[Closed] 'Blackfish' Backlash: Fan Pressure Leads Willie Nelson to Cancel SeaWorld Concert

Graphic Grizzly Bear Hunting Video Sparks Outrage
Alicia Graef
Sep 15, 2015

The killing of Cecil the lion drew international outrage and raised awareness about the problems with trophy hunting. Now attention is being focused on British Columbia’s controversial grizzly bear hunt after a graphic video of trophy hunters killing one has gone viral.

The video, first posted by hunters presumably thinking it’s amusing, is graphic and disturbing to anyone with any sense of compassion. Shared by Canada’s Wildlife Defence League (WDL) last week, it shows a grizzly bear meandering across open space on a sunny day. The bear quietly walks along, likely looking for food or on his way to a river to fish, when he is suddenly riveted into panic by bullets.

With nowhere to hide on the open mountainside, the bear tries to run but is wounded by their numerous gunshots, bleeding and growing weaker. Unable to walk as the life drains out of him, the hunters laugh as he first slides then tumbles down an incline leaving a bloody trail in the snow. One man jokes about his slide down the embankment as he loses strength. He won’t have to be carried as far, the hunter says.

You can watch the video on YouTube, but be warned it is graphic and disturbing.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6fIpVnSR-qE

“Three hundred grizzly bears are shot every year, most of them for fun like in that video, and I don’t believe that’s what British Columbians are about,” Joe Foy, the national campaign director for the group told CTV News.

WDL has been trying to end trophy hunting in British Columbia. The bear who was killed and hundreds of other carnivores like him were not killed for any reason other than for the so-called sport of taking shots at a defenseless animal who had no warning and no place to run or hide.

“The government allows a grizzly bear harvest based on the best available science,” Forestry, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Steve Thomson said in a statement to CTV News. “The principles behind our decisions are: a reliable population estimate; estimates of sustainable human-caused mortality rates; and deliberately conservative mortality limits.”

Unfortunately, “best available science” is questionable and doesn’t seem to include the best of humanity’s conscience and certainly doesn’t take into account overwhelming public opposition. According to WDL, about 80 percent of the public wants to see trophy hunting of grizzlies stopped, but the government has continued to ignore the “scientific, economic, environmental and ethical arguments in support of such a ban.”

The video has reached millions of viewers and helped WDL exceed a fundraising goal for its fall campaign to stop trophy hunting and now Fur Bearer Defenders is offering a reward for the identification and investigation of the hunters involved in the killing.

While wildlife advocates work on protecting grizzlies in Canada and in the U.S., the video is also a sad reminder about the plight of numerous other species that have been designated as game animals who can be killed for amusement, along with other predators like coyotes who are vital to ecosystems, but are left with no protection at all.

“Trophy hunters have a vested interest in ensuring the public stays uninformed about the cruelty of their ‘hobby.’ But stories of trophy hunting victims, like this grizzly and Cecil the lion, have shed a light on this horrific ‘sport’ happening in British Columbia and around the world,” WDL wrote in an update.

For more info on how to help stop trophy hunting in British Columbia, visit the Wildlife Defence League.

Please also sign and share the petition telling Canadian officials to shut grizzly bear hunting down.
http://www.care2.com/causes/graphic-grizzly-bear-hunting-video-sparks-outrage.html

Marine Species Have Been Cut in Half in Just 40 Years
Alicia Graef
Sep 18, 2015

The sheer vastness of the oceans on this planet make it seem almost impossible that our actions could bring them to the point of no return, but a new report has found that we are causing an alarming decline of marine ecosystems and the species who rely on them.

According to the World Wildlife Fund‘s (WWF) recently released Living Blue Planet Report, marine populations have declined by an astonishing 49 percent between 1970 and 2012, with with some fish species, including tuna, declining by almost 75 percent.

The report is based on trends of 5,829 populations of 1,234 mammal, bird, reptile and fish species found in the Living Planet Index, which is maintained by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

“The ocean works hard in the background to keep us alive, generating half of the world’s oxygen and absorbing almost a third of the carbon dioxide produced from burning fossil fuels. It also feeds billions of people around the globe, some of whom rely solely on the oceans to survive. These devastating figures reveal how quickly human beings are changing the wildlife in our oceans and are a stark warning of the problems we might face as a result,” said Professor Ken Norris, Director of Science at ZSL.

The dramatic decrease is unsurprisingly driven mainly by human activities ranging from overfishing, resource extraction, pollution and development to climate change, which is causing warming and acidification.

While fish are declining at a worrying rate, they’re not the only ones we should be worried about. The report also explores the impact losing coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses would have not only on the species who rely on them for food and shelter, but on us.

The loss of marine life threatens food security and the livelihoods of coastal communities who depend on healthy ecosystems, in addition to impacting the ever-growing tourism industry.

Conservationists hope that raising awareness about the devastating impact we’re having also means there’s still hope we can work to change course before it’s too late.

WWF and ZSL both point to the need for making immediate changes, including increasing Marine Protected Areas, which could have huge environmental and economic benefits well into the future. Currently, less than 4 percent of the earth’s oceans have been protected.

World leaders will meet later this month at the United Nations headquarters in New York City to agree on a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which focuses specifically on conserving the ocean. They’ll also meet again later this year in Paris for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where they will try to reach a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The good news is there are abundant opportunities to reverse these trends,” said Brad Ack, senior vice president for oceans at WWF. “Stopping black market fishing, protecting coral reefs, mangroves and other critical ocean habitats, and striking a deal in Paris to slash carbon pollution are all good for the ocean, the economy, and people. Now is the time for the US and other world players to lead on these important opportunities.”

