Happy New Year and 2013 Year in Review

I hope you all have had a good 2013 and a Happy New Year!  I was just reflecting back on the year and thought I would invite you all into my crazy new world.

Around last March I started a new blog at http://oceanadvocatefl.wordpress.com/.  At the same time, I got heavily involved in marine mammal conservation and ending captivity.  For a recap please visit my last post.

I would love to have you join me this year at the new blog, on Facebook or Twitter (links are in the post)
Let's make 2014 the end of cetacean captivity and the beginning of true conservation for our oceans!

Ocean Advocate has Moved!

I hope everyone is having a great time with the A-Z Challenge.  I appreciate those of you who stopped by to leave words of encouragement and for new followers.

After much thought I have decided to move Ocean Advocate to Wordpress.  I've had some minor problems with Blogger and I thought it was a good time for a fresh start anyway.  My first post is up and you can check it out here:  http://oceanadvocatefl.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/is-it-time-for-seaworld-to-move-away-from-the-whale-business/

Ocean Advocate will continue to bring news about marine life in Florida and around the world, as well as anti-captivity news.  I hope you will join me.

Don't forget to also "Like" Ocean Advocate on Facebook at:  http://www.facebook.com/oceanadvocatefl
and follow on Twitter @oceanadvocatefl

I'll see you there!

No A-Z for Me

Today starts that annual A to Z Challenge.  Are you ready?

Unfortunately I will not be participating after all this year.  I am in the middle of my latest project and there is just not enough time in the day.

Good luck to all you who are taking the challenge!  I hope 2013 is the best year ever.

Blackfish Premiere at Miami Film Festival

Blackfish-the Movie made it’s Florida premiere at Miami Film Festival on March 3, 2013.  Since reading the early buzz on the film I couldn’t wait to see it.   Growing up in the Orlando area, SeaWorld was always my favorite park to visit.  I was in awe of the beauty and power of the killer whales.  As so many others, I dreamed of being a whale trainer one day.  I could spend hours watching them and studying the every move of everyone who worked with them.  Little did I know what was happening behind the scenes.

Blackfish opens with the haunting 911 calls after Dawn Brancheau was brutally attacked and killed by Tillikum, SeaWorld’s now infamous killer whale.  The film proceeds to document a series of unfortunate events and early warning signs that were hidden and ignored for the purpose of greed. 

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite tastefully chooses to tell the story without the addition of sensationalism.  Using only original footage and personal interviews of former trainers who have worked with Tilikum and other whales at SeaWorld and other various marine parks, the story unfolds.   Cowperthwaite adds expert input from other professionals to pull together a clear picture of what happens behind the scenes and the long term impacts.

“Just the facts” is the format for Blackfish.  After seeing and hearing the facts, no one with a conscience could possibly visit SeaWorld in the same light again.  

Wrap up in Taiji

It has been relatively quiet in Taiji since my last post and the season officially ended on Monday.  

There was only 1 day of killing in the past 2 weeks.  On February 20 a pod of Risso dolphins were herded into the Cove and slaughtered.  This put the Japanese over their allotment by 7 Rissos.  Apparently, they didn't care.  For a group who has no respect for life, I'm not surprised.

On February 19, 2 Russian beluga whales have been brought to Taiji in a trade for 4 bottlenosed dolphins.  The beluga whales will be included in the collection of captive dolphins and whales in the Taiji Museum.  The dolphins were transported by truck this morning to their new destination.

It has been a sad season in Taiji but with increased awareness and pressure, hopefully more people in Japan and the rest of the world have a deeper understanding of the horrible actions that happen in The Cove.

This Week in Taiji and other opportunities

The killing continues in Taiji this week.

Last Thursday two separate pods of Pan Tropic Spotted dolphins, 47-49 total, were corralled 15 miles into the cove.  A total of 9 were taken captive:  4 went to the Taiji Dolphin Base and Dolphin Resort and the other 5 went to harbor sea pens.  Only 3 of these survived and the other 2 were taken to the butcherhouse along with the other 36-38.  Thrashing and screaming, the video footage is now archived at taiji.ezearth.tv

Friday through Sunday, there were no new pods brought in.  Instead of hunting, the dolphin killers assisted with the transfer of the 90 dolphins that were in sea pens waiting for their journey to captivity and built additional sea pens to hold more captive animals.

