wdcs annual review 2009/2010 - Whale and Dolphin Conservation ...

Tough TimesAheadAs the global voice for whales anddolphins, during 2009 and the startof 2010, WDCS has achieved somegreat things. However, we could nothave done any of it without yoursupport. There are many challengesahead of us, and the successes youwill read about in this Review giveus hope for the future. But in hardeconomic times, we need yoursupport more than ever.The WDCS Protect Our Dolphinscampaign in Scotland has achievedsome notable successes: keepingNATO military exercises out ofthe Moray Firth; limiting marinadevelopments and preventingthe exploration for oil and gas inwhat is a European Protected Areadesignated specifically to protectthe charismatic but vulnerabledolphins of the Moray Firth. Wecontinue to fight on all these frontsas the battle to gain real and lastingChris Butler-StroudWDCS chief executiveprotection for these amazing animalsis an ongoing one.WDCS is also continuing to developimportant education and conservationprojects around the world, includingreaching even more children throughour education work in Scotland,expanding our Pier2Pier and DolphinDiploma initiatives to areas such asHaiti, educating the public about drivehunts in the US, and developing aJapanese website for children.I’m proud to say that with yoursupport we have campaignedsuccessfully to keep the currentcommercial whaling ban in place.However, some nations continueto kill whales and the frighteningprospect of the ban being liftedremains a very real one.There are tough times ahead buttogether we can make the world’soceans and rivers a safer place forthese remarkable animals.Clockwise from top, shutterstock, james cockayne, charlie phillips, wdcs/alice pope, gill braulikWDCS continues to fight for realand lasting protection for theseamazing animals4 WDCS