For more info, check out the Living Blue Planet Report.
http://www.care2.com/causes/marine-species-have-been-cut-in-half-in-just-40-years.html

5 Animals at Risk of Extinction Because of Climate Change (Besides Polar Bears)

http://www.care2.com/causes/5-animals-at-risk-of-extinction-because-of-climate-change-besides-polar-bears.html

5 Great Reasons to End Dolphinarium Captivity

Alicia Graef
Sep 22, 2015

Whale and dolphin advocates have been fighting against captivity for a long time. Since the documentary Blackfish started making waves, the plight of captive cetaceans has reached a much wider audience and has forced us to take a hard look at whether or not this is something we should be supporting.

In a series of new papers, Dr. Joan Gonzalvo, who has been studying dolphins in the wild for more than 15 years, examines some of the reasons why captivity needs to end and dispels some of the myths the industry uses to keep people coming back.

Gonzalvo’s most recent paper, which was just released by the Born Free Foundation and the Italian animal protection organization, Lega Anti Vivisezione, challenges the captivity industry and highlights five of of the main reasons we shouldn’t be keeping dolphins in tanks:

They Are Intelligent
They Are Social Beings
They Are Far-Ranging Predators
They Are Psychologically and Emotionally Sensitive
Captivity Does Not Support Education or Conservation

Their intelligence, which Dr. Gonzalvo calls on par with great apes and human toddlers, might be what draws us to them, but it also means the barren conditions we keep them in can cause them tremendous suffering.

In the wild they live in complex cultures where they can explore, hunt, communicate, grieve losses and make choices. In captivity, they are denied the opportunity to do any of those things and are left without the ability to choose or stay with their friends, or escape bullying, while left in artificial pools that can never come close to simulating their natural environment.

Possibly one of the most important points made is that captivity does not support education or conservation, which is one of the main arguments the industry uses to keep us coming back. Supporters say we need to keep cetaceans in captivity because it makes them accessible to the public and offers opportunities to educate us about them and the environment, but critics continue to argue there’s nothing educational about dolphin shows and keeping them captive isn’t doing anything for conservation.

In a review of dolphin shows, Dr. Gonzalvo found only 10 percent of the ones he examined included anything educational about dolphin behavior, biology or their natural environment. He writes, “The main purpose of these performances is to display dolphins for human entertainment and amusement, rather than to convey any information on the real nature of these fascinating sea creatures, while obscuring the cruelty of the obvious fact that the “performers” are captive animals exhibited for the ultimate purpose of making money.”

Worse, he added that the way we use them as performers for entertainment creates the perception that dolphins are friendly, causing people to unwittingly harass them in the wild.

Then there’s the captivity industry’s link to violent and heartbreaking captures still taking place today also certainly does nothing for the plight of wild dolphins, or the health of the oceans.

“I invite those considering visiting a dolphinarium with their children to think twice about the message we want to give to future generations. Do we have any right to hold a highly evolved, intelligent, and sensitive animal captive, to force it to conduct a rather clownish behavior by performing tricks and stunts for our entertainment? If that is the case, we should seriously review our concept of what is entertaining and the kind of relationship that we want to have with nature. Let’s make people conscious about what is hidden behind the frozen smile of a captive dolphin,” Dr. Gonzalvo said in a statement.

While many areas are moving to end the exploitation of these species, there are still some who are willing to put profits over the well-being of dolphins and are trying to expand dolphin parks.

For more info on how to help captive and wild dolphins, check out organizations including Dolphinaria Free Europe, the Dolphin Project and Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

See links here:
http://www.care2.com/causes/5-great-reasons-to-end-dolphin-captivity.html

Stop Ringling Bros. From Breeding Elephants for Captivity

Jessica Ramos
Sep 22, 2015

The day that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey announced that they would retire their performing elephants (within three years) was a huge victory for animal advocates. But a new interview with the circus’ ringmaster, also known as the CEO, casts a small shadow on that victory.

Ringling CEO Kenneth Feld sat down with National Geographic to discuss the Center for Elephant Conservation, where the current performing Asian elephants will retire — if we can call it retirement. The relatively flat and treeless 200-acre Florida elephant center already houses 30 Ringling retired elephants.

Feld will own the largest collection of endangered Asian elephants in the Western Hemisphere. The elephants have very different lives from their performing days: no more traveling long distances, jeering crowds and loud music. Their new norm includes food, water, barns and baths — but it also includes being “tethered with an ankle chain for the night” to prevent food stealing, according to National Geographic’s interview.

Feld falls short of calling his elephant center a sanctuary and with good reason. The Ringling CEO doesn’t see his center as a sanctuary because: “Places that say they are sanctuaries manage to extinction. We manage for survival of the species.” The center’s current practices and future plans don’t exactly scream sanctuary either.

Unlike other reputable sanctuaries, Feld breeds his elephants for a life of captivity. Since the center first opened in 1995, 21 elephants have been born there — only one successful elephant was born via artificial insemination. Their destiny was the circus, but Feld has other plans for them now.

The Ringling CEO discussed showing off his elephants to the tourists who flock to Disney at some type of elephant attraction at the center or “someplace nearby, within an easy drive of Disney.” He’s also breeding his elephants for science. He calls his scientific pet project “potentially the greatest thing ever in my life, and may be the greatest thing ever in everyone’s life.” Feld has a pediatric oncologist studying why Asian elephants rarely get cancer to potentially unlock a genetic protector that can prevent cancer in humans.

There’s No Ethical Way to Keep an Elephant in Captivity

I find it ironic how someone so passionate about science can ignore the overwhelming evidence that elephants do not thrive in captivity. Many elephants in the captivity industry start their lives having their spirits crushed with physical beatings and, worse yet, emotional and mental manipulation.

Given their sensitivity and emotional intelligence, elephants are prone to zoochosis, or unnatural, obsessive, repetitive behaviors captive animals display. What we often call an elephant “dancing” or “swaying” is actually zoochosis.

