Archive Content

Please note: This page has been archived and its content may no longer be up-to-date. This version of the page will remain live for reference purposes as we work to update the content across our website.

Clockwise from top left: 1. Atlantic northern right whale with calf.; 2. Humpback whale breaching; ... rel= © 1. NMFS NOAA; 2. IFAW / C. Carlson; 3. NOAA; 4. WWF / Morten Linhard; 5. WWF / Kevin Schafer; 6. WWF / William W Rossiter

The world's great whales were hunted to near extinction in the previous century, and despite a global moratorium on commercial whaling, several countries continue to whale commercially - Norway and Iceland using objections to the moratorium, Japan under the guise of 'scientific research'.


The International Whaling Commission is the body charged with regulating whaling, and increasingly dealing with the vast number of other threats to whales, dolphins and porpoises in our oceans such as shipping, climate change, and bycatch the incidental capture of these animals in fishing gear. WWF is working to make the IWC more effective in reducing all these threats to whales.
Whaling News
22 Feb 2020

Global wildlife meeting agrees increased protection for jaguar, Asian elephant and Oceanic Whitetip ...

Increased protections for migratory species but a step change in ambition is needed for global biodiversity protection
26 Aug 2019

In response to the CITES committee decision on Agenda Item 89 to continue Standing Committee ...

WWF statement on CITES' decision on Totoaba
10 Sep 2018

Participants from about 66 countries will meet in Florianopolis, Brazil this week to make decisions ...

Countries must oppose attempts to take the International Whaling Commission back to the days of unsustainable whaling operations
21 May 2018

Today as the world marks the International Day for Biological Diversity, a report launched by WWF ...

A seachange needed in fisheries to give dolphins, whales and porpoises a chance
12 Dec 2017

WWF survey estimates 1816 dolphins increase of 50 per cent since 2001

Signs of hope as population of endangered Indus River dolphin jumps in Pakistan
05 Dec 2017

11 dolphins safely tagged in Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia

First ever tagging of Amazon dolphins to boost conservation efforts
20 Oct 2016

Time for the world to tackle the threat at International Whaling Commission meeting

Bycatch is the biggest killer of whales: Time for the world to tackle the threat
17 Oct 2016

Seismic testing to start Thursday with no environmental assessments.

Belize to begin oil exploration near threatened World Heritage site
25 Jul 2016

Mexico and US expand efforts to save world's most endangered marine mammal

Hope for the vaquita

Load More