(12/07/2011)
Weymouth Sea Life Park raised £2470 to save whales on a sponsored walk.
12 walkers were sponsored to walk 5 miles from Weymouth Sea Life Park to the Pavilion to raise money for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, a leading international charity dedicated to the worldwide conservation and welfare of whales and dolphins.
Weymouth Sea Life Park General Manager Craig Dunkerley says:
“As conservation of our oceans and its creatures is at the heart of everything we do at Sea Life, we were extremely proud to support WDCS’s Walk for Whales again this year.
“The work WDCS does to protect whales and dolphins is critical, especially with its pressure on the International Whaling Commission to keep the ban on commercial whaling in place.
“Before the whaling ban became law in 1986, whaling had threatened to bring entire species to the brink of extinction, if it were lifted now, whole species could die out which would be beyond tragic.”
This year’s International Whaling Commission meeting, where decisions such as whether to lift the ban on commercial whaling are discussed, will take place from 11-14 July on the Island of Jersey.
Danny Groves, spokesperson for WDCS says of this year’s conference: “The question hanging over everything is “what will Japan do?”.
“Even before the earthquake and tsunami rocked the country, devastating its coastal communities, wiping out a main whaling port, and sending radioactive materials into the oceans, Japan was reconsidering the viability of its whaling operations.
“Will it announce a graceful exit from whaling at the meeting in Jersey, or will it go in the other direction and ask the IWC for a number of whales to kill for humanitarian reasons?” He asks.
Money raised from the Sea Life Centres’ and WDCS’ sponsored walks will allow WDCS to be present at the conference and fight for the protection of dolphins and whales.
For further information about Sea Life or WDCS please visit www.sealife.co.uk or www.wdcs.org