As you may already know I have been a volunteer for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) for a few years now. Last year, without a second thought, I agreed to help WDCS in a more physical way and undertake a 100ft abseil down the Bristol Avon Gorge in aid of the Save the Whale campaign.
As I write this, it was today (7 February 2010) that I took the leap and went over the edge. I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported myself and the campaign through their generous donations as well as those who were at the event for moral support.
For photos of the event follow the slide-show on the left and for further information regards the campaign please read on.
Commercial whaling was banned in 1986 by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the body responsible for managing whaling. The ban was introduced because some species were in danger of being wiped out. However since the ‘ban’ on commercial whaling countries such as Japan, Iceland and Norway have continued to kill whales.
Whale populations remain at risk from hunting, ship strikes, by-catch, entanglements, marine pollution, underwater noise and global warming. Given all of these threats, whale populations cannot withstand the resurgence of commercial whaling, which is cruel, unsustainable and unnecessary. In addition, ensuring healthy whale populations is critical to restoring the health of the world's oceans.
