide.
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Porcelain home furnishing accessories from £10.25
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ALISON WOOD is a WDC policy manager
As well as their family units, sperm whales also belong to larger communities known as clans
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Family values
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Whale culture is crucial to the survival of the community
he first whale I ever listened to was a sperm whale. It was 30 years ago, aboard Song of the Whale, and we sailed from the Azores into the deep Atlantic realm of the sperm whale. Lowering hydrophones (underwater microphones) into the swell, we discovered whales talk to one another a lot, regardless of whether it’s day or night. Standing on the moonlit deck, under the stars, listening to whale conversation beneath the silvery waves, is one of the most magical experiences of my life.
And I didn’t know then that the otherworldly voices I heard belonged to a family of sperm whales vocally expressing their cultural identity. Female sperm whales live in family groups with their youngsters. Their commitment to one another is absolute, their bonds unbreakable and their lives communal and interdependent. Life on the move in an ocean that is itself in a state of flux means sperm whales are surrounded by the unfamiliar. The only constant is their family. To feed they must venture into the perilous abyss in search of squid. Sperm whale life is not easy and family is everything – it’s their Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 21
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reason for being, their home, their refuge, their one and only certainty.
DIFFERENT CLANS
AMANDA COTTON
@AMANDA COTTON, THE DOMINICA SPERM WHALE PROJECT, WWW.THESPERMWHALEPROJECT.ORG
CLIENT
Sperm whale families use codas, a unique form of click-based communication, to talk to one another
Shane Gero listening in Dominica
Families of sperm whales belong to bigger communities called clans and each clan has a distinctive behavioural pattern. One clan might swim in a wiggly formation and stay away from land, another may prefer to swim in straight lines and stay closer to land. Families from different clans do not meet and mix, even if they live in the same region or hear each other while roaming.
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Sperm whales are chattiest when they are socialising near the surface and before they dive to hunt. Scientists call these social calls ‘codas’. They are patterns of short click sequences … click-click-clickclickclick, or click-click-click-click-click. Families have unique codas and seem to produce them to reaffirm their bonds to one another and broadcast their identity. Baby sperm whales take two or three years to learn their family’s coda repertoire. As with human youngsters, they spend years learning how to be a responsible grown-up, including how to
‘Social learning and knowledge sharing is the basis of sperm whale culture’ feed themselves, how to relate to others so that they can belong, and all about their family traditions in relation to hunting, defending and travelling behaviour.
EARTH’S LIVING HERITAGE
Social learning and knowledge sharing is the basis of sperm whale culture and is crucial to the survival of their families and wider cultural community. Although all sperm whale families hunt, roam, socialise, defend and
CLAN IDENTITY
Protecting whale culture is important because it matters to the whales. For the individuals, their families and clans, culture is an integral part of their way of being. The whales’ shared indigenous wisdom and the way they do things are important to them – their cultures are their identities, they define who they are.
WHY CULTURAL DIVERSITY MATTERS FOR CONSERVATION To give sperm whales a fighting chance to cope with so many human threats and survive, we need to protect their cultural diversity. We now know that for deeply cultural beings like these, conserving genetic diversity is not enough. Your support has already enabled our
expert team to gain the recognition of international conservation policymakers for this approach, and we’ve worked in partnership with whale biologists and the Convention for Migratory Species. Shane Gero is collaborating with
other whale researchers to map sperm whale cultures globally so that this can be integrated into conservation policy. Adding cultural diversity to action plans often complicates conservation strategies, but it matters because it offers a recipe for conservation success.
Conservation successes are no fluke
babysit, their culture determines how they do these things – and this varies a lot. Think of their culture as a set of essential tools used by the family or clan to solve problems, thrive and survive where they live. It’s time to put our differences with Earth’s fellow beings to one side and embrace our remarkable similarities and shared futures. We are all in this together and so we need to shift away from thinking about ‘them and us’ and towards thinking about ‘all of us’. All cultures – whale, dolphin, human, bird, elephant, chimpanzee and many, many others – are part of Earth’s living heritage. Protecting them should be the most natural thing in the world.