Captivity also takes a toll on the physical well-being of elephants. There are extreme cases like Raju the Elephant having his shackle dig into his skin for over 50 years in captivity, but most examples aren’t that extreme. According to PETA, elephants in captivity experience: “muscular-skeletal ailments, arthritis, foot and joint diseases, reproductive problems, [and] high infant mortality rates.” They are built for traveling long distances, not for being locked in a barn.

The evidence shows that there is no ethical way of keeping an elephant in captivity, so why would Feld condemn his elephants to this life by breeding them into it?

Take Action!

Sign and share this petition demanding that Ringling Bros. CEO, Kenneth Feld, stop breeding elephants for a life of captivity. After making him a fortune, that’s the least they deserve.

Link:
http://www.care2.com/causes/stop-ringling-bros-from-breeding-elephants-for-captivity.html

Spinning Whales: New Site Fact-Checks SeaWorld

When 'Blackfish' hit movie screens, SeaWorld responded with its own website. Now animal rights activists are hitting back.

SEP 29, 2015David Kirby
http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/09/29/seaworld-spin-site-challenged-scientists?cmpid=organic-share-facebook

The “fact-checking” is now being fact-checked.

That’s the latest in the war of words between SeaWorld and its detractors, who just launched a website that gives point-by-point rebuttals to the beleaguered company’s claims about the well-being of its killer whales.

SeaWorld Fact Check, as it’s called, is designed to “separate verifiable facts from corporate opinions or public relations spin,” according to the site’s introduction.

“This is not an advocacy site. It is a fact-check site, a tool that can be used by advocates but geared toward…anyone who simply wants the facts,” said Dr. Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist at the Animal Welfare Institute. “The debate about captive orcas is misinformed by SeaWorld and is therefore not a legitimate debate at all. This website is an effort to correct that.”

Rose manages the site alongside Dr. Ingrid Visser, founder of New Zealand’s Orca Research Trust, and prominent anti-captivity activist and blogger Candace Calloway Whiting.

Anti-captivity activists came up with the idea six months ago after SeaWorld launched its Twitter campaign, #AskSeaWorld. The hashtag allows members of the public to tweet questions to the company, which are then answered on a website called SeaWorld Cares. The project was designed to counter claims made in the documentary Blackfish, which criticizes SeaWorld for its treatment of orcas and alleges the company disregards trainer safety.

The Orca Life Span Argument

SeaWorld Fact Check takes on many of the company’s claims about its operations, including captive-orca longevity. For example, SeaWorld asserts that there is “no significant difference” between the annual survival rates of its captive whales and the survival rates of wild populations.

SeaWorld Fact Check calls that claim a statistical sleight-of-hand.

“SeaWorld claims that approximately 97 percent of all ‘known-age’ orcas in free-ranging populations die before they reach age 50,” SeaWorld Fact Check says. “By this simple trick of only considering ‘known-age’ orcas, they effectively drop a significant number of individuals out of this calculation.” In fact, killer whales can live 50 to 80 years, according to federal government scientists.

SeaWorld also says recent data prove that the average life span for captive whales is 46 to 48 years. But as the new website points out, the company’s oldest captive-born orca, Orkid, is about to turn 27. According to the site, SeaWorld owns 25 captive-born orcas. About a dozen others have died since the first successful birth in 1985; most of them were much younger than 20.

“It should be clear even to non-mathematicians that an average life span of almost 50 cannot be accurate for a category of whale whose oldest member, living or dead, has yet to reach 30,” the site says.

Mother-Calf Separation Debate

The separation of orca mothers and calves is another highly contentious issue between SeaWorld and its critics. The company says it does not remove young whales from their mothers.

SeaWorld Fact Check takes issue with that assertion.

“SeaWorld has separated numerous mothers and offspring, including one at 10 months, one at 20 months and one at 24 months,” it says. “Other separations have occurred when the offspring were juveniles or adolescents.”

SeaWorld considers mother-calf separation to apply only to newborn killer whales, SeaWorld Fact Check says, but the “mother-newborn” definition is not science-based when it comes to orca pairs. “In a species such as orcas, offspring should be considered ‘calves’ until they are at least 5-10 years of age, the earliest age of separation/dispersal observed in the wild.”

The site challenges SeaWorld’s claims on other issues, including the overall health of its whales, the drugs it uses to treat the animals, and the safety of its trainers. It includes links to scientific papers and other sources to back up its rebuttals.

SeaWorld did not respond to a request for comment, but it may not be able to ignore SeaWorld Fact Check for long.

According to Rose, SeaWorld Fact Check received 8,500 hits in its first five days. One visitor was an editor from the Times of San Diego, who invited the group to submit a rebuttal to an opinion piece it published on Sept. 24 by five SeaWorld trainers on their relationship with orcas in their care.

But orca scientist Andy Foote, a biologist at the University of Bern in Switzerland, said that it’s difficult to compare captive and wild populations. “There are biases associated with each,” he said. “I think that both sides of the debate over keeping killer whales in captivity tend to emphasis certain aspects to make their case seem stronger."

U.S. Takes Milestone Stance Against Whales In Captivity
By Sarah V SchweigFOLLOW29 September 2015
https://www.thedodo.com/georgia-aquarium-denied-russian-belugas-1376569480.html?xrs=RebelMouse_fb

When the Georgia Aquarium needed new beluga whales, the 18 belugas caught from the wild waters of Russia between 2006 and 2011 seemed like a great option. When the aquarium ran into problems getting a permit to import the whales, in 2013 it simply decided to sue the U.S. government, claiming it had the right to acquire the whales.

But a federal judge ruled Monday that this was simply not going to happen.

