The WeWhale Pod

The WeWhale Pod

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The podcast diving into stories beneath our oceans. Featuring guests who inspire us about the world of whales and how we can help to protect cetaceans and our ocean environment. Sit back, relax, you're now in the WeWhale pod. www.wewhale.co

WeWhale


    • May 5, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 37m AVG DURATION
    • 19 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The WeWhale Pod

    Episode 19 - Joe Roman, Conservation Biologist and Book Author

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 52:04


    The podcast episode with Dr. Joe Roman, featured on the WeWhale Pod, explores his journey as a conservation biologist, focusing especially on marine ecology, whales, and their ecological importance. The discussion covers his unique research on whale feces—how it recycles nutrients in the ocean through the "whale pump"—and shares anecdotes from his global search for whale poop. The conversation also touches on his books Eat, Poop, Die and Whale, highlighting both the ecological roles of animals and the cultural history of whaling. The episode concludes with his vision for ocean conservation and how listeners can learn more about his work.Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 18 - Dan Jarvis, Director of Welfare and Conservation with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 50:46


    Our guest in this WeWhale Pod episode is Dan Jarvis, Director of Welfare and Conservation with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR). Dan talks about moving to Cornwall and how this influenced his interests and career. He also explains the origins of BDMLR and how it expanded from focusing on seal rescues in its early days to also coming to the aid of stranded or entangled whales, dolphins and porpoises. The organisation is an NGO and has 2,500 trained volunteers. Dan also shares the story of how a northern bottlenose whale turned up in the river Thames in London in 2006 and the subsequent rescue attempt that BDMLR and other organisations were involved in which gained huge media attention.  He also talks about how welcome it is that more research is being carried out into stranded animal welfare, and his hope that we will see better legal protection for marine mammals. Find out more about the work of British Divers Marine Life Rescue. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 17 - Podcast Panel - Combatting Ghost Gear

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 60:28


    This special panel episode of The WeWhale Pod focuses on the problem of ghost gear in our waters and ways to combat it. Our guests are:Harry Dennis and Gavin Parker, co-founders of Waterhaul, a social enterprise based in Cornwall in the UK that recycles abandoned marine nets into high quality productsSophie Lewis, Interim CEO of the World Cetacean AllianceTom Mustill, biologist turned filmmaker and author of How to Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communications. Tom is also an Ambassador for the World Cetacean Alliance.  The panel chats about what ghost gear is and how it affects whales and other wildlife all over the planet. Every year, hundreds of thousands of cetaceans are trapped in ghost gear — lost or discarded fishing equipment that drifts through our oceans like a deadly web. The guests also discuss the process of disentanglement and how changes in the fishing industry (namely a move to plastic gear in recent decades) have contributed to the global problem of ghost gear.  In September 2023, a humpback whale became entangled in fishing gear in Algoa Bay, South Africa, and was fighting for his life. Thankfully, after a rescue operation, he was freed and able to swim away. The ghost gear was recovered and through collaborative links with the World Cetacean Alliance, made its way to Waterhaul, which saw an opportunity to create something unique from this near-tragedy.A limited range of sunglasses, made from this recovered ghost gear, is available to purchase. You can check them out, along with more about the rescue operation, on the Waterhaul website.  And learn more about the World Cetacean Alliance. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 16 - Patrick Dykstra, wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter

    Play Episode Play 59 sec Highlight Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 38:50


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Patrick Dykstra, wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter, who has for many years travelled the globe, diving with whales and learning more about their behaviours.  He tells us how seeing an exhibit of a blue whale at the Smithsonian Museum at the age of 16 inspired his love of whales and the ocean. And how he transited from being a corporate lawyer to becoming a wildlife filmmaker and TV presenter. Patrick also talks about his work as a cinematographer on Blue Planet 2, and how he almost got hit by a humpback whale while filming! And he explains how his film, Patrick and the Whale, was prompted by a close encounter with a sperm whale in Dominica. You can find out more about Patrick's work on Instagram. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 15 - Terry Wolkowicz, Co-Founder and Educational Director of Sound Explorations

    Play Episode Play 45 sec Highlight Listen Later May 8, 2024 33:34


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Terry Wolkowicz, Co-Founder and Educational Director of non profit organisation Sound Explorations. Terry, who is based in New Bedford, Massachusetts, talks about the educational mission of the organisation. She also dives into one project in particular, Whales in Motion: A Musical and Sculptural Experience for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It combines tactile sculptures and live performance by musicians to facilitate blind and visually impaired people understanding and experiencing how whales move through the water and how they forage. Terry also chats about the work going on in her local area to help Northern Atlantic right whales migrating off the coast of Massachusetts,  and the children's book she co-wrote with colleague David McKenzie called 'Right Whale, Wrong Letter'. She also describes having the opportunity to help researchers to tag humpback whales and how that experience deeply changed her. You can find out more about the work of Sound Explorations on their website, www.soundexplorations.org. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 14 - marine mammal biologist Dr Filipa Samarra

    Play Episode Play 60 sec Highlight Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 47:52


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is marine mammal biologist Dr Filipa Samarra, who is also the Founder and Lead Investigator of the Icelandic Orca Project.  Filipa shares what brought her from her native Portugal to Iceland and talks about her journey to becoming a marine biologist. She also describes getting hooked on orca sound communication and chats about why we're so fascinated by orca as a species. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 13 - Naomi Rose, senior scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute

    Play Episode Play 52 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 18, 2024 47:08


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Naomi Rose, senior scientist (marine mammal biology) for the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington D.C. and marine mammal protection advocate.  Naomi talks about her path into studying marine mammals and her particular love of orcas. As a co-author of The Case Against Marine Mammals in Captivity report, Naomi explains that the body of science has grown over the years about whales and dolphins, along with other marine mammals, that are kept in captivity. She chats also about the 'Blackfish Effect', which happened following the release of the groundbreaking documentary and her memories of visiting Tokitae, the orca who was kept for 53 years at Miami Seaquarium. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 12 - David C. Holroyd, dolphin trainer turned animal rights activist

    Play Episode Play 33 sec Highlight Listen Later Dec 7, 2023 43:16


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is David C. Holroyd, dolphin trainer turned animal activist. Manchester-born David shares the unexpected way that he became a dolphin show presenter and, soon after, a trainer in the 1970s. He also talks about the special connection he developed with two bottlenose dolphins, Herbie and Duchess, and why he has been campaigning for many years to make sure whale and dolphin shows around the world are shut down forever. He also explains the Atlantean mind connection with dolphins and what that feels like. David and his sister Tracy have written The Perfect Pair Dolphin Trilogy,  a true story and a damning exposé of the captive cetacean industry. You can buy a copy at the links below: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08XKLNF3Y?ref_=dbs_p_pwh_rwt_anx_b_lnk&storeType=ebookshttps://www.theperfectpairdolphintrilogy.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.htmlhttps://www.kobo.com/gb/en/search?query=David+C+HolroydFind out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 11 - Billy Heaney, zoologist, wildlife presenter and filmmaker

    Play Episode Play 57 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 32:34


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Billy Heaney, zoologist, wildlife presenter and filmmaker. Billy talks about his path to becoming a zoologist, his time spent researching grey seals in Cornwall, and his film 'In Search of the Killer Whale' which captures a pretty spontaneous trip he and two friends made to see orcas in the wild in Iceland. He also chats about his work with Whale and Dolphin Conservation's campaign 'EndCaptivityForever'. While dolphinariums have been closed in the UK since 1993, they aren't actually illegal in the country. The campaign seeks to make them illegal, meaning they can never happen again. Billy also talks about ending whaling and the need for more ocean sanctuaries for whales and dolphins. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 10 - Dr Vanessa Pirotta, wildlife scientist and science communicator

    Play Episode Play 45 sec Highlight Listen Later Aug 15, 2023 31:30


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Dr Vanessa Pirotta, wildlife scientist and science communicator. Vanessa talks about how the film Free Willy inspired her (and a generation of marine scientists) to get involved in working with whales. She also chats about the work she does with a citizen science marine programme in Australia and her fascinating research work focusing on whale snot and using drones. The conversation also delves into southern right whales and Migaloo, the famous albino whale! Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 9 - Finn van der Aar, marine scientist and sustainability expert

    Play Episode Play 50 sec Highlight Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 29:24


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Finn van der Aar. She is a marine scientist, sustainability expert and bestselling author. Finn tells us about growing up close to the ocean in Ireland, her love of surfing (including an epic experience when a bottlenose dolphin surfed alongside!) and why she thinks we connect so deeply with whales and dolphins. She also talks to us about research into marine noise pollution and what can be done to reduce the noise, for the health and wellbeing of marine mammals. Finn also fills us on her upcoming book, a novel that's been informed by her real life experiences at sea!Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 8 - Hanne Strager, biologist and whale researcher

    Play Episode Play 58 sec Highlight Listen Later May 17, 2023 42:47


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Hanne Strager, biologist, whale researcher and author of the recently published book The Killer Whale Journals: Our Love and Fear of Orcas Hanne tells us about her early interest in animals and also how she ended up volunteering to cook on a small fishing boat in northern Norway and how that decided what the rest of her life would be about. She also shares some of the insights and impressions she gained on her travels over the years to learn more about orcas and the relationships that people have with them. This included travels in Australia, Greenland and to the black market 'whale jails' in the Russian wilderness of Kamchatka. Hanne also talks about some of the close encounters she's had with orcas and the intriguing connection that humans have with the whale species. "They are mammals just like us - they live in family groups, they take care of their young, they are affectionate, they are playful," she says."There are so many things that I think we recognise from ourselves and still their life is just so different because they live in the sea - it's dark, it's cold, it's hard to understand what kind of life it is and that dichotomy that it's both something we recognise and it's something that's very foreign, I think is part of what makes them so intriguing."Hanne's book is available now. You can find out more about Hanne's work on her website.Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 7 - Nadea Nabilla, Co-founder of Azura Indonesia

    Play Episode Play 58 sec Highlight Listen Later Apr 19, 2023 26:01


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Nadea Nabilla, Co-founder of Azura Indonesia. The initiative focuses on converting traditional Indonesian fishing boats to being 100% solar powered, which is more sustainable, environmentally friendly and cost effective than using combustible engines. Nadea, who first studied electronic engineering, is also a passionate advocate for our ocean, and has a huge love of scuba diving. You can find out more about Nadea's work on Instagram. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 6 - Jennifer Lonsdale, co-founder of the Environmental Investigation Agency

    Play Episode Play 58 sec Highlight Listen Later Mar 29, 2023 38:56


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Jennifer Lonsdale.Jennifer is a co-founder of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), an international NGO that investigates and campaigns against environmental crime and abuse.Jennifer has close to 40 years' experience working in the field, particularly focused on and leading the organisation's Ocean Campaign. In 2016, she was awarded an OBE for services to the environment, particularly the protection of whales and dolphins. Amongst the topics, Jennifer talks about how her early childhood in Uganda informed her love of wildlife, how she got involved in witnessing and documenting whale hunts in Norway and the Faroe Islands and how the investigative work of the EIA has helped to create public awareness and to effect change.You can find out more about EIA's work on its website.Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 5 - Alex Lewis, co-founder of Fins and Fluke

    Play Episode Play 42 sec Highlight Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 24:55


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Alex Lewis. Alex is a co-founder of Fins and Fluke, a cetacean advocacy non-profit established in 2012 which particularly focuses attention on the plight of captive whales and dolphins. Amongst the topics, Alex talks about how watching the documentary The Cove moved her to become an anti captivity activist for whales and dolphins and how social media is a valuable tool to spread the word about the plight of captive cetaceans. She also chats about how marine parks in the U.S. are seeing their entry numbers drop, as public sentiment continues to change. And she says, "I cannot wait to see them close their doors forever!"You can find out more about Fins and Fluke's work on its Facebook and Instagram pages:https://www.facebook.com/FinsAndFlukehttps://www.instagram.com/finsandfluke/Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 4 - Femke den Haas, Indonesia Campaigns Director for Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project

    Play Episode Play 33 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 31, 2023 27:47


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Femke den Haas, Indonesia Campaign Director for Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project.Amongst the topics, Femke talks about being fascinated by dolphins and any creatures living in the ocean whilst growing up, her work with wildlife rescue groups around the world and the important rehabilitation and rescue work for dolphins taking place in Indonesia. You can find out more about Femke and her colleagues' work on the Dolphin Project website. Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 3 - Mariano Sironi, Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas

    Play Episode Play 48 sec Highlight Listen Later Dec 15, 2022 31:59


    Our guest for this episode of The WeWhale Pod is Dr Mariano Sironi, Scientific Director of the Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas (ICB) and marine biologist. The Instituto is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Argentina with the purpose of protecting whales and their environment through research and education.  Amongst the topics, Mariano talks about the Southern Right Whale research programme that began in the Peninsula Valdes in 1971, what drew him to working with whales and some of his memorable interactions with whales over the years.You can find out more about Mariano and his colleagues' work on the Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas website.Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 2 - marine biologist Áine-lisa Shannon

    Play Episode Play 24 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 30, 2022 26:55


    Marine biologist and science communicator Áine-lisa Shannon joins us for a chat in this episode of The WeWhale Pod. Amongst the topics, Áine-lisa talks about how she connected with the ocean growing up in the West of Ireland and how there has definitely been a lot more public awareness of ocean sustainability and cetaceans in the last few years. And why you'll always find her by the sea, whether that's scuba diving, kayaking, surfing (which she says she isn't great at but enjoys!) or just reading a book.You can find out more about Áine-lisa's work on her Instagram page.Find out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

    Episode 1 - Harry Eckman, CEO of the World Cetacean Alliance

    Play Episode Play 17 sec Highlight Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 29:56


    Harry Eckman, CEO of the World Cetacean Alliance, joins us for a chat for the first episode of the WeWhale Pod. Harry is an international animal welfare specialist with more than 20 years' experience and has been CEO Of the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) since May 2021. The WCA is a non-profit organisation whose vision is "a world where cetaceans are free, where oceans thrive, and where communities care." Amongst the topics, Harry talks to us about his path into working in animal welfare and protection, the varied work of the World Cetacean Alliance, the greatest threats to whales and how we can work together to ensure they are protected and free in our oceans.You can find out more about the WCA's work at worldcetaceanalliance.orgFind out more about WeWhale at wewhale.co and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

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