ACCRA’S TALE
Accra is three years old and the youngest member of her Caribbean sperm whale family. She still nurses and is dependent on her family for just about everything. Having recently come through the babbly stage, Accra has mastered the family language of codas. When the sea is rough and noisy, Accra reassures herself by
nuzzling against her grandmother, Lady Oracle. Granny touches her granddaughter affectionately with her flipper and she suckles. Accra won’t go hungry and is safe with Lady Oracle while her mum, Rounder, hunts squid. Lady Oracle babysits Accra alongside her youngest child, Aurora, at the surface. Rounder
needs her whole family to help her raise Accra. Over many years Accra will learn through her family’s collective knowledge and wisdom – their culture – how to belong and survive as a Caribbean sperm whale. l To learn more about Accra’s family visit The Dominica Sperm Whale Project at www.thespermwhale project.org Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 23
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Sofa supporters It couldn’t be easier to help us raise important funds – and you can do it without even having to leave the house or spend any extra money
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e’ve all had to find new ways of doing things, from exercising to working to keeping up with friends and family. While we hope many of these adjustments are temporary, how about letting us help you make small, simple changes that will last, for the sake of whales and dolphins? Lifestyle giving, or sofa support as we like to call it, is an easy way to
help whales and dolphins without leaving the house or it costing you anything. From our lifestyle giving page, you can choose providers of goods and services who will donate to WDC every time you shop, switch or search. For example, if you’re looking to save a bit of money and want to switch your gas and electricity supply to green energy, check out Ecotricity’s offer. Give as You Live will help
you find cheaper energy suppliers and enable you to switch too. The increase in online shopping during lockdown may have changed the way we shop forever. By using Savoo as your search engine you’ll get money-saving vouchers and Savoo will also make a donation to WDC with every click you make. Easyfundraising offers a huge range of high street stores and well-known names
PRODUCTION CLIENT
BEST FOOT FORWARD
SHUTTERSTOCK
Walk for whales and dolphins So far, you’ve migrated 3,000 miles, approximately the distance of one leg of a humpback whale’s migration.
These heroic hikes have raised more than £5,000 to help ensure that whales and dolphins can travel safely.
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Isla and Arlen set a target of 10,000 steps a day
AMBLING
Isla (12) and Arlen Williams (10) raised a magnificent £166, migrating 786 miles between them.
RAMBLING
Zoe Ransome migrated 70.8 miles and smashed her £100 target, raising an incredible £500.
STEPPING
Amelia Banner walked 320 miles and raised a brilliant £100.
STROLLING
Mark McGachen raised a terrific £60 for WDC.
A massive thank you to everyone who played our Christmas raffle – with your generous support we raised £19,378.07! Congratulations to Miss Jackson from Stockport, who won the £1,000 jackpot. Keep an eye out for our Summer raffle, coming soon. who will donate to WDC when you order. You can raise anything from a few pence to several pounds at a time and it all adds up. And don’t forget Amazon Smile – same choice, same prices, but Amazon makes a donation to WDC when you shop via the Amazon Smile website and choose WDC to benefit. l Visit whales.org/lifestylegiving and see how easy it is to help
YOU’RE ALL AMAZING! May Coopland: An expert in light and heavy metals
HANDMADE JEWELLERY May Coopland raised £65 making and selling handmade jewellery, such as friendship bracelets, necklaces and earrings. May (14) is really passionate about wildlife and the planet and would like to work as a marine biologist.
FABRIC SALE
Fabric and children’s pattern designer Louisa Crossley donated 50% of the proceeds of a fabric sale, sending us a fantastic £212. We love the great orca fabric (pictured right) and Louisa’s narwhal print actually sold out.