Monday, a large pod of 100-110 Striped dolphins were herded into the cove.  80-90 were slaughtered one by one while the remaining members of the pod swam in their blood awaiting their turn.  HORRIFIC!  Twenty of these were driven back out to sea, although their chance of survival is slim due to the stress they endured.

Yesterday a pod of 17 Risso dolphins were netted into the cove.  One drowned in the net before being noticed while the others were slaughtered.

Thankfully, today the boats remained in shore.  BLUE COVE DAY!

If any of you live in the Jacksonville area, Sea Shepherd is showing "Eco-Pirate:  The Story of Paul Watson" on Saturday night.  For more info, CLICK HERE

For anyone who is a fan of Paul, please consider signing this petition to help keep him safe.  Paul is the founder of Sea Shepherd and currently has 2 Interpol Red Notices against him:  One in Costa Rica and one in Japan.  These notices are politically motivated.  Paul is currently on board with the latest campaign in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary fighting Japanese whalers while filming the next season of Whale Wars.  This petition is requesting that the US not extradite him.  You do not have to be a US citizen to sign but you do need to complete a quick registration procedure.  You can find the petition HERE

If you live in the Miami area, check out the BLACKFISH screenings at Miami Film Festival March 3 and 10.  CLICK HERE for more details.  Tickets are now available.  

Don't forget to "Like" my Ocean Advocate Facebook page or Ocean Advocate on Twitter Here.  Thank you to new followers.  Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, do something, GET INVOLVED!

Blackfish - The Movie

BLACKFISH - the name given to killer whales by Native American fisherman and ...
A documentary directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite premiered at Sundance Film Festival at the end of January to rave reviews.  After it's first showing, Magnolia Films and CNN have already bought distribution rights.  The film will be widely distributed through Landmark Theaters around the country this summer and shown on CNN in the fall.  Soon after, the film was acquired by Madman to be released in Australia and New Zealand.

Blackfish starts with the capture of Tilikum, the 12,000 pound whale responsible for the 2010 death of Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando.  The capture is followed by Tilikum's violent history, including two other deaths, as well as video of other attacks by the whales at SeaWorld that were previously hidden by the park in an effort to preserve the captivity industry.  Former trainers report that they were also left in the dark about the dangers caused by Tilikum and the other whales.  It has been billed by Sundance as the film that exposes "the species cruel treatment in captivity" and the "growing disillusionment of workers who were misled and endangered by the highly profitable sea park industry".  

Next up, Blackfish will be shown at Miami Film Festival which runs March 1-10.  Check it out at 
http://www.miamifilmfestival.com/

Taiji update

The dolphin/whale hunt continues in Taiji.  This hunt started in September and continues through March.  The "fisherman" herd pods of dolphins into the cove by banging on the sides of their boats with long, metal pipes.  The dolphins are drawn closer to shore where they are netted into a small area.  Scared, hungry and often injured they are sometimes left for days.  Other times they are immediately killed or the young or "pretty" ones are picked for marine parks around the world, sold for up to $150,000 each.  Meat is sold for human consumption.  

This week, on January 31, 17 Pacific white-side dolphins were driven into the cove.  Ten, bloody and injured, were chosen for captivity while the other 7 were killed.  

On February 3, ten Risso dolphins were driven into the cove and killed for their meat.

Yesterday, a pod of 32 bottlenose dolphins were driven into the cove.  Eleven were taken captive while the other 21 were slaughtered.

This brings the total for the season to 740 killed and 240 captive.  320 have been released after originally being driven into the cove but many of them will die due to stress or injury.  Some juveniles were released after their mothers were killed.  They will likely not survive either.  There are still almost 2 months left of the hunt.

Outraged?  Do something.  There are advocacy groups all over fighting the hunt, starting with Ric O'Barry and Sea Shepherd.  Sign a petition.  Tell a friend.  With more people aware and pressuring the Japanese, maybe this will stop once and for all.  The majority of Japanese people either don't even know what's happening or they are afraid to speak out, but even a few have come forward this year.  


