IUCN - News Archive

WGWAP shares lessons learnt at IUCN World Conservation Congress

2012-09-18

During IUCN’s World Conservation Congress held in Jeju, South Korea, conservation of the critically endangered population of western gray whales was on the agenda. The IUCN Marine and Polar Programme (GMPP), Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (SEIC) and IUCN’s Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP) convened a workshop on September 9th, 2012 entitled “Business and IUCN Join Forces: Lessons learned from Western Gray Whale Conservation”.

IUCN and Sakhalin Energy continue joint efforts to protect whales

2012-01-09

IUCN, whale experts and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (Sakhalin Energy) are starting a second 5-year phase (2012-2016) of joint collaboration to protect the endangered population of western gray whales. Through this collaboration, a credible mechanism has been created in the last 5 years to reduce impacts of oil and gas development in the vicinity of Sakhalin Island, in northeastern Russia.

Endangered whales are crossing the Pacific

2012-01-09

Two female western gray whales, Agent and Varvara, left the coast of Russia late last year and are now half-way across the Gulf of Alaska. For the second consecutive year, an international team of scientists successfully tagged endangered whales off Sakhalin Island and the team is now tracking the animals via satellite.

Following Flex - the western gray whale

2011-05-02

Meet Flex. Flex belongs to the highly threatened population of western gray whales. He has been tagged by satellite and tracked by scientists in the hope to discover the migration routes of the species and ways to better protect it from threats such as accidental entanglement in fishing gear, underwater noise and exposure to spilled oil.

Western gray whale makes unexpected journey

2011-02-17

In October 2010, a team of scientists from Russia and the United States satellite tagged a western gray whale off Sakhalin Island, Russia. This is the first individual from the Critically Endangered western gray whale population to be tagged and tracked using telemetry. This whale, nicknamed Flex by researchers, has now been successfully tracked for over four months, revealing its long and unexpected migration route.

New oil platform off Sakhalin – whale scientists will have a say

2011-01-07

The oil and gas company Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (Sakhalin Energy) announced on December 4th its intention to begin planning for construction of a third offshore oil and gas platform in the Piltun-Astokh field along the coast of Sakhalin Island, eastern Russia. As this platform would be located near the primary feeding ground of the endangered western gray whale population, Sakhalin Energy requested the advice of an independent panel of scientists, convened by IUCN, to minimize risks to the whale population.

International scientists track endangered whale to discover breeding grounds

2010-12-02

A team of scientists from Russia and the United States has successfully tagged and is tracking by satellite an individual from one of the world’s most endangered whale populations – a western gray whale - off the coast of Russia’s Sakhalin Island. IUCN has been involved in the tagging and tracking process, providing scientific advice and logistical support.

Saving western gray whales: Ask your questions before 6 December!

2010-11-26

Business has joined forces with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to protect the critically endangered western gray whale population. You are invited to send us your questions on this unique collaboration to save the whales.

Endangered whales at risk from rush to exploit offshore oil and gas in Russian Far East

2010-08-03

In 1974 the western North Pacific population of gray whales was thought to be extinct. Thankfully, to quote Mark Twain, news of its demise was “exaggerated” but sadly, not “greatly exaggerated”. Today, a slowly growing population, numbering perhaps 130, visits the northeastern coast of Russia’s Sakhalin Island each summer to feed. This population is imminently threatened unless the Russian Government postpones a planned seismic survey.

IWC greatly concerned about Russian oil exploration impacts on Western Gray Whales

2010-06-25

At the International Whaling Commission (IWC) annual meeting in Agadir, Morocco, scientists warned that a seismic survey planned off Sakhalin Island by the Russian petroleum company Rosneft could seriously threaten the critically endangered Western Gray Whale population.

Seismic threat to Critically Endangered whales

2010-05-24

A seismic survey planned by the Russian petroleum company Rosneft in summer 2010 poses a major threat to the Critically Endangered Western Gray Whale population. In a letter to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Julia Marton-Lefèvre, urges the Russian government to intervene to postpone the seismic survey and prevent a serious setback for animal conservation.

Can scientists and oil consortium save endangered whales?

2010-04-23

Survival and recovery of the Western Gray Whale population depends on continued and strengthened collaboration among scientists, governments and industry. The 8th meeting of the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel, held in Geneva on 16-18 April 2010, promoted this crucial multi-stakeholder dialogue and led to the development of new recommendations to minimize industry impacts on endangered whales.

Dead western gray whale found at Sakhalin

2009-10-25

A western gray whale carcass was found washed ashore at Chaivo Bay, Sakhalin Island, by a local hunter in early September.

Panel strongly concerned about industry’s negative impact on whale

2009-06-25

Significant changes in the distribution and behaviour of whales was noted in the 2008 feeding season off Sakhalin Island. An independent panel of scientists has recommended a moratorium on all activities by oil and gas companies in eastern Russia that could adversely affect the western gray whale population.

IUCN welcomes reprieve for whales

2009-04-28

IUCN is delighted that Sakhalin Energy followed the advice of an expert panel and stopped all seismic surveys affecting the Western Gray Whale.

Stop all oil and gas activities that could harm Western Gray Whales, says panel

2009-04-24

An independent panel of scientists has recommended a moratorium on all activities by oil and gas companies in eastern Russia that could adversely affect the Western Gray Whale population.

Scientists concerned about Sakhalin Energy’s inadequate collaboration on whale conservation

2009-02-12

The 5th Report from the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP) published last week expressed strong concerns about Sakhalin Energy’s inadequate collaboration on whale conservation on the Sakhalin shelf in eastern Russia. The Sakhalin shelf is not only the location of one of the largest oil and gas developments in the world, but also the principal known feeding grounds for the critically endangered western gray whales.

Scientists send distress signal to Russian PM Vladimir Putin over oil project's threat to rare whales

2008-07-10

A panel of whale scientists convened by IUCN has addressed an open letter to the Russian Prime Minister to highlight the lack of transparency in oil operations off eastern Russia, which could seriously imact the already critically-endangered western gray whale population .

Scientists work with oil consortium to limit effects of seismic work on critically-endangered whale population

2008-06-30

A taskforce of whale and oil industry experts convened by IUCN have published a list of monitoring and mitigation measures aimed at minimising the impacts of a seismic survey off Sakhalin Island in eastern Russia scheduled for 2009.

Construct an oil pipeline next to gray whale feeding area? Think twice, warns independent panel of scientists

2008-05-07

Members of the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel, an independent scientific body convened by IUCN, have voiced their concern to Exxon Neftegaz Ltd. over plans to build an oil pipeline and an ice bridge across the Piltun Lagoon on the Sakhalin Island. The Lagoon is believed to be of crucial importance for the productivity of species on which western gray whales feed.