"Like something out of a Russian spy novel ... Georgia Aquarium launched a wholesale attack on NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service), accusing the Agency of 'cooking the books' to fabricate its rationale in a deliberate and conspiratorial effort to deny Georgia Aquarium's import permit," federal judge Amy Totenberg wrote.

The plans had been to use the beluga whales — who were caught in the Sea of Okhotsk and were last reported to be held in Russia's Utrish Marine Mammal Research Station — in a breeding program with SeaWorld, helping to produce more captive belugas for exhibits. But earlier this month, with the court case still pending, SeaWorld reversed its decision to use the belugas. SeaWorld publicly admitted their change in policy, taking a slight stance on wild-caught animals, and animal advocates called the move one of the biggest effects of the 2013 documentary "Blackfish" so far.

"We are thrilled with the court's ruling," said Dr. Naomi Rose, marine mammal scientist at the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). "The MMPA [Marine Mammal Protection Act] was enacted to protect marine mammals from harm and exploitation and that is exactly what it has done in this case. The US will thankfully not be part of the unsustainable and inhumane trade in belugas out of Russia."
Where it used to be that no one batted an eye about catching intelligent marine mammals from the wild and putting them in tanks, with yesterday's ruling, animal lovers are rejoicing at the change in tide. "This is good news for whale conservation worldwide," Tyler Sniff, an attorney for AWI, told Reuters.

While the Georgia Aquarium can still appeal the case, the 18 beluga whales will remain in Russia — for now.

Why It’s Even More Important Now to Speak Out Against SeaWorld’s Expansion

Alicia Graef
Sep 29, 2015

Despite the growing controversy surrounding captive orcas, last year SeaWorld boldly announced a plan to expand its facility in San Diego and despite an outpouring of opposition it just got some much needed support to move forward.

The Blue World Project was touted as a “first-of-its-kind” environment for captive orcas which would include nearly doubling the size of its existing facility, in addition to adding an advisory panel of experts and pledging $10 million for research.

While a bigger enclosure might slightly improve the welfare of orcas being held at the park, opponents argue that a tank is still a tank and we’ll never build one big enough to solve the problems inherent in confining these far-ranging apex predators to a life in one. At this point, it’s not that we need to change the way we keep them in captivity, it’s that we need to stop keeping them entirely.

The California Coastal Commission, which has the authority to approve or deny the expansion, was supposed to vote on the issue in August, but pushed the vote back following an outpouring of objections from the public.

Even though thousands upon thousands of people have spoken up on behalf of captive orcas, more than 100,000 people have signed the Care2 petition opposing the project, SeaWorld just got an unfortunate boost.

Staff from the California Coastal Commission wrote a report recommending that SeaWorld get the permit it needs to expand.

The report included a set of requirements, including the condition that SeaWorld will not keep any orcas, or use any genetic material from orcas, taken from the wild after February 2014, but opponents of the plan fear that a bigger facility will just mean more breeding.

“This is not limiting them in any way. In fact, this would do the opposite,” Sara Wan, a former commissioner who now works as a consultant for the Animal Defense Legal Fund, told the AP. “They could breed all the orcas they want with this facility and ship them all over the world.”

Even if it does get approval, SeaWorld still faces another major hurdle in the form of groundbreaking legislation that would ban orca captivity in the state. The Orca Welfare and Safety Act, which was introduced last year was put on hold while lawmakers weigh options for retiring SeaWorld San Diego’s orcas, but it’s certainly not been forgotten.

With more and more areas pushing to end captivity for cetaceans, it’s clearly time for SeaWorld to make a meaningful change for the orcas it claims to care so much about by phasing them out, instead of wasting millions on a pointless project and pretending it’s doing something good for them by making its tanks a little bigger.

The commission now has the opportunity to do something huge for these orcas and help move us towards a future where we have a very different and far more respectful relationship with these amazing animals, but apparently it still needs to hear more from us.

TAKE ACTION!

The final vote by the commission is set to take place on October 8 at 9:00 AM and has been moved from city hall to the the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center’s Seaside Ballroom to accommodate the number of people expected to attend.

If you haven’t already, please sign and share the petition asking the California Coastal Commission to deny SeaWorld a permit to expand.

http://www.care2.com/causes/why-its-now-even-more-important-to-speak-out-against-seaworlds-expansion.html

Animal Defenders International

SeaWorld expansion subject to breeding ban
Posted: 9 October 2015. Updated: 9 October 2015

The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously this week to approve San Diego SeaWorld’s plan to build bigger orca tanks, but with the significant condition that they end their captive breeding program. This decision would effectively create a slow phase out of captive orcas at their facility should SeaWorld choose to move ahead with their “Blue World” project.

Hundreds of advocates attended the all-day hearing alongside celebrities, cetacean experts and a former SeaWorld trainer speaking on behalf of the imprisoned orcas. Commissioner Dayna Bochco proposed the amendment to halt breeding and transfers from the park, acknowledging that captivity is harmful to the whales. ADI joined 200,000 individuals and groups to submit comments, overwhelmingly in opposition to SeaWorld’s use of orcas for entertainment.

These large, highly intelligent mammals naturally live in big, complex family groups and roam around 125 miles/200 kms a day, hunting, playing and interacting with their own kind. Captive orcas suffer from severed social bonds, stress, physiological damage, and shortened life spans.

Take action!
Contact SeaWorld and ask them to release their orcas and other marine mammals to sea pens in coastal sanctuaries where they can be rehabilitated to the most natural life possible.
http://www.ad-international.org/animals_in_entertainment/go.php?id=4041&ssi=12

The hunt for wild dolphins is happening today in Taiji.
They are hunted to be sold as meat after being herded into nets, clubbed or speared to death, in panic. Or if lucky enough, into a sterile dismal life in captivity.