THE TEIDE CHALLENGE Whale fans Alex Brown and James Muir took part in the Teide Challenge in Tenerife, climbing the world’s third largest active volcano and raising £607.16 between them. Alex said: ‘The challenge took seven hours and was a gruelling experience, but well worth every moment and I was excited to be raising money for WDC. There is a cable car you can take up the volcano, but where’s the fun in that?’ Hollie and her 12-year-old companion, Busby
WANDERING
Hollie Tweedie walked 100 miles and raised a truly spectacular £1,026. Hollie said: ‘My beagle, Busby, and I had a wonderful time, walking through the woods
and along the river while raising funds for WDC. We are grateful to everyone who donated.’ Join in at whales.org/ thegreatmigration
Mount Teide in the Canary Islands
GIVING TUESDAY
A huge thank you to all 472 supporters who donated on Giving Tuesday. Thanks to you we smashed our £10,000 target and raised an amazing £15,739.
OVER
£15,739 RAISED
DONATE YOUR BIRTHDAY
Our thanks to everyone who donated their birthday or ran a birthday fundraiser on Facebook in 2020. You raised £8,500. This is a great and simple way to help whales and dolphins in 2021. Go to whales.org/birthday
Share your fundraising story with us and send it in, with a photo at least 1MB in size, to info@whales.org Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 25
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k mpbac One hu ed rd o c as re whale w on-stop n singing ours for 22 h
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The kids are alright
Humpback whales collectively perform
Juveniles may sing tunes togeth er which are different from adult songs
stunning underwater concerts
Rhapsody in blue Whale singers are the ocean's most gifted musical composers
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umpback whales create extraordinary songs together and sing with the verve and confidence of true professionals. The haunting beauty of their songs has resonated throughout the ocean for millennia.
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Vocally brilliant and very loud, a humpback’s repertoire spans several octaves and includes a wide array of sounds. Songs last up to half an hour and are made up of about eight themes, which in turn contain groups of notes called phrases.
Parts of the song will even rhyme as the whales repeat patterns and end phrases with similar notes. Individual whales have a bit of poetic licence to play around with the phrases – they can decide for themselves how many times they repeat each distinct group of notes while singing the song.
Humpbacks sing different songs depending on where they live. But in any one area the whales all sing the same song which they evolve over time. Individual whales will tinker with parts of the rhythm or change some notes, then other whales listen and they all learn
Whales don’t exhale when they sing
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Roger Payne's 1970 album Songs of the Humpback Whale went multi-platinum
the new tune. Gradually they create new phrases and themes and eventually they collectively compose a new song. This incredible phenomenon, where large numbers of whales learn the same song that develops over time, is a brilliant example of whale culture.
Q: Why sing? A
The only thing we can say for sure is that their songs are a sophisticated communication tool and hugely important to the whales. Singing is likely related to courtship and breeding but its precise purpose is a mystery. We’re not sure if males sing to serenade females, to warn off other males, or as a way of organising themselves on the breeding grounds. Part of the problem is that nobody has ever seen a female humpback show any visible interest in a song or approach a singing male, and the only interactions recorded between singing males seem friendly and noncompetitive. It’s also difficult to understand why competing males would all sing the same song. A completely different theory is that the whales sing to explore the world around them using the songs as a type of biosonar.
Q: Who sings where? Humpbacks sing mainly in the winter when they are gathered in warmer seas to breed. Singers are always male and usually alone. They typically hang upside down, 15 to 30m below the surface, sing for hours at a time and only take breaks to breathe. Some whales prefer to swim slowly while singing and can cover many kilometres during a session. As summer approaches the whales put their song on hold while they journey back to their feeding grounds. In the autumn, they miraculously pick the song up where they left off as they prepare to migrate again. It’s as if they are tuning up and rehearsing, ready to peak when they reach their breeding grounds.
A
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Dolphin diaries
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By WDC’s adopt a dolphin field offi
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Charlie Phillips
A dorsal fin in the fog
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uring the late autumn and early winter, before the latest lockdown in Scotland, there was hardly a dorsal fin to be seen from Chanonry Point. Thankfully, contacts up and down the coast let me know if they spot dolphins, so I was aware that they were out there somewhere.
