One population, one mission

Save the Iberian Orca Campaign

The Save the Iberian Orca campaign, launched in 2024 by the WeWhale Association in collaboration with Iberian Orca Guardians and Sea Shepherd France, is dedicated to the protection and long-term monitoring of the critically endangered Iberian orca population. Through fieldwork, research and community engagement, we work to secure a future for the Iberian orca in the Strait of Gibraltar, Gulf of Cádiz and beyond.

Orcas don't know borders. Neither should their protection

Iberian orcas don’t know political borders. Throughout the year, they move across different areas of the Iberian Peninsula and the Atlantic, including waters off Spain, Portugal and France. Protecting this population requires an international, coordinated approach.Much of our fieldwork currently takes place in Southern Spain, in the areas where orcas are seasonally present. At the same time, we are actively expanding our work into Portugal, building new capacity for monitoring, education, awareness and conservation. We remain open to future partnerships across the wider range of the Iberian orca.

Objective 1

REDUCING INTERACTIONS

Real-time monitoring and navigation guidance to help vessels and orcas share these waters safely.

Objective 2

SCIENTIFIC DATA

Photo-ID, acoustic recordings and behavioural data to understand this population and the pressures it faces.

Objective 3

RAISING AWARENESS

Outreach, media work and education to build a more respectful relationship with the ocean.

1. FOSTERING COEXISTENCE

Guiding safer passage

During navigation, we contact sailors directly to inform them of orca presence and share recommendations based on official data. We record details such as boat name, home port and destination, vessel length and hull colour, any orca interaction and crew response, damage observed or reported, sailors’ awareness of recent incidents and their sources of information, and any preventive measures carried on board.

2. EYES AND EARS ON THE WATER

Every sighting tells a story

During every field day, our team records cetacean sightings and behaviour using photo-identification, acoustic recordings and underwater video. This data helps us build a long-term picture of the population: how many individuals remain, how they move through the Strait of Gibraltar and Gulf of Cádiz, and how they interact with each other and with vessels. We also document other marine megafauna and human pressures such as drifting fishing gear and plastic debris.

3. EDUCATION IS CONSERVATION

Changing the story, one person at a time

Protecting the Iberian orca doesn’t only happen at sea. We run school visits, workshops and public events for students and coastal communities, and collaborate with universities on research and conservation initiatives. Through these activities, we help children, sailors and local communities understand who the Iberian orca really is, why they’re threatened, and how we can share these waters responsibly.

Who is behind Save the Iberian Orca?

WeWhale Association

It leads conservation, research, education and communication work related to the Iberian orca, and is one of the organisations driving the campaign. The Save the Iberian Orca campaign was launched by Janek Andre, founder of WeWhale and the Iberian Orca Guardians Foundation.

Iberian Orca Guardians Foundation

Founded by orca advocate and singer Sarah Connor and Janek Andre, Iberian Orca Guardians is a German foundation dedicated entirely to this population. Alongside WeWhale, it forms the backbone of the campaign, sustaining our fieldwork and conservation efforts on the water.

Sea Shepherd France

Joining the campaign in 2024, Sea Shepherd France brings decades of experience in marine conservation and direct action. Their involvement strengthens our presence at sea, while raising international visibility for the Iberian orca and the threats this population faces.

The Team

Janek Andre

Founder of WeWhale and Co-Founder of the Iberian Orca Guardians Foundation

Driven by his passion for cetaceans, Janek moved to southern Spain, where he founded WeWhale and launched the Save the Iberian Orca campaign in collaboration with Sea Shepherd France. His work focuses on protecting whales and dolphins while promoting a more sustainable, responsible and educational approach to whale watching, based on low-impact practices and non-invasive research.

Dr. Cristina Otero Sabio

Scientific Head

Since graduating in Biology in 2014, Cristina has dedicated her career to the study of cetaceans. She began as a whale watching guide in the Strait of Gibraltar, where she carried out photo-id studies on the Iberian orca. Later, she pursued an international Erasmus Mundus master in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and after that a PhD in cetacean cell biology and ecotoxicology at the University of Padua. She has participated in numerous cetacean surveys with various organisations and is now based in the Strait of Gibraltar, where she works with the WeWhale Association and Iberian Orca Guardians. Alongside her scientific work, she is also a photographer and watercolourist, combining art and science as her main professional paths.

Alexandra Johnston

Field Assistant, Communicator

With over 10 years’ experience specialising in cetacean protection. For the past decade she has worked with the non profit Dolphin Project, leading campaigns in Taiji, Japan to end dolphin hunts and helping release formerly captive dolphins at the sanctuary in Bali and worked with the critically endangered southern resident killer whales. She is now also collaborating with WeWhale and Iberian Orca Guardians, advocating for the critically endangered Iberian orca population. Alongside conservation Alexandra uses film and media to connect people with the sea. Her latest documentary, Orca in the Arctic, is streaming internationally and was selected for the International Ocean Film Tour Festival.

Vicente Cancho López

Skipper

Vicente has dedicated over 30 years to working on and with the ocean. As a diving instructor, he has travelled the world, exploring underwater environments and sharing his knowledge with others. His lifelong passion for the sea and its remarkable inhabitants has now brought him to the Iberian Orca Guardians.