On the 28th of June, the organization “Orca Guardians Iceland” was launched.

On the 28th of June, the organization “Orca Guardians Iceland” was launched. 

Orca Guardians Iceland is the first Icelandic conservation nonprofit of its kind, dedicated specifically to the protection of orcas in the waters around Iceland. Orca Guardians Iceland unites international, national and local experts from a variety of fields (e.g., marine biology, environmental psychology, and tourism, to name only a few) in the effort of preventively protecting Icelandic orcas. 

The research done is entirely non-invasive and includes the only orca ID project running all-year-round in Iceland and on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula (since 2014). The nonprofit values killer whales as individuals with unique character traits, and promotes respectful and mindful encounters with them. One of the conservation tasks is, therefore, to develop a species-specific code of conduct for killer whale encounters on the water. This code of conduct is developed in cooperation with IceWhale and will be promoted not only to whale watching companies, but also to private boaters and fishermen in known orca areas. 

For people who would like to contribute and learn more about individual orcas that can be seen around West Iceland, there is a virtual adoption program on the website, where people can choose an orca and get to know “their” orca through pictures and a profile of the individual that comprises encounters during the last three years, and explains about group structures, travel patterns, and special behavioral observations.                      You can find a lot more information at: www.orcaguardians.org