As the weather turned a lot colder, small groups of dolphins would appear at Chanonry out of nowhere and then melt away into the chilly fog before I could focus my camera on them. Hopefully this spring will see rather more dolphin action and, when it’s safe to do so, I’ll be able to gather and share plenty of news with you.
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Indigo tends to roam far and wide, unless he’s checking up on his mum Rainbow and his little brother or sister, so you can spot him from anywhere up and down the Moray Firth coast. He now has a very recognisable nick on his fin and a few lighter coloured bite and scrape marks. The last time I spotted Indigo he was with his friends Mini-Fin, Flake and Clyde, and they were all heading into Rosemarkie Bay. Small fish were leaping out of the water trying to escape from the dolphins. I couldn’t see whether they were small herring or sprats, but the dolphins enjoyed a very tasty snack anyway.
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SAY HELLO SAY TO SPRIGGAN
Weíre We’re thrilled to Spiritís announce that Spirit’s newest baby will be called Spriggan. Thanks to Karen Karen Francis who suggested it. Spriggan is Celtic for sprite/ spirit. We loved the Celtic connection. A big thank you to everyone who took part.
WDC/CHARLIE PHILLIPS
Spirit Cliff hanging Spirit was away in the distance when I last spotted her in September. It was my final boat trip of the year and thankfully the sea was calm. I was so happy to see Spirit, her youngest, Spriggan, and also her older daughter, Shimmer, with her youngster. 28 WHALE&DOLPHIN Spring 2021
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They were all heading for the entrance of the Cromarty Firth. I was hoping they might swim a bit closer to us so that I could take some photos, but it was not to be. The Aberdeen University Lighthouse Field Station team also saw them from
their research boat. This time Spirit’s group was swimming with some other dolphins out at sea, just north of the big cliffs called the Sutors of Cromarty. All of the dolphins appeared to be happy and healthy.
Charlie Ready for action Charlie has been a bit unpredictable recently. His mum, Kesslet, hasn’t been seen in a long time and Charlie has stopped making regular visits to the Kessock Channel or Inverness Harbour area. I did still see him fairly regularly at Chanonry where he successfully hunted salmon right up until the end of the season. He also likes hanging out with other males, and they often head off along the coast near Nairn, or over towards the entrance to the Cromarty Firth. I’m confident Charlie will be one of the first dolphins I see at Chanonry Point when I’m able to get back out to work safely. He’ll be ready for action when the salmon return on the rising tides.
Rainbow Unruly offspring I haven’t spotted Rainbow and her little baby for a while, but I’m hoping they will swim past when travel restrictions have lifted and I can go to Chanonry Point again. In the past, Rainbow has visited Chanonry regularly during the winter months, usually as part of a group looking for food, so I’m hopeful they’ll come by soon. I’d like to see mum and baby clearly before the salmon season starts and it gets very busy with dolphins hunting for food. I am keeping alert as I am anxious to see if the little one is OK. I do know that one of Rainbow’s friends, Sickle, has sadly lost her baby. I have seen Rainbow’s son Indigo away from his mother, off causing havoc with some other teenagers out near Eathie. Typical! Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 29
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By executive director of WDC North America, Regina Asmutis-Silvia
A breath of fresh air
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ur winters are cold and snowy here in New England and we dream about warm summer days spent with our favourite humpbacks. Last year we had fewer opportunities than normal for whale watching adventures due to the pandemic. However, we were fortunate to get out and
enjoy some unseasonably warm days at the end of the year. There were a surprising number of whales still here, although many had headed off to the Caribbean for the winter. Breathing in the ocean air and watching beautiful humpbacks was such a treat. I can’t wait to welcome them back to their feeding grounds this spring.
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We don’t know much about Reflection’s adventures last season, but we do know that she was spotted safe and sound in the Gulf of Maine. Over the winter, she can always be found in the warm waters of the Caribbean. Reflection is either giving birth and looking after her newborn, or she is trying to find a suitable mate. Reflection’s most recent baby was born in 2017 so both options are a possibility. Reflection is often one of the first whales to arrive back here in the spring, so to us she represents the beginning of whale watching season in New England.