Don't forget to "Like" my Ocean Advocate Facebook page or Ocean Advocate on Twitter Here.  These pages are updated much more often with news from Taiji and other whale and dolphin news around the world that I don't have time to blog about.

Two Weeks of Torture in Taiji

I've been away from Blogger for the past couple weeks but the brutality in Taiji has continued in full force.

For those of you who are not familiar with the horror in Taiji, I try to report on the brutal slaughter and capture of dolphins in the hidden cove of Japan.  This hunt started in September and continues through March.  The "fisherman" herd pods of dolphins into the cove by banging on the sides of their boats with long, metal pipes.  The dolphins are drawn closer to shore where they are netted into a small area.  Scared, hungry and often injured they are sometimes left for days.  Other times they are immediately killed or the young or "pretty" ones are picked for marine parks around the world, sold for up to $150,000 each.  Meat is sold for human consumption.  

The past two weeks have been the most brutal since the season started.  

On Thursday, the 17th, a pod of 6 Risso dolphins were slaughtered quickly followed by 16 Striped dolphins.
The next day, 58-60 Striped dolphins were killed.

Sunday the 20th, 38 bottlenosed dolphins were driven into the cove.  13 were chosen for captivity, 1 drowned in the nets, and 24 were killed.
Monday 54-56 Pantropical spotted dolphins were driven in the cove.  24 were chosen for captivity, 2 others died of stress during the captivity captures and another became injured and was added to the remainder of the pod, all killed.
Tuesday, heavy rains brought reprieve for the dolphins while Taiji Action Day for Dolphins was celebrated.
Wednesday the hunt continued with 28-30 Pantropical Spotted dolphin were driven into the cove.  Fifteen were chosen for captivity to live in Taiji Whale Museum, Dolphin Base and Dolphin Resort Hotel.  All others were killed.
Thursday there were 30 Risso dolphins brought in.  One juvenile was chosen for captivity while he watched his family be slaughtered.  Friday, 14 more Rissos were skilled.
Saturday was another calm day before Sunday when 56-58 Risso dolphins were driven into the cove.  Twenty-six were slaughtered while the others were released back to sea 2 hours later.  By then, after watching the others killed and being netted in tight quarters, it is unlikely that they survived.
Thankfully this week there has not been any more killing or capture.

This was by far the worst couple weeks of the hunt, breaking records of previous years.
In just 2 weeks, 75 Rissos, 40-44 Pantropic Spotted, 74-76 Striped and 24 Bottlenosed killed.
2 Rissos, 39 Pantropic Spotted, and 13 Bottlenosed were taken for captivity
3 Pantropic Spotted and 1 Bottlenosed died of stress or drowning.

Grand total is 217-233 dead dolphins and 54 taken for a life in a concrete tank in 2 weeks!

Please consider signing these petitions for both the slaughter and for anti-captivity of these animals if you haven't already.
1.  https://www.change.org/petitions/waza-imata-top-upporting-the-dolphin-laughter-in-taiji

2.  http://www.change.org/petitions/imata-trainers-don-t-train-taiji-dolphins

3.  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/

4.  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/stop-dolphin-captivity

Please consider taking a few minutes to sign.

Don't forget to "Like" my Ocean Advocate Facebook page.  I've also recently broken down and joined Twitter.  You can follow Here.  There are more frequent updates about Taiji, Sea Shepherd and other marine mammal happenings.

This Week in Taiji

The dolphin hunt in Taiji rages on...

Last Wednesday, 14 Risso dolphins were herded into the Cove in Taiji.  Two juveniles were taken for captivity to Dolphin Resort and Taiji Whale Museum.  The other 12 were slaughtered for human consumption.   The meat was quickly sold at the Taiji Fisherman's Union and sold to local buyers.  Apparently they don't have enough Mercury poisoning in their diets yet.

Thursday 20-21 more Risso dolphins were brought in.  Once again, two were taken for captivity while the others were slaughtered.  

On Saturday 32-34 Striped dolphins were slaughtered in the cove, one run over by a skiff as it tried to escape.  

Yesterday morning the "fisherman" wasted no time.  My 7:30am they were already in formation driving a pod of Risso dolphins to the shore.  The entire family had been slaughtered.

