World Cetacean Alliance

World Cetacean Alliance The world's largest partnership to protect whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats. 🐋 🐬 We believe that real change comes from working in partnership.

The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) is a charity and global partnership. We unite and collaborate with NGOs and non-profits, individuals, research institutes, and responsible tour operators from across the world to help protect whales, dolphins, porpoises and their habitats. Where there is collaboration, there is a shared sense of purpose. By supporting each other, we can safeguard cetaceans and the

places they call home, in harmony with the communities they live alongside, for generations to come. OUR VISION
A world where cetaceans are free, where oceans thrive, and where communities care. OUR MISSION
To protect cetaceans and their habitats through global collaboration.

07/07/2026

🌎 Where do you whale watch?
🐋 What do you call this behaviour?

Our friends at The Whalemobile want to hear from the whale watching community around the world!

Get involved with their new series about the language of whale watching by commenting on their video, and give them a follow to see the results!

New research by Oceana UK has revealed there are no Marine Protected Areas for whales, dolphins or porpoises in the UK t...
07/07/2026

New research by Oceana UK has revealed there are no Marine Protected Areas for whales, dolphins or porpoises in the UK that are fully protected from bottom trawling, a destructive fishing practice with potentially devastating impacts on the ocean environment.

The report shows that, out of 113 Marine Protected Areas for wildlife in the UK, just 2 ban bottom trawling across the entire area, with these protections only in place for seabird sites.

Shockingly, one Marine Protected Area for harbour porpoises in the North Sea was subjected to more than 30,000 hours of apparent bottom trawling in 2025 alone.

As well as damaging the seabed, bottom trawling targets many species of fish that porpoises depend on for food and that are now overfished in the North and Celtic Seas, including cod, whiting, and sandeels – despite the UK banning sandeel fishing in the North Sea.

If you’re in the UK, please take action by writing to your MP and urging them to ban bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas: https://banbottomtrawling.oceanauk.justpost.cards/

You can find out more and read the full report here: https://uk.oceana.org/reports/trawled-mauled-the-case-against-bottom-trawling-in-marine-protected-areas-for-seabirds-cetaceans/

(📷 Photo of a harbour porpoise in the UK by Thea Taylor of WCA Partner Sussex Dolphin Project)

1 in 4 cetacean species face extinction. The World Cetacean Alliance is doing something about it.With ATCF support, WCA ...
24/06/2026

1 in 4 cetacean species face extinction. The World Cetacean Alliance is doing something about it.

With ATCF support, WCA launched a global online community platform connecting 50+ stakeholders across their Whale Heritage Area network, and officially designated Santa Catarina Nursery in Brazil as a new Whale Heritage Area, expanding community-led cetacean protection and responsible tourism worldwide.

This is the kind of on-the-ground impact ATCF members make possible. And
, an ATCF member and WCA partner, is helping carry that mission forward.
Read the full project update at the link in bio.

2025 Grantee | Nominated and Adopted by



Gray whale in Baja California Sur (photo by Josh-Withers via Unsplash)
Loreto, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico - boat tour (photo by WCA)
Loreto, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico - local stakeholders (photo by WCA)
Loreto, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico - Whale Heritage Areas presentation (photo by WCA)
WHAs map of current Designated and Candidate Whale Heritage Areas

Happy Whale Heritage Area anniversary to Algoa Bay, which became designated five years ago! 🎊🐳This unique, half-heart-sh...
16/06/2026

Happy Whale Heritage Area anniversary to Algoa Bay, which became designated five years ago! 🎊🐳

This unique, half-heart-shaped bay on the South African coast is one of the most outstanding environments in the world for marine life. Its warm, shallow waters make it ideally suited as a seasonal nursery for Southern right and humpback whales to raise their calves, while Bryde’s and minke whales are in the bay all year round, feeding on sardines and anchovies that are rounded up by long-beaked common dolphins or African penguins.

Local tour operators like WCA Partner Raggy Charters collaborate with researchers, government departments and conservation initiatives to address threats to marine wildlife in Algoa Bay and raise awareness in the local community. They support a rescue group to disentangle whales, hold many informative talks for the public and in local schools, organise the annual Algoa Bay Whale Festival, and campaign against threats including ship-to-ship fuel bunkering, seismic testing, and plastic pollution.

Raggy Charters has also recently started a research project looking at the importance of the local Addo Marine Canyons for ocean life, as part of a longer-term goal to secure greater protection for the area! Follow their account to see the latest updates.

Find out more about our Whale Heritage Areas programme here: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/whale-heritage-areas/

(📷 All photos by Raggy Charters)

08/06/2026

For World Oceans Day this year, we’re inviting you to join us in our mission! 🌊 The World Cetacean Alliance was founded on this day in 2013, with the purpose of creating a community to act as the global voice for whales, dolphins, and their ocean homes.

Protecting the oceans for more than a decade hasn’t always been easy. We make our funding go as far as possible, but these are challenging times for non-profit organisations, and we rely on many kinds of support to make our work possible.

To celebrate our anniversary and World Oceans Day, we’re asking you to take action! By providing vital support, you can help us to continue working towards a future where whales and dolphins are free, oceans thrive, and communities care. 💙

How can you help?

🌊 Become a WCA Partner! We welcome everyone with a passion for the ocean and a dedication to working together to protect whales and dolphins. Let us know if you’re interested in joining our global community: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/get-involved/become-a-partner/

🐋 If you’re a whale and dolphin watching tour operator, apply for our WCA Approved verification to set yourself apart as an industry leader! Becoming WCA Approved is a great way to be internationally recognised for your commitment to sustainability, while also supporting ocean protection: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/wca-approved/

🐬 Make an impact by donating to support our work! You can gift a one-off or monthly donation, crowdfund with your colleagues, or leave a gift in your will to ensure long-term protection for whales and dolphins. Every contribution, no matter how small, will strengthen our voice and support our efforts worldwide: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/donate/

(🎥 Thank you to a few of our amazing Partners for sharing why they value being part of the WCA: Capt. Dave's Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari; Prince of Whales Whale Watching; Explore Ocean)

Happy Whale Heritage Area anniversary to Plettenberg Bay, which became designated three years ago! 🎊🐳Plettenberg Bay Wha...
30/05/2026

Happy Whale Heritage Area anniversary to Plettenberg Bay, which became designated three years ago! 🎊🐳

Plettenberg Bay Whale Heritage Area lies within two Marine Protected Areas off the coast of South Africa, forming part of the world-famous Garden Route National Park and Biosphere Reserve. These waters are a crucial feeding and nursery ground for a variety of cetacean species, including endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, resident Bryde’s whales, and migratory Southern right whales.

The area will be holding its annual Plett Ocean Festival and Marine Science Symposium from 3-12 July this year: an unmissable event that combines marine science, conservation, and community engagement! 🌊

Find out more about our Whale Heritage Areas programme here: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/whale-heritage-areas/

(📷 Photo 1: Indian ocean humpback dolphins by Donna Kalez; 2: Southern right whale mother and calf by Barry Skinstad; 3: reef cleanup at the 2023 Plett Ocean Festival by ProDive Plettenberg Bay; 4: Plettenberg Bay by Rob Travers Smith)

The record for longest journey ever made by a humpback whale has been broken after a whale was photographed in Bahia, Br...
20/05/2026

The record for longest journey ever made by a humpback whale has been broken after a whale was photographed in Bahia, Brazil, and then 15,000km away in Hervey Bay Whale Heritage Area, Australia! 🤯

The previous longest journey was made by a whale who travelled 14,200km in the opposite direction, from Hervey Bay Whale Heritage Area to São Paulo.

Sightings data from WCA Partner Happywhale was used in both cases to confirm the identity of the individual whales and record their incredible journeys.

Stephanie Stack, co-author of a new study about the two whales, said that it was “a good reminder that conservation of our marine resources needs to be collaborative between nations, because these are migratory animals that move across borders and between countries”: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/5/260251/481844/First-evidence-of-bidirectional-exchange-between

This global collaboration is the purpose and mission of the WCA! We partner with innovative organisations like Happywhale, and empower coastal communities like Hervey Bay through our Whale Heritage Areas programme, so that together we can make a real difference for whale conservation worldwide. Find out more about our work and how you can support us: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/

(📷 Photo-ID of the humpback whale in Hervey Bay Whale Heritage Area, by Silke Stuckenbrock via Happywhale, CC0 1.0)

We are deeply concerned to hear that Wikie and her son Keijo, the two remaining orcas at Marineland Antibes, may be move...
19/05/2026

We are deeply concerned to hear that Wikie and her son Keijo, the two remaining orcas at Marineland Antibes, may be moved to the captive facility Loro Parque before the end of June.

Marineland Antibes has been closed since January 2025, following a recent law banning the display and breeding of captive whales and dolphins in France.

The French Minister of Ecological Transition previously stated that moving the orcas to a marine sanctuary was “the only ethical solution”. However, new reports indicate that the Minister has now approved Marineland’s request to transfer Wikie and Keijo to Loro Parque in Tenerife, where four captive orcas have died since 2021.

The WCA is disappointed that the French Ministry is willing to contradict the intent of their legislation and send Wikie and Keijo to a zoo where they would continue to be exploited for performances and potentially captive breeding.

Last year, Spanish authorities opposed moving the orcas to Loro Parque after a scientific agency found that the zoo’s tanks failed to meet minimum standards. Loro Parque has issued a statement that the transfer will only go ahead with the explicit approval of the Spanish Government, which has not yet been confirmed.

We urge the French Ministry to reconsider their decision and support an ethical solution for Wikie and Keijo. It’s unacceptable that, after spending their lives so far in captivity, these orcas could face many more years of suffering in tanks too small to house them.

The WCA is opposed to keeping any whales or dolphins in captivity, and works in collaboration with other organisations and partners worldwide to put an end to this cruel ‘entertainment’. Please consider donating to support our work protecting these amazing animals and keeping them wild and free: https://worldcetaceanalliance.org/donate/

(📷 Photo of captive orca in Marineland Antibes, by michel3333FR via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

The United States-Israel war on Iran is threatening whales off the coast of South Africa, where marine traffic has almos...
14/05/2026

The United States-Israel war on Iran is threatening whales off the coast of South Africa, where marine traffic has almost doubled due to disrupted shipping routes: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/5/12/why-the-iran-war-is-threatening-whales-near-south-africa

This increased vessel traffic puts whales in direct danger of collisions, also known as ship strikes: one of the greatest threats to large whale species.

The waters off South Africa are important for many different whale populations, including Southern right whales, Bryde’s whales, and large numbers of migrating humpback whales (like the one pictured here).

A report presented this month to the International Whaling Commission proposed measures to protect the whales from the increased marine traffic, including speed reduction programmes and rerouting of traffic lanes away from the coast of South Africa.

We urge all vessel operators in this area to do their part to reduce speeds and save the lives of whales! The WCA’s online training course, ‘Becoming Whale Aware’, is designed for commercial vessel operators to understand how to identify and reduce the risk of collisions with whales. You can take the training now on Thinkific, or get in touch with us to ask about licenses for your crew: https://worldcetaceanalliance.thinkific.com/courses/becoming-whale-aware

(📷 Photo of a humpback whale in Algoa Bay Whale Heritage Area, South Africa, by Jake Keeton of WCA Partner Raggy Charters - Marine-Eco Cruises)

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