Why don't you watch their traumatic and desperate struggle in these circumstances, their young taken from them and if judged acceptable for whatever aquarium, resort or lunch menu that is willing to pay the price. Check out what happened to Angel, the baby albino dolphin.
Look it up.

Watch The Cove. It's happening today.

https://m.facebook.com/hashtag/dolphinproject
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRD8e20fBo

Orcas are still in captivity, still being bred by Tilikum and other male Orcas, masturbated to produce his sperm by trainers to inseminate their sisters, niece's, mother, aunts and cousins.

Lions and other wild animals are killed by trophy hunters and poachers in amazing numbers to satisfy stupidity and ego and their wallets.

Watch Blood Lions

http://www.bloodlions.org/the-film/

Their cubs are put into petting zoos and so called CONservation
Places that rip them from their mothers, expose them to stupid humans forever changing their ability to be released back into the wild and doomed for canned hunts for men with big money, big egos,
little dicks, numerous personal trackers because they cannot go into the wild and do it on their own. The women who kill these animals, in my opinion, are even worse.

Seriously, what is the thrill in killing a giraffe?
A deer..... anything? A canned hunt?
Cecil the Lion with a tracking collar, luring him out of his territory so some rich dude can make his big 5 list? Just to mount on a wall, have his skin, leaving his entire family and offspring orphaned, endangered, at risk. Big strong hunter.

Poisoning numerous Elephants with cyanide just for their tusks in a sanctuary. 96 elephants a day killed for their ivory, alone?

I am disgusted with the inhuman race.
I'm disgusted with the people that do this.
I am disgusted with leaders that allow this.
I'm disgusted.

No Breeding Allowed!

Written by PETA | October 8, 2015

The California Coastal Commission voted to approve SeaWorld’s plan for a new orca prison, but only after a commissioner proposed a key amendment: no more breeding, which will ultimately end captivity for long-suffering orcas in California. SeaWorld has admitted that it intended to breed even more orcas to fill the new tanks, but the commission’s action today ensures that no more orcas will be condemned to a nonlife of loneliness, deprivation, and misery if SeaWorld proceeds with their Blue World project. SeaWorld is a sea circus, and the orcas are its abused elephants. PETA wants SeaWorld to stop building tanks and start emptying the ones they’ve got by sending the orcas to coastal sanctuaries, where they’d finally have some semblance of a natural life.

SeaWorld Orca with collapsed Dorsal fin

In nature, orcas choose their own mates. But at SeaWorld, orcas are forced to breed on a regular basis. Male orcas are trained to float on their backs, and their trainers masturbate them to collect their sperm. Females are artificially inseminated and forced to breed at a much younger age than they would in nature.

The commission received more than 120,000 e-mails and letters from concerned PETA supporters, and hundreds of protesters, including actor Pamela Anderson, turned out at the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. During the hearing, PETA representatives recounted incidences of calves being torn from their mothers, forced pregnancies, and premature deaths. One orca was force-fed Valium to curb his aggression—which was triggered by his confinement.

There is no denying the abusement park’s sorry track record—SeaWorld has been cited for violating the Animal Welfare Act and fined for inadequately protecting its employees—or its bleak bottom line: Attendance and revenue are nosediving, and its shares are losing value. In the wake of the Commission’s decision, early trading the very next day showed that the value of SeaWorld stock took another hit, dropping nearly 6 percent.

People are disgusted, and new facilities won’t stem the decline.

What You Can Do
Share this blog, and tell SeaWorld to retire the orcas to ocean sanctuaries.
http://www.peta.org/blog/no-breeding-allowed/?utm_campaign=100915%20PETA%20E-News&utm_source=PETA%20E-Mail&utm_medium=E-News

Sign now - stop airlines transporting dolphins from Taiji hunts

http://uk.whales.org/campaigns/sign-now-stop-airlines-transporting-dolphins-from-taiji-hunts?ref=CS-DHFB-15-10-00-CAM

WHAT WILL SEAWORLD DO? FOUR POTENTIAL MOVES

October 12, 2015 by Laura Bridgeman
by Laura Bridgeman
Campaign and Communications Specialist
International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute

That is the question on everyone’s minds ever since the California Coastal Commission hearing on October 8th: What will SeaWorld do?

The Commission hearing was held to decide whether to allow a permit for SeaWorld’s Blue World project, a $100 million endeavor that would substantially increase the size of the company’s current orca tanks, albeit still providing far less room for orcas than they experience in the wild.

The Commission decided that it would allow the project on the conditions that SeaWorld stop all breeding activities and seriously restrict the movement of orcas into and out of the park. This puts quite a damper on SeaWorld’s money-hungry plans, and is considered an important victory for the captive whales, as it would result in phasing out captive orcas in California.

So, what will SeaWorld do? We have sketched out a few different scenarios below:

1. Appeal the Decision / Sue the Commission

This is something that many experts are guessing will happen. SeaWorld can (and has) called into question the Commission’s authority in enacting a breeding ban. The big questions is whether the 1966 federal Animal Welfare Act allows the Commission authority over the care and management of captive orcas in California. Certainly SeaWorld’s attorneys have repeatedly threatened litigation during the Coastal Commission review of their tank expansion permit.

But SeaWorld should realize that the Commission’s decision is simply a reflection of public opinion and shifting values – those of orca freedom, not captivity.

Such legal action would show that SeaWorld is more interested in breeding orcas with the Blue World project than increasing the size of the tanks to make more room for their existing orcas. SeaWorld’s hypocrisy would receive wide attention through the media if they take the steps to sue.

If they do decide to initiate legal actions right away, the Blue World project will be delayed and, coupled with its mounting legal fees, could result in serious pressure from SeaWorld shareholders. SeaWorld is already carrying heavy debts and is also being sued by a number of individuals (including one lawsuit supported by Earth Island’s International Marine Mammal Project).