As if it's not bad enough that these animals are captured and killed, the suffering they endure in the process is unbearable and not even close to humane.

Here are more petitions for both the slaughter and for anti-captivity of these animals.
1.  https://www.change.org/petitions/waza-imata-top-upporting-the-dolphin-laughter-in-taiji

2.  http://www.change.org/petitions/imata-trainers-don-t-train-taiji-dolphins

3.  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/

4.  http://www.thepetitionsite.com/5/stop-dolphin-captivity

Please consider taking a few minutes to sign.

Don't forget to "Like" my Ocean Advocate Facebook page.  There are more frequent updates about Taiji, Sea Shepherd and other marine mammal happenings.

Canada Orcas in Peril

You might have heard about the Orcas who were trapped in ice in Canada last week.  The story first broke when a video was captured by Clement Rousseau and posted all over social media.  Rousseau is a teacher from Inukjuak, Quebec, the small fishing village where the orcas were trapped.  The video went viral in both Canada and the US as advocates posted and shared to gain attention and assistance from the Canadian government.

There were anywhere from a dozen to 20 orca in this pod, all left with a pick-up truck sized hole to breathe for two days.  According to David Kirby, author of Death at SeaWorld, the whales usually are not in the bay at this time of year.  He says that climate change has changed the sea ice patterns this year.  The waters were still warm enough for the orcas to travel into the bay at Christmas, then a sudden drop in temperature caused the predicament for them.

In case you missed it, here's a clip that was shown on the Today Show.

By Thursday morning, the wind patterns had changed and the whales were gone.  While the media took this as good news, the experts were (and still are) skeptical.  There was 2 flights over the Hudson Bay on Thursday to try to identify the whales but they were nowhere to be found.  The flights showed that much of the bay is still covered in ice.  It will still be difficult, if not impossible, for these whales to survive.

Since orcas are matriarchal mammals, it is thought that the grandmother of the pod was able to identify an opening and lead them out into open waters.  Hopefully the fact that they haven't been seen is a good sign that they are well on their way out of the bay.  They are capable of traveling over 100 miles per day when in open waters.

This story has been compared to the true story that was retold in the movie Big Miracle.

In Big Miracle, the whales were trapped off of Alaska and were ultimately rescued by a Russian ship in the 80s.  President Reagan requested assistance from the Russian government to work together to free the whales.  The Canadian government stepped up to do what was necessary to free these orcas as well.  

What do you think about governments getting involved in rescuing these animals?  Is it just good PR for them or something more?  Does this situation prove global warming?

Some feel that it is best to let nature take its course.  My personal opinion mimics that of David Kirby.  Would you let nature take it's course if you were diagnosed with cancer or some other curable disease?

Don't forget to "Like" my Ocean Advocate Facebook page.  There are more frequent updates on stories like this, Taiji, Sea Shepherd and other marine mammal happenings.

Update on stranded pilot whales in FL

Photo from  Love Dolphins facebook page

Back in September I wrote about a pod of pilot whales stranded on the coast of Florida on my other blog.  You can find the posts HERE and HERE.  Of the pod, only 4 survived - one male and 3 females.  They were taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.

On Tuesday, it was announced in a press release from SeaWorld that the rehabilitated whales will not be released back to the wild because they were dependent calves at the time of rescue.  The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is ultimately responsible for the decision and agreed that the animals were not able to be released.  They will join another previously rescued, non-releasable female, Freddi.
You can find the story HERE

This is not a surprising decision, but it is a controversial one.  It seems that SeaWorld knew exactly what they were doing from the beginning.  Many of the adult stranded whales at the time were euthanized.  The early reports also only mentioned one juvenile out of the group that were rescued.  SeaWorld is known for their husbandry efforts and with another captive female in their collection, this appears to be the perfect set-up.

Could it be that SeaWorld didn't want to deal with the older whales and that is why they were euthanized?  Were the juveniles purposely rescued so they could end up in SeaWorld's collection?
Do you think this is SeaWorld coming to the rescue or benefiting themselves from a bad situation?

