AWI Quarterly Articles | Marine Wildlife

Since 2014, AWI has supported the work of Dolphinaria-Free Europe (DFE), a coalition of European NGOs who work to help the approximately 300 whales, dolphins, and porpoises held for display and research in the European...

The 6 th edition of The Case Against Marine Mammals in Captivity (CAMMIC), published by the Animal Welfare Institute and World Animal Protection, was unveiled in July. Since its 1 st edition in 1995, this...

Vessel strikes continue to be one of the leading threats facing critically endangered North Atlantic right whales (NARW). Slowing down vessels is the only proven way to avoid these deadly strikes: Reducing vessel speeds to...

In May, scientists conducted a survey in the Upper Gulf of California, looking for the world’s most endangered cetacean: the vaquita. Equipped with powerful binoculars and hydrophones, trained observers sought to detect the elusive species...

David Kirby, an award-winning investigative journalist, died on April 16 at the age of 62, after a series of health setbacks that began in late January after a fall. David had been active in the...

In September 2021, AWI, along with the Center for Biological Diversity and VIVA Vaquita, petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list the Atlantic humpback dolphin as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)...

In August 2022, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published a positive 90-day finding regarding a petition from the sea urchin fishery in California to remove the southern sea otter subspecies (also known as...

The Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) met in Bled, Slovenia, in May. At these intense, annual two-week working meetings, up to 200 international cetacean biologists and policy experts discuss a broad range...

In March 2023, after nearly 20 years of planning and negotiations, governments of the world agreed to the final text of the High Seas Treaty (HST). The treaty establishes important rules to protect the “high...

Tropical rays occupy important roles in benthic ecosystems, as their foraging behaviors contribute to soft sediment turnover, which makes food available and creates microhabitats for other species. The Mesoamerican Reef (MAR), from the northern tip...