2. Build Blue World, then Sue the Commission

SeaWorld might want to take advantage of the fact that they’ve secured the permit and begin construction, delaying their appeal or suing the Commission until the issue of breeding orcas in San Diego becomes a real issue. The risk there, of course, is that if they eventually loose in court, they will have simply bigger tanks – bad for their business model of maintaining their orca circus shows into the future.

3. Build Blue World and Accept the Conditions

This would also be a good option for the orcas – it would mean that the current orcas in captivity at SeaWorld San Diego would be the last in California. Once the current orcas pass on, SeaWorld would not be able to procure any more or breed any to sell to other facilities.

4. Do Nothing

SeaWorld could decide to take no action and reject the permit, maintaining their California orcas with the present facilities, and no longer bound by Coastal Commission conditions.

However, once again, SeaWorld risks public opinion by dropping a project they have argued is important for the welfare of their orcas.

Whatever way SeaWorld turns, they face a bad situation. Any legal defeat would be devastating. If SeaWorld is successful in overturning the breeding ban, it is possible that another bill might come back to life with renewed vigor in the state legislature – for instance, California Assemblymember Richard Bloom’s bill (originally AB 2140 – the bill would be assigned a new number if reintroduced) which sought to ban orca performances and phase out orcas in captivity throughout California.

Ultimately, as Dan McSwain said perfectly in the San Diego Tribune: “Seaworld executives would compound earlier mistakes if they treat this decision as just another bureaucratic overreach by nutty California.” It is clear that the tide of public opinion is turning away from seeing cetaceans in captivity, and “the sooner SeaWorld accepts this market reality, the sooner one of San Diego’s great tourist attractions will stop sinking.”

http://savejapandolphins.org/blog/post/what-will-seaworld-do-four-potential-moves

Don’t Let Lolita’s Family be ‘Dammed.’ Set the Water Free.
Jessica Ramos
Oct 12, 2015

While the fight to save Lolita, “the world’s loneliest orca,” is ongoing, her relatives — the southern resident orcas — also need saving. Orca advocates in Seattle, Washington are making an urgent appeal: set the water in the Snake River dams free and save endangered orcas.

Lolita’s Family

While there have been a handful of recent calf sightings of southern residents that have orca lovers jumping for joy, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done. The baby boom hasn’t changed their endangered listing or fixed what’s causing their overall decline.

Including Lolita, there are roughly 83 individuals grouped in 3 different pods — J,K and L (Lolita is a member of the L pod) — and all three pods are in danger of extinction. While there were closer to 200 southern residents in the late 1800s, human activity has devastated their numbers. In the 1960s, the killer whales took a huge hit when approximately 47 southern residents were abducted by the captivity industry.

Set the Water Free!

But in this case, the culprit isn’t the captivity industry — it’s a series of dams. As reported in KING 5 News, southern residents eat almost exclusively Chinook salmon, and the dams are bad news for the salmon. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service describes that dams can be harmful to salmon because they:

1. Block migration
2. Create deep pools that a) inundate spawning habitat or b) block access to important spawning habitat
3. Change entire ecosystems

The Chinook salmon that the southern residents depend on have “lost spawning grounds statewide to dams.” Fewer reproducing salmon means less food for orcas. But activists see an easy solution: set the water free! They believe that releasing the water — that spans over 5,000 miles of river bed — “could restore more than a half million chinook.”

The problem is much bigger than the southern residents not having enough to eat. Without enough nourishment, the orcas metabolize their own blubber — which can be lethal. According to KING 5 News, the Chinook salmon also determine the sex of orca calves. If there’s inadequate food, often more males are born. Of the 5 calves born during the recent baby boom, 4 were male.

Take Action!

Lolita needs a family to return home to. While we can’t just set her free from that concrete tank at the Miami Seaquarium, we can set the dam water free to feed her relatives. Please sign and share this petition urging Washington’s senators — Senator Maria Cantwell and Senator Patty Murray — to set the water free and save the endangered southern residents.

See link for petition.

http://www.care2.com/causes/dont-let-lolitas-family-be-dammed-set-the-water-free.html

SeaWorld to sue California Coastal Commission over whale breeding ban

Posted: Oct 15, 2015 7:41 PM AST
Updated: Oct 16, 2015 12:36 AM AST

http://www.cbs8.com/story/30273678/seaworld-to-take-legal-action-against-california-coastal-commission-over-whale-breeding-ban#

SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - On Thursday, SeaWorld announced it intends to pursue legal action against the California Coastal Commission for its overreaching condition that would ban killer whale breeding.

"As a regulatory board charged with managing coastal development and related land-use decisions, the Coastal Commission went way beyond its jurisdiction and authority when it banned breeding by killer whales at SeaWorld," said Joel Manby, President and Chief Executive Officer.

According to SeaWorld, animal welfare is governed by federal and state laws that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the California Coastal Commission's appointed board.

RELATED STORY: SeaWorld approved for whale tank expansion, captive breeding banned

PETA Director of Animal Law Jared Goodman accused SeaWorld officials of "blowing smoke."

"The legislature required the Commission to protect all resources that exist within the coastal zone, as the orcas at SeaWorld plainly do," Goodman said. "Just as the commission still controls natural spaces that have been spoiled, it retains jurisdiction over wild orcas, whether captured or captive born."

The vote by the Commission came during the course of its ultimate approval of the Blue World Project at SeaWorld San Diego.

"It simply defies common sense that a straightforward land-use permit approval would turn into a ban on animal husbandry practices - an area in which the Commissioners have no education, training or expertise," added Manby.

RELATED STORY: People pack meeting of panel eyeing expansion of whale tanks

Animal rights activists praised the decision as a death blow to the use of killer whales at the California ocean park.