I'm Baaack with a Taiji Update

Picture taken from I Love Dolphins facebook page

WOW!  It's been a while since I've been here but it's good to be back.  So, tell your friends, tell your neighbors, tell your enemies, share, share, share!
And don't forget to "Like" my Ocean Advocate facebook page
There is a lot to catch up on so I'm hoping to keep the posts coming.

Today I wanted to catch up on the news in Taiji.  The last time I posted about Taiji was late November so here is what's been going on since then...

November 28 there were 7 Risso dolphins killed in the cove
December 2 was a horrific day in the cove!  Sixteen bottlenose dolphins were captured.  Seven were killed and 9 were taken live-capture for various aquariums
Also that day, there were 12 short-finned pilot whales killed
On December 7, 12 Risso dolphins were killed
Fourteen to Fifteen Risso dolphins were killed on December 9.
On December 11, 55-65 Striped dolphins were captured.  One was held captive and the others were killed
12/12 was another devastating day in the cove.  200 bottlenose dolphins were captured.  25 were killed, 101 held captive and 74 were released.
December 20 brought the death of 25-30 more Striped dolphin and December 23 there were 5 more killed.

So far in 2013, there were 14 white-sided dolphins (pictured above) captured for captivity.  One of these died.

In total since the beginning of the season in September...
399 animals have died (33 bottlenose, 1 Pacific white-sided, 102 Risso, 141 Pilot whales, and 122 Striped)
159 have been held captive (132 bottlenose, 14 Pacific white-sided, 9 Risso, 2 Pilot whales and 2 Striped)
286 have been released (134 bottlenose, 4 Risso, 148 Pilot whales)

Although so many have been released, many of them have been discovered dead near the cove due to the stress of the capture.  Several of these have also been juveniles who cannot survive on their own.  The reason for many of them released is that they are too small, but that doesn't mean that the hunters are doing any favors.  These animals released don't count against their quota.

Orca Agreement

A couple weeks ago I posted about Orcas in Crisis in Blackney Pass due to an application submitted to install monitoring equipment in this delicate area off Johnstone Strait.  The turbines that were in question would have caused unknown noise to the area of orca whalehabitat, disturbing them and their food source.  The  Northern Resident whales in this area are already deemed to be a threatened species under Canada's Species At Risk Act (SARA).

The project leader with SRM Projects, Scot Merriam, was thankfully open to discussion.  He did not realize the problems this would cause and withdrew the application after discussion.  OrcaLab, a whale research station in British Columbia, and SRM Projects, a renewable energy engineering firm, have released the following press release together and have agreed to work together in the future to find areas that would not be harmful to the whales.

I realize that I post a lot of petitions on this blog but this is one proven example that they work.  I know that some of you signed this petition and this goes to show that there is power in numbers.  We do have a voice and can make a difference together, so thank you!

SeaWorld VS OSHA

Last Week, David Kirby (author of Death at SeaWorld) wrote another compelling article regarding SeaWorld is trying to overturn a lower-court ruling against the park in the 2010 death of Dawn Brancheau.  TakePart has obtained eyewitness interviews on, or near, that day of the violent killing.  These audio tapes provide the judge and the public a first hand account of what happened that day and are vital evidence in this case and make it clear why working in close proximity to these animals can create an unsafe workplace.

In August 2010, OSHA filed a "willful" violation against SeaWorld and an order to keep trainers away from all whales, not just Tillikum.  In the fall of 2011 SeaWorld sued OSHA to overturn the citation and continue working closely with the whales, but it was overturned that following May by Judge Ken Welsch.  Last summer, SeaWorld filed an appeal at a special Labor Department commission, which refused to hear the case.

Now there is a "petition of review" filed at the US Court of Appeals to decide if OSHA acted properly or not.  There will be another hearing in Judge Welsch's court January 15-17.  What do you think should be done?

To check out the full article by David and to listen to the audio interviews, CLICK HERE

The interviews are:
Lynne Schaber - spotter trainer at the Dine With Shamu show the day of the incident
Jessica Wilder - guest at the show and witness of the accident from underwater viewing area
Laura Surovik - Assistant Animal Curator at SeaWorld

Progress in Taiji

Saturday, November 24 was an international day of rallying against the dolphin hunt in Taiji.  Groups from around the globe got together in protest.  The biggest surprise of the day was the rally held in Tokyo.  

A grassroots group of Japanese animal rights activists called Action for Marine Mammals staged the protest which attracted 70 protesters, more than 40 of whom were Japanese.  This marks the first protest of the Japanese people against the dolphin hunts - a significant event!

Most Japanese that had been talked to previously were against the hunts, if they even knew about them, but it is tradition in Japan not to speak out and to "go with the flow".  They do not protest or hold demonstrations as we do, and the government discourages this type of behavior.  

There was a group of counter-protesters there who reportedly made the others look even better by their behavior.  The Tokyo police were there to keep the two groups separated.  

If more Japanese people speak out, maybe the killing will end once and for all.  This is an excellent start!
To read Ric O'Barry's article about the event, CLICK HERE

In the past week in Taiji:
Wednesday, November 21 a pod of 9 pilot whales were corralled into the cove.  The 2 smallest, probably young, were released (with no mother or family) while the other 7 were slaughtered.  All 9 probably died since the young can't survive without their parents.

Thursday, November 22 a pod of 9-10 Risso dolphins were driven into the cove and killed for meat while we were celebrating Thanksgiving.

Death at SeaWorld - A Review

A few weeks ago I posted about meeting David Kirby, author of Death at Sea World and Naomi Rose, the book's "main character".  If you missed it, you can find that post HERE

Due to the craziness of the holiday season and the start of the Ocean Advocates blog, it has taken me a while to finish reading it.  

Death at SeaWorld chronicles Naomi's life, from her childhood up through her current work.  Naomi is responsible for much of the research known about orcas in captivity.  David explains much of her research in the book, including her dissertation on the social dynamics of male killer whales.  Her first job working with Humane Society International started with the push of bringing captivity issues into the public eye following the release of the popular Free Willy movie.  Naomi has also been pivotal in other work including the eventual release of Keiko (AKA "Willy"), advocating for the SeaWorld whales and the recent OSHA hearing.

Death at SeaWorld then alternates to take an amazing look inside the horrific world of captivity and the history of many of the orcas kept there and other parks.  The book delves into the behind the scenes "off behavior" episodes that not only never made it into the public eye, but were often kept hidden from the very trainers that risk their lives every day working with the whales. 

Former trainers including Jeff Ventre, Samantha Berg and Carol Ray give an inside look at some of these incidents behind the scenes.  Missing information in incident reports and animal profiles, SeaWorld's pressure and pursuations, etc.  As a former season ticket holder who dreamed of becoming a whale trainer at one time, these stories were appalling! 

Of course, the main story in Death at SeaWorld is the horrific death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010 by Tillikum, AKA Tilly.  The book details Tillikum's capture from Iceland, as well as his aggressive past.  Tilly was first held in Sea Land of the Pacific where he killed his first trainer, Keltie Byrne, in 1991.  He was brought to SeaWorld Orlando via an emergency importation permit in January 1992.  Trainers were not made aware of how dangerous he was.  They were taught or programmed to think that it was their fault any time any whale went "off behavior".  Details of Daniel Dukes, the second fatality caused by Tilly in 1999, were also included.  

Death at SeaWorld exposes some awful truths and the research behind them.  It will definitely change your mind about ever going to see another whale (or dolphin) show again, at least I hope it will.

For more information, check out David's site HERE

Right Whale Festival

Saturday was the 4th Annual Right Whale Festival in Jacksonville Beach.  It was a cold, overcast and windy day but despite the weather, the event was amazing.

There were booths from several different advocacy and research agencies for Right Whales and other marine life such as manatees, dolphins and sea turtles.  Each booth brought something new, including educational aspects.  

Some of the booths included:

Harbor Branch - part of Florida Atlantic University founded in 1971 by J. Seward Johnson, Sr. and Edwin Link to provide research, education and conservatism.  
Harbor Branch has also paired with Wyland, Marine Life Artist known best for the Whaling Walls around the world, to provide education to children, including an almost-life-sized painting of Stella.  Stella has been migrating around the state with her last stop at the festival.  Wyland also designed the Protect Florida Whales specialty tag for Florida drivers.

             Stella   

Sea Shepherd was there as well, promoting their campaigns including Operation Zero Tolerance and the fight in Taji.

Other agencies and booths include:
Sea to Shore - a Florida based organization protecting manatees, sea turtles and right whales
University of North Florida's Coastal Biology Program
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Jacksonville University's Marine Science Research Institute
Keepers of the Coast
Coast Guard, Navy, and others.

There were also several activities for children including a passport program.  Children could ask questions at each booth to have their passport stamped for a prize at the end.  There was also an obstacle course for children based on some of the dangers that Right Whales might encounter in the sea including pollution, fishing lines and plastics.

Right Whales were named because they were thought to be the "right whale to hunt".  They frequented coastal waters, swam slowly, floated when dead, and yielded large amounts of oil and baleen.  They finally gained protection in the 1930s.  There are only approx 400-500 remaining at this time.  The species has not recovered well from the previous hunts.  

Right whales are baleen whales which grow up to 55ft and weight up to 70 tons.  Their main form of identification is white splotches on the top of their head called callosities.  These callosities are covered by white cyamids, also known as whale lice.  To me, they look like large albino spiders.  Right Whales have no dorsal fin and short, stubby flippers.  

This man is holding a piece of jawbone and baleen of a Right whale.

They feed on copepods and zooplankton by skimming the water with their mouth open, catching the organisms in their baleen.  When in coastal waters, however, they do not feed.  

The coastal waters of Georgia and Florida are the only known calving grounds for the whales.  They travel down between mid-November and remain until March.  It is mainly females that come down for the main purpose of having their calves and nursing to bulk them up before heading north for the winter.  Females reach sexual maturity at approximately 10 years old and are able to reproduce every 3-5 years, depending on conditions.  In order to make the trek down to Florida, they must bulk up.  This requires adequate food sources and that can be problematic without good water temperatures.  

Threats to them include commercial ships and entanglement of fishing lines.  There have been laws put into place to report sightings in order to reduce the number of ship strikes.  With more public awareness, the species will have a better chance of survival.

I will be taking a blogger break for the rest of the week to spend time with friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I hope you and your families have a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Right Whale Festival

Tomorrow is the 4th Annual Right Whale Festival in Jacksonville Beach, FL and I am going.  I'm so excited! This is the first festival I've attended and I can't wait.  

The festival goes from 10am-5pm with music, a silent auction, a beach clean up, and the end of Stella's Migration.  CHECK THIS OUT for more info.

If you live in the area, come join the fun.  If not, stay tuned here.  I will have a full report next week.

There is a Light...maybe

David Kirby, author of Death at SeaWorld, recently reported an interesting twist in the world of captive cetaceans.  Blackstone Group, who recently acquired SeaWorld, is one of the world's leading private equity firms.  SeaWorld continues to celebrate, promote and profit from the confinement of whales and dolphins for entertainment purposes and criticizes the thought of retiring any of these animals to a coastal marine sanctuary.

In direct contrast, Merlin Entertainment group, another Blackstone holding, and it's aquarium division SEA LIFE, is adamantly opposed to keeping whales and dolphins in captivity.  SEA LIFE aggressively supports the development of retirement sanctuaries.  They have been outspoken in opposing the recent efforts by SeaWorld to import the 18 beluga whales for the purpose of public display.

Merlin is a UK-based attraction operator.  Does that mean that Europe has more progressive views of releasing these animals than in the US?  It surely appears to be so.

Janine DiGioacchino, divisional director of Merlin Entertainments (Midway) USA has bluntly stated that cetaceans are not suited for captivity.  All leading authorities in the field, as well as the majority of American citizens, agree.

The National Aquarium also opposes SeaWorld's efforts, citing it's policy against capturing wild cetaceans "for any purpose".

Despite it's own policy, Merlin does have three marine parks with cetaceans in captivity, however they are making plans to develop a natural sanctuary where their animals and others from around the world can be re-homed, retired and if needed rehabilitated.  They are working closely with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) and Humane Society International to select a suitable warm waters sight for dolphins and eventually a suitable cold water sight for orcas and belugas.

Check out David's full article HERE

Do you think SeaWorld will feel pressured by opposition by it's sister company?  Do you think Merlin should force change to SeaWorld?