Whale and Dolphin Conservation

What Whale and Dolphin Conservation does

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) is a UK-registered non-profit charity founded in 1987, headquartered in Chippenham, Wiltshire, and self-described as the leading global charity dedicated to the protection of whales and dolphins. The organization operates across four countries (UK, USA, Australia, Germany) with regional offices and dedicated websites, focusing on a portfolio of campaign areas: stopping whaling (Norway, Japan, Iceland), ending dolphin hunts, ending captivity, and creating healthy seas through bycatch prevention, vessel strike reduction, pollution mitigation, and habitat protection. WDC runs the Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay as a visitor and education destination, the Shorewatch citizen-science program, school and family educational resources, and the Games for Waves digital entertainment initiative.

WDC's product surface is engagement-based rather than technology-based. Core offerings include tiered adoption programs for named individual whales and dolphins (monthly, annual, and one-off donations priced from £6/month or £60/year to £90/year), general donations, the Whale & Dolphin Magazine, and retail merchandise through WDC Shop and Teemill. A wholly-owned subsidiary, WDC (Trading) Limited, handles retail, corporate partnerships, and a weekly lottery/raffle, with all profits covenanted back to the charity. WDC (Trading) Limited also structures corporate partnerships, while charitable trust and foundation grants (including Garfield Weston Foundation, Arcus Foundation, John Ellerman Foundation, and 20+ others) and statutory funding (European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Scottish Natural Heritage) round out the revenue mix.

The business model is a diversified charity fundraising operation with no proprietary technology platform, no software products, and no AI/ML capabilities. Marketing and distribution run through a multi-channel digital footprint (email newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google Ads remarketing, SEO) plus the Scottish Dolphin Centre retail location. Leadership is led by CEO Chris Butler-Stroud. WDC does not disclose revenue and operates as a single unified charitable organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Name

Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Legal name

Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Website

https://uk.whales.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) is a UK-registered charity founded in 1987 that operates as the leading global non-profit dedicated to protecting whales and dolphins through campaigns, lobbying, research, education, and rescue, serving individual supporters, charitable trusts, and corporate partners across the UK, USA, Australia, and Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Wildlife Conservation Charity

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Rescue, Transport & Emergency Animal Response (BPAGAIAB), Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Marine conservation charity
• Whale and dolphin protection
• Wildlife conservation advocacy
• Animal adoption programs
• Ocean conservation campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Chippenham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Adoptions: WDC generates primary revenue through one-off and recurring donations, as well as adoption programs where supporters pay to symbolically adopt a whale or dolphin. Adoption packs include certificates, magazines, and updates about the adopted individual.
2. Retail Sales: WDC (Trading) Limited sells goods through its shop at the Scottish Dolphin Centre and online Teemill store (organic clothing). All profits are passed to WDC.
3. Corporate Partnerships: WDC enters into corporate partnership agreements with businesses that share their passion and values. These partnerships provide funding support for conservation work.
4. Raffle and Lottery: WDC runs a weekly lottery and raffle through WDC (Trading) Limited to generate additional revenue for conservation activities.
5. Charitable Trusts and Foundations: WDC receives grants from charitable trusts and foundations including Alpkit Foundation, Arcus Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, and others to fund specific conservation projects and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

WDC is a UK-registered conservation charity that protects whales and dolphins through campaigns, lobbying, advising governments, conservation projects, field research, rescue, and education. Its commercially structured offerings include symbolic animal adoption programs (monthly, annual, and one-off tiers), one-off and recurring donations, retail merchandise, the Scottish Dolphin Centre visitor experience, educational resources, and citizen science programs. All activities are funded through donations, adoptions, retail sales, corporate partnerships, and grants from charitable trusts and foundations.

Product overview

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) operates as a conservation charity offering a portfolio of engagement products including adoption programs for named individual whales and dolphins (with tiered donation options of monthly, annual, or one-off), general donations, publications (Whale & Dolphin Magazine), and retail merchandise. The organization runs the Scottish Dolphin Centre as a visitor destination and conducts multiple campaign programs focused on stopping whaling, ending dolphin hunts, creating healthy seas, and ending captivity. Additional offerings include citizen science (Shorewatch), educational resources, and Games for Waves digital entertainment. WDC functions as a single unified charitable organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, with products primarily serving individual supporters through donations and engagement rather than commercial software offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scottish Dolphin Centre: A world-class visitor centre on the mouth of the River Spey providing opportunities to learn about the marine environment and dolphins, with facilities including free entry, free parking, café, wildlife tours, education centre, and shop.

Products and services

• Adopt a Whale Sponsorship program allowing supporters to adopt named individual whales with tiered donation options (monthly, annual, or one-off), receiving adoption packs, certificates, and magazine subscriptions. Targeted at individual supporters who care about whale conservation.
• Adopt a Dolphin Sponsorship program allowing supporters to adopt named individual dolphins (Rainbow, Charlie, Indigo, Spirit) with tiered donation options including monthly, annual, or one-off payments, adoption packs, certificates, and magazine subscriptions. Aimed at individual supporters seeking tangible engagement with dolphin conservation.
• Donations One-off and recurring monetary donations supporting WDC's conservation work, with donation options ranging from £3 monthly to £50 one-off, processed via PayPal or Stripe. Available to individual supporters and other donors.
• Scottish Dolphin Centre World-class visitor centre at Spey Bay, Moray, offering free entry, wildlife tours, education centre, cafe, shop, and volunteering opportunities from April to November. Serves families, tourists, school groups, and conservation-minded visitors.
• WDC Shop Online and physical merchandise store selling organic clothing and goods (including an online Teemill store), with profits supporting WDC's conservation work. Targeted at individual supporters and the general public.
• Shorewatch Scotland-based volunteer citizen science program where trained watchers monitor and report cetacean sightings from designated coastal cliff sites. Provides structured engagement for volunteers and field data to support cetacean conservation in Scotland.
• Educational Resources Educational materials and programs for schools and children, including the Kidzone section, supporting ocean conservation education. Designed for teachers, schools, and families engaging children in marine conservation.
• Games for Waves Video games and interactive digital entertainment supporting whale and dolphin conservation efforts, targeting supporters and gamers who want to engage with marine conservation through play.
• Weekly Lottery and Raffle Weekly lottery and raffle run through WDC (Trading) Limited at lottery.whales.org, used as a fundraising mechanism for individual supporters.
• Whale & Dolphin Magazine Quarterly print and digital magazine featuring conservation news, species information, and WDC updates, included with adoption packs or available with donations of £30 or more. Distributed to individual supporters.
• Corporate Partnerships Corporate partnership agreements negotiated with businesses sharing WDC's environmental values, providing funding support for conservation work. Targeted at companies seeking CSR and brand alignment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80-90% reduction in fatal ship strikes along US east coast through petitioned seasonal speed limits
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Massachusetts Environmental PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2026Collaborated with WDC of North America and Winthrop Harbormaster to respond to a juvenile humpback whale stranding in Winthrop, Massachusetts.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2026Working with WDC to investigate whale strandings and conduct necropsies. NOAA has flagged East Coast whale strandings since 2016 as unusual mortality events.
• 1% FOR THE PLANETminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWDC is an Environmental Partner of 1% FOR THE PLANET, an organization where members commit to giving 1% of sales to environmental causes.
• Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWDC participates in the Sanctuary's small boater working group to reduce vessel strikes in the Sanctuary.
• Whale SENSE Program PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWDC works with commercial whale watching companies along the US east coast and Alaska through the Whale SENSE program to promote responsible whale watching practices.
• Wildlife and Countryside LinkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWDC supported the Wildlife and Countryside Link report on wildlife deaths in UK commercial fishing, revealing the devastating bycatch toll on marine wildlife.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ocean Conservancy: US-based ocean protection organization running science-driven campaigns on threats to marine wildlife including bycatch and vessel strikes. Comparable to WDC's evidence-led approach to marine mammal threats.
• The Wildlife Trusts: Federation of 46 UK wildlife charities focused on wildlife protection and habitat conservation. Comparable as a UK-headquartered, supporter-funded conservation charity with education, volunteering, and policy programmes.
• Oceana: Global ocean-focused advocacy organization running policy campaigns on bycatch, whaling, and habitat protection. Closely comparable to WDC's policy, lobbying, and science-based marine advocacy work.
• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: International marine conservation NGO focused on defending whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife through direct-action campaigns. Direct peer of WDC given shared cetacean protection mission and global advocacy model.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global animal welfare and conservation NGO with marine animal protection programmes. Comparable to WDC in international structure, donation-driven funding, and advocacy for marine mammal welfare.
• Marine Conservation Society: UK-based charity protecting marine wildlife, seas, and shorelines through campaigns, science, and supporter engagement. Highly comparable to WDC in mission, UK base, and donor-driven campaigning model.
• Sea Watch Foundation: UK marine charity dedicated to the conservation and monitoring of whales, dolphins, and porpoises through citizen science. Closely comparable to WDC's Shorewatch programme and cetacean research focus.
• Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT): UK wildlife charity running visitor centres, conservation breeding, and wetland habitat programmes. Comparable to WDC's Scottish Dolphin Centre model and supporter-funded, education-led wildlife mission.

Broad incumbents

• WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature): Largest global conservation NGO with broad species and habitat programmes including marine work. Comparable to WDC as a UK-based international charity, but operates across all species rather than specialising in cetaceans.
• Greenpeace: Global environmental campaigning organisation running marine protection campaigns alongside climate and forestry work. Comparable in donor-driven campaigning model but covers a much broader environmental agenda than WDC's cetacean focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/whalesorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/whalesorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whale-and-dolphin-conservation
• Instagraminstagram.com/whalesorg
• TikToktiktok.com/@whalesorg
• Xx.com/whales_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Whale and Dolphin Conservation