Commissioner Dayna Bochco, who brought up the no-breeding amendment, said she agreed with scientists who believe that the killer whales are suffering in captivity.

"They don't belong in captivity," she said.

RELATED STORY: Report recommends approving bigger orca tanks

Under the expansion, SeaWorld would demolish portions of a 1995 facility that included a 1.7-million gallon pool and replace it with a 5.2-million gallon tank and 450,000-gallon pool.

SeaWorld said the orca population at the San Diego facility would not significantly increase due to the "Blue World" project.

Coastal Commissioner Gregory Cox, who favored the expansion, said it would be a good thing to increase the size of the orcas' habitat.

SeaWorld Can't Rely On Americans For Attendance Anymore
By Mica Day October 2015

SeaWorld is clutching at straws, desperately trying to boost the public number through the door. More advertisements can be seen on TV, enticing people to go to their parks to see all the animals. The latest story from SeaWorld is that they are going to build bigger tanks in their new Blue World Project, but this wasn't so the current orcas could have more room; it was an attempt to continue their breeding program and put more whales through misery. SeaWorld is also wanting to open another park in Dubai — we cannot let this happen.

Don't support the misery and heartache these animals go through — you can do something about it. Be their voice, support petitions, spread the information, watch "Blackfish." Below is the third part to my exclusive interview with "Blackfish" cast member and ex-trainer at SeaWorld, Dr. Jeffrey Ventre. Watch it and see how you can get involved and speak out against this disgusting organization.
See link for interviews

https://www.thedodo.com/seaworld-attendance-uk-tourists-1382765927.html?utm_source=opsFB

This franchise needs to go out of business; captivity for these animals is nothing but a depressing, barbaric and lonely life. Not to mention the short life it is — and only ever knowing captivity for your entire life. Trainers asking you to do tricks and behaviors for some fish; tourists banging on the glass; flashes of photographer and people starring at you all day — does this sound like a life?

Encourage where you can and inform where you can. Be brutally honest — these orcas live a life of misery because of one thing: SeaWorld. SeaWorld have taken babies away from their mothers so they can go and perform in other parks; SeaWorld is playing god, SeaWorld lies and SeaWorld kills. There is no justification for their actions ... ever. Having animals perform like this for human entertainment is no different than having a dancing bear or elephants in the circus, or a great lion jumping through a hoop. It's despicable, archaic and it needs to go. These animals need to be retired and enjoy the remainder of their life with some freedom in a sanctuary in the ocean.

Part one of the interview can be found here.
Part two of the interview can be found here.

POLL: Should whales and dolphins be kept in captivity for our entertainment?

Published on October 14th, 2015
Written by: Supertrooper

http://focusingonwildlife.com/news/poll-should-whales-and-dolphins-be-kept-in-captivity-for-our-entertainment-2/

Great article as well.

Here's an excerpt:

"The wonderment is how I felt as a child, and how I felt as an adult at SeaWorld for many years. The dread of it was that you knew at the end of the day that these were still killer whales: wild animals, apex predators, that can make that decision at any moment, as we tragically saw play out with Dawn and Tilikum.

We’ll never know why Tilikum made that choice to grab Dawn and pull her into the pool. He had a great relationship with her, and she had a great relationship with him. I do believe that he loved her, and I know that she loved him. But though SeaWorld denies it, this was a horrific, aggressive event. SeaWorld’s expert witness, Jeff Andrews, said that Tilikum was never aggressive with Dawn.

What’s so outrageous about that is that he didn’t just drown Dawn. He dismembered her. He tore off her left arm and scalped her. Her scalp and full head of hair were on the bottom of the pool. He severed her spinal cord.

And he never gave her body up. They had to forcibly take the body away from him. These are graphic details, but people have a right to know the true nature of what happened and not have it sugarcoated because it’s painful to hear. The judge recognized that, too, and stated it."

(They use Tilikum as their sperm bank for their breeding program.)

Meanwhile, the dolphin slaughters continues today in Taiji.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SV2V-4pHuak&feature=youtu.be
Orca Experts Go to SeaWorld

The Netherlands Has Officially Banned The Use Of Wild Animals In Circuses
September 19, 2015

It is now illegal for wild animals, such as lions, bears, elephants, and giraffes, to be used in circuses in the Netherlands!

image:

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015, a ban on wild animals in circuses officially went into effect in the Netherlands.

Wild animals, such as lions, bears, elephants, and giraffes, will no longer have to endure extensive travel or life in cramped, poorly-laid-out enclosures for the sole purpose of entertaining humans.

As has been shared before, life for an animal in captivity is not at glamorous as it might appear to be in the ring. Oftentimes, circus animals undergo rigorous training (causing mass amounts of stress) and/or abuse inflicted by trainers seeking to instill fear.

Wilde Dieren de Tent Uit, the association of Dutch animal welfare organizations, has spent the last nine years working towards the ban. The association is now offering to help circuses find new, species-appropriate homes for the animals.

Read more at http://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news/1326/The-Netherlands-Has-Officially-Banned-The-Use-Of-Wild-Animals-In-Circuses#Ei6tBU6h6GtKMqPR.99

Endangered Orcas Captured in Stunning Images
Alicia Graef
Oct 22, 2015

See link for video and pics:

http://www.care2.com/causes/endangered-orcas-captured-in-stunning-images.html

Scientists studying a population of endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest have captured a series of images taken with a drone that aren’t just stunning to look at, but will also help us learn more about them and monitor their health over time.

The orcas they’re studying, known as the Southern Resident killer whales, are highly endangered. Their population reached an all-time low last year, but a recent baby boom bringing five new calves into the world, and their numbers up to 81, has their advocates cautiously optimistic they may yet make a comeback.

The research, which is being conducted by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Center’s Marine Mammal and Turtle Division and the Vancouver Aquarium in British Columbia, aims mainly to see if they’re getting enough to eat.

While they continue to face a host of threats ranging from boat noise to pollution, one of their biggest problems now is a lack of their main food source: chinook salmon, which is also endangered. Both the Southern Residents, and their Northern Resident relatives who live off the coast of Canada, rely on this particular salmon for survival.

From the air, scientists can take measurements to study their growth and monitor changes over time and compare their condition to how the salmon are doing.

The good news is that they were able to observe all of the Southern Residents and they say they’re all looking good, and that a few more may even be pregnant.

Even though the scientists kept the drone at least 90 feet above them at all times to avoid disturbing them, they still captured highly detailed images that show not only the health of these orcas, but also give us a glimpse into their daily lives, showing the strong family dynamics and lifelong bonds they experience in the wild.

“They make visual the social bonds between these whales; they spend most of their time traveling so close together they can touch,” Lance Barrett-Lennard, senior marine-mammal scientist at the Vancouver Aquarium, told the Seattle Times. “It makes them look very fragile … You cease to see them as these big black and white animals that can eat anything in the ocean, they are fragile animals and we have to take care of them.”

kw_from_above_sized_noaa_fisheries_vancouver_aquarium_01

Overhead image of the newest member of the Southern Resident killer whale population, L122, just days after being born to first-time mother L91. This image shows the small size of neonate calves and the close bond between mother and calf that will last a lifetime. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium.

kw_from_above_sized_noaa_fisheries_vancouver_aquarium_02

New mother L91 eating a salmon as her newborn calf looks on. This fish was caught and given to her by other members of the family group, showing that relatives help her as she cares for her calf. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium.

kw_from_above_sized_noaa_fisheries_vancouver_aquarium_03-1

An adult female Southern Resident killer whale (L94) nursing her calf. Lactation is energetically costly for these whales, and future photogrammetry images of the calf’s growth and the mother’s condition will reveal if the mother is getting enough food to support both herself and the calf. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium.

kw_from_above_sized_noaa_fisheries_vancouver_aquarium_08

Photogrammetry image of an adult female Southern Resident killer whale (J28) traveling with her juvenile offspring (J46). This image reveals the wide body profile of the mother, indicating that she is likely pregnant and due to have a second calf in the coming months. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium.

kw_from_above_sized_noaa_fisheries_vancouver_aquarium_07

Photogrammetry image the A42 family group of Northern residents. Killer whales travel in their matrilineal family group their entire lives. Here the matriarch A42 is in the middle with her newest calf beneath her. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium.

John Durban, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA, explains more in a podcast about the images and work being done to study these orcas, and how the results will help guide conservation and fisheries management actions to make sure they can get enough food when they need it.

For more info on these orcas and ways to help, check out NOAA’s Species in the Spotlight, the Southern Resident Killer Whale Chinook Salmon Initiative, Orca Network, Center for Whale Research and Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s Don’t Let Orcas Be Dammed campaign and a new documentary about their plight – Dammed to Extinction.

Grieving Mother Whale Dies After Losing Her Children In Captivity

By Christina M. Russo
October 2015

Yet another beluga whale has died at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

"Earlier this afternoon our beloved 21-year-old female beluga whale, Maris, suddenly passed away," the Georgia Aquarium said in a statement. "Our animals receive exceptional care, and our dedicated team of experts responded to her within minutes to render aid."

Her death, the statement adds, was completely unexpected.

Maybe so. But in a wrenching, glaring preface to her death, Maris's two babies also died.

Maris gave birth to a female calf just this past May 10 (coincidentally, Mother's Day), and the baby died less than a month later. "The calf took her last breath in the arms of her caregivers next to her mother just after 7 a.m. [June 5]," the aquarium said in a statement.

Maris' other baby, born in 2012, also died — within a week.

The father of both babies was Beethoven. He is currently at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium on a breeding loan, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Maris was brought to the Georgia Aquarium in 2005.
She was born in 1994 at the New York Aquarium.

These deaths come at a controversial time. For years, the Georgia Aquarium has been hoping to import 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia and distribute them to a number of aquariums in the U.S. The belugas were captured as far back as 2006, according to the Associated Press.

In September, a judge ruled against the Georgia Aquarium's effort to bring the whales into the country. The aquarium may appeal the ruling. All the while, the fate of the belugas in Russia remains uncertain.

There are some 150,000 beluga whales left in the wild. They live in Arctic and subarctic waters, with some regional populations especially vulnerable. Belugas were dubbed the "sea canary" by early mariners based on their inimitable vocalization, according to the Whale Dolphin Conservation (WDC) organization.

Beluga whales suffer in captivity, Courtney Vail, campaigns and programs manager at WDC, told The Dodo. "[They suffer] from the same physiological and psychological stressors and challenges in captivity as all cetaceans do, including sterile and restricted environments, forced associations, limited choices, transfers between facilities and aggression between pool mates."
Belugas also live far longer in the wild than in captivity. In the wild, belugas can live upwards of 60 years of age, Vail explains, based on research.

Back at the Georgia Aquarium, the beluga exhibit will remain open to the public. A necropsy will be performed on Maris.

https://www.thedodo.com/beluga-whale-dies-captivity-1418429061.html

Read "The Case Against Marine Mammals In Captivity by the Humane Society International and the World Society for the Protection of Animals:
[www.humanesociety.org]

"The Humane Society International and the World Society for the Protection of Animals have stated that they believe that "the entire captive experience for marine mammals is so sterile and contrary to even the most basic elements of compassion and humanity that it should be rejected outright."

EXPOSING THE CANNED HUNTING INDUSTRY.

INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL SCREENINGS START FROM THIS MONTH INTO DECEMBER 2015 WORLDWIDE ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL