The IWC Scientific Committee has published the report of its 2026 meeting. Topics vary from management plans & status assessments for individual populations to mitigation of global threats such as vessel strikes and marine pollution. Read it here archive.iwc.int?r=22706

Last week I co-organised a full-day #vesselstrikes workshop at #ECS2026 in Dundee 🐋 Huge thanks to my co-organisers Natacha Aguilar de Soto and MMAG's @damianfoxall, and to all our speakers and participants for a rich and energising day. More to come! @iwc_int

IWC Call for Proposals: new research programme on potential impacts of offshore renewable energy on cetaceans. The 5-yr partnership with Australian Govt will address range of potential impacts. Deadline for applications is 27/3/26. Details/applications: iwc.int/management-and-conse…

The @iwc_int and the @UCSBenioffOcean co-hosted a workshop @IMOHQ to tackle one of the most complex threats whales face around the world: vessel strikes. Day one focused on a critical challenge: differing regional risk assessment methods make it hard to compare threats and set global priorities. Experts explored metrics and methods that could bring greater consistency and coherence to vessel strike risk assessments, which are now being written up as guidance to be presented to the IWC Scientific Committee in April 2026. Days two and three brought scientists, policymakers, and shipping industry representatives together to explore mitigation measures, regional case studies, incentive programs, and practical pathways for implementation. By bringing together expertise across sectors and regions, we're building shared understanding and identifying practical next steps to protect whales worldwide. 🌍🐋

Check out @_laurapalmer93 work on testing the acoustic adaptation hypothesis in Shark Bay’s bottlenose dolphins #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Interested in the epigenetics of a culturally transmitted foraging behaviour? Find out more at @DanPapageorgiou poster #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

How do dolphins use vocal signals when cooperating? Check out @kenziermeier poster to find out more #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

How does reproductive state influence female response to playbacks of male signature whistles? Go see @Alice_Bchrd poster to find out #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Last minute team changes mean we have a position open at short notice. Starts mid-Jan, application deadline Nov 21, costs covered & small stipend. DM for any questions - it’ll be full-on algae fishing fun times!!! Pls RT

Very exciting talk by @RiccardoCiccia1 presenting the first validation of UAV measures of volumetric body condition indices for investigating bioenergetics in wild bottlenose dolphins #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Fabulous talk by @ManuelaBizzozz3 using remote sensing data and environmental DNA to study the ecology and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 @UZH_en

Kelly Jaakkola from @DolphinResearch presenting our work on recruitment and cooperative intent in bottlenose dolphins #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

So proud of all our team for presenting their research on the Shark Bay dolphins at #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 🐬🐬🐬

Stunning plenary by Mauricio Cantor on why cooperation matters for dolphins and fishers, and why we should safeguard cultural human-dolphin cooperative fishing #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Wonderful plenary by @EllenGarland4 on the cultural basis of humpback whale song. Such elegant work! #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 @_SMRU_

Great talk by @PernilleMS on the function of vocal synchrony in allied male bottlenose dolphins - playback experiments provide support for the social bonding hypothesis #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 @BristolBioSci

Fantastic new insight into motor synchrony by @sam_hc_7 - synchronous displays strengthen social bonds in allied male dolphins #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 @BristolBioSci

Super cool talk by @EmmaChereskin using AI deep learning tacking to understand interaction rules among allied male dolphins in a cooperative context #PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024 @BristolBioSci

Incredible plenary by our very own Prof Richard Connor @DolphinAlliance - on the multi-level alliances in Shark Bay and our research over the last 40 years - you can’t beat Richard’s enthusiasm and knowledge of dolphin behavioural ecology ❤️#PerthSMM2024 #SMM2024

Looking forward to seeing the Shark Bay dolphins @ResearchDolphin in this new series! 🐬🐬🐬