PRODUCTION CLIENT WDC NA
Pepper Under the radar Most whale watching boats stayed safely at the dock for most of last season and so less information was gathered about the whales than usual. Pepper has eluded whale watchers for a couple of years and she continues
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to swim under the radar. It is hard for us to know whether or not she has had a baby since we last photographed her in 2015 with one by her side. It is entirely possible she has had another calf since, but we just don’t know.
It’s a frustrating situation as we want to know about every single whale to help us better protect them. But we are learning to embrace the sheer unpredictability of studying whales in the wild!
Salt Grandmother again Even though we were only able to go on a handful of whale watching trips in 2020, we were lucky enough to see Salt. It was so comforting to see our old friend looking happy and healthy. Spending time with her as we have done for more than 40 years was wonderful and we felt so much better for this
encounter with her. We were also the first to discover that Salt has a new grandchild when we spotted Sanchal, Salt’s 12-year-old daughter, with a new bundle of joy. This is Sanchal’s second baby and Salt’s sixteenth grandchild – Salt’s family tree just keeps on growing.
Midnight Song contest As with Reflection, Midnight was last seen with a baby in 2017. In the Caribbean she will be making sure she chooses the best male to mate with. It is very likely that whale song plays a role in this. Many scientists think that males may sing to attract females. Although they all sing the same song, it does change and it is possible some males try to put their own flair or unique twist on the song. Perhaps this helps them to stand out in the crowd. The females could then in theory choose the singer they like the sound of. Have a look at pages 26-27 to find out about other humpback whale song theories. Spring 2021 WHALE&DOLPHIN 31
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By OrcaLab founders, Helena Symonds & Paul Spong
New year, new look
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hanks to WDC supporters, 2020 was a busy and productive year for OrcaLab. Our monitoring and tracking of whales in the area continued as before and we made improvements to our systems and infrastructure at OrcaLab. We love our new look.
We have a brand new wooden deck that runs from the Lab to our house, improved acoustic recording equipment and more reliable power for all the equipment. We are beginning 2021 with satisfaction and hope. Keep well and stay safe, everyone. Thank you.
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As last summer progressed we waited and waited for the return of Simoom, all to no avail. What was going on? Autumn has always been a time when she brings her family back to feed on chum salmon, spend hours in the up-churning rip tides, have a rub or two and even have babies. On 21 September our hopes were high when word came that Simoom was not too far away. Divers near Port Hardy had caught a glimpse of her.
PRODUCTION CLIENT SHARI MANNING, JARED TOWERS
Fife Speaking up Fife’s family came back in early September and stayed for the whole month. His family, along with the A25 family of Surge, Cordero and her baby Twilight, were the only Resident orcas in the area. In the early part of the month we commented on how quietly Fife and his family were moving around the area, but as the month progressed they became more expressive. By 19 September they were making time for rubs, vocalising more and even breaching repeatedly. Something was about to happen. Sure enough, two days later, Simoom and Holly were near Port Hardy. Fife’s family duly went off and brought back Simoom’s group. This brief visit probably encouraged Fife’s family to think about leaving for the north, and by 30 September they were gone. We’re hoping for a winter return. 32 WHALE&DOLPHIN Spring 2021
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Sure enough, the following day we heard her family’s distinctive calls. But she was elusive and we never saw her. A full month passed and finally, on 25 October, she was back. By all accounts she and all her family looked well. For the next two days, Simoom conducted her survey of the area. Finding it lacking in salmon she made the sensible decision to go elsewhere. By 27 October she was gone and our wait began again.
Bend Centre of attention Bend had a good 2020. Her mother, Clio, had another baby and Bend’s son Jamieson looked to be thriving. Bend enjoyed the attentions of adult males such as Fife and Surge. She and her family were in the area for a total of 46 days through the peak summer months of July and August.
Her family’s significant role in the area cannot be understated. They are the main engine of most orca social interactions, escorting visitors in and out, participating in group rubs, and reinforcing community bonds that go back uncounted generations.
How wonderful for Bend’s family when rare visitors from the R clan turned up twice in August. G clan orca pods came too, making for a full summer. As winter set in, it was time for Bend to travel to northern waters, but by late spring, she and her family will begin to consider their return here. We can’t wait.
GET ALL THE LATEST NEWS
Holly There’s the rub Last summer Holly only visited our area twice, accompanying Springer and Skagit’s families in early July, and with Simoom on 21 September. But for several years now she has really claimed the waters of Georgia Strait, at times very close to OrcaLab, as her preferred place to spend winter. Charting Holly’s travels through various progress reports of her whereabouts from last January to March was endlessly fascinating. She has now explored the entire Georgia Strait region, north and south, even finding wonderful places
to go for a rub. The Northern Resident orcas visit specific beaches where the shape and size of the rocks and slope of the beach are just right for them to glide against the bottom, rubbing their bellies on the pebbles. No one knows for sure why they do this and they are the only orcas in the world who do. Holly stayed until April last year before she headed back to the north coast. It would be a lovely treat to hear her voice on the hydrophones, letting us know she is on her way. We are ready.
Calling all orca adopters! Are you getting your monthly email orca updates? If not, what are you waiting for? Every month you’ll receive news on what the orcas have been up to plus stunning video captured by wildlife filmmaker and friend of WDC, Megan Hockin-Bennett. Send an email to info@whales.org and include your name and supporter number (you’ll find it on the back cover and it looks like this: C123456) to let us know that you’d like to sign up.
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THE LAST WORD
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Monty Halls
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The TV broadcaster known for visiting remote places is also a marine biologist
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s a Royal Marine, Monty Halls worked for Nelson Mandela during the South African peace process in the early 1990s. On leaving, he pursued and achieved a degree in marine biology and a career in expedition leadership. The WDC patron has circumnavigated the globe four times, led a multinational team to the discovery of a sunken city off the coast of India and dived in search of prehistoric settlements in South African caves. But he says he’s happiest when he’s at home with his family. Monty is probably best known for his BBC TV series Great Escapes, where he lived on the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland with his dog Reuben. His passion for the marine environment and the creatures that inhabit it have inspired Monty to support WDC for many years. He once ran the London Marathon for us in a dolphin costume which slowly fell apart over the course of the race. Luckily Monty’s training means he never leaves a dolphin behind and he carried Dolph over the finish line. Dogs or cats? Dogs. Marmite – yes or no? Yes.
Whales or dolphins? Whales. When are you happiest? With my family. One bad habit? My rugby obsession. Favourite place? Home.
Monty Halls and Dolph, his running partner
Who, dead or alive, would you like to be stuck with for a year on a desert island? David Niven, for his dapper charm. Why do you support WDC? Because their work to protect whales and dolphins for future generations is crucial. Biggest fear? The future for our kids. One thing you would change to improve things for whales and dolphins? I’d give whales and dolphins the chance to recover and provide them with the opportunity to live their lives free from human interference or disturbance.
Monty is obsessed with whales ...
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WDC’s work to protect whales and dolphins for future generations is crucial
... and rugby
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Will you join the Great Migration?
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ur 2020 Great Migration walkers covered a fin-tastic 3,000 miles – about the same distance as one leg of a humpback whale’s migration – and raised almost £5,000 for whales and dolphins. So why not dust off your
walking boots and join our magnificent migratory pod this year? Whether you walk five miles or 50, raise £5 or £500, we’ll support you every step of the way. Contact events@whales.org or download your Great Migration pack at whales.org/thegreatmigration
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THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! Now more than ever, your support means the world to us. Thank you for helping us fight for a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free. Thank you for caring. Get in touch at info@whales.org If undelivered, please return to: WDC, Brookfield House, 38 St Paul Street, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 1LJ
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