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Welcome to the WDCS Species Guide!
Here you will find information on the 85 currently recognised species of whales, dolphins and porpoises, collectively known as ‘cetaceans’.
WDCS, The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, is the only global non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation and welfare of whales and dolphins. WDCS has funded fieldwork in over 40 countries, is a partner organization to the UN Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), and is highly respected in the international community.
The Species Guide provides an introduction to each species of whale, dolphin and porpoise. Our main sources in preparing this have been the IUCN Red List (www.redlist.org), Marine Mammals of the World (Jefferson et al. 2008), Guide to Marine Mammals of the World (Reeves et al 2002), The Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals: 2nd Edition (Perrin et al., 2009) and the International Whaling Commission for some population estimates.
We are learning about these animals all the time and plan to keep updating the guide so check back regularly to get the latest information.
If you have suggestions and/or comments or are interested in contributing material, photographs, acoustics or footage, pleaseemail us.
