WEF

Who we are

Gaby Bellazzi

(Director Publicist)

Has been commited to marine conservation since 1996. She has stopped orca captures and trading for public display in Argentina, and promoted laws to protect marine mammals in our country.
Her dedicated workplaced Gaby in the list of the 15th outstanding Argentine women in a documentary by the National Ministry of Education.

 Marcelo Bertellotti

(Scientific Director)

Ph.D. in Marine Biology, this prestigeous scientist has been working in scientific research in Peninsula Valdes for the last 20 years.
He is principal researcher of the Patagonic National Research Center (CENPAT/CONICET), Professor of Conservation’s Biology at the Patagonic National University, and has been recently honoured as Professor Emeritus by the University Complutense of Madrid, Spain.

Alejandra Varisco

Veterinarian, specialized in wildlife rehabilitation, cetacean stranding and monitoring of mortallity events, her work actually is focussed on determining the health status of the southern right whale population in Peninsula Valdes.
She also participates as representative of WEF in the project Climate Change and Migratory Birds which includes national and european scientists.

 

 

María Pía Biondini

Veterinarian, specialized in penguins rehabilitation and stranded marine mammals first aid.

 

 

 

 

 

Diana Visintini

Professor, Whale Watching captain, Provincial Tourism Guide and writer, she is in charge of WEF’s Education Department.

 

Mision statement

Whale and dolphin conservation, protection of the marine environment and wildlife

Vision

To educate and raise awareness, promoting a respectful attitude between humans and nature. To promote laws and policies to ensure the protection of the marine environment and marine wildlife.

WEF was created on september the 21st 1998 by a group of professionals who joined their capacities for the service of marine conservation.
We share the passion for our mision and the determination to finish or at least lessen threatens faced by the marine wildlife and the coastal populations.
Although we work internationally level, WEF specially focusses at the conservation of Peninsula Valdes, cooperating with authorities and getting residents and companies involved in the conservation of our natural ressources.

From our organization we have promoted national and regional laws to stop marine mammals hunting and live captures, and we have actively participated in the creation of the new Whale Watching regulations.

Internationally speaking, we work for the Dolphin Safe Tuna program that monitors the tuna fisheries all over the world avoiding dolphin mortality

Since 2001 we’re working with the Free Willy Keiko Foundation to avoid orca trading and captures for public display

Our team works in Peninsula Valdes the 365 days of the year, studying the agressive interaction of kelp gulls that attack the southern right whales, and analyzing the lesions we recently discovered in the whales skin. We also monitor the health of the penguin colonies and the impact of the tourism in Valdes wildlife.Our team have professionals specialized in acting at mortalityevents, and marine mammals live strandings

Our education program has already reached more than 20 thousand students all over the country visiting Peninsula Valdes during the past 4 years.

The program’s aim is to encourage students learn about our marine wildlife, conservation problems of whales and dolphins at a global level, and what actions they can project to help with the conservation of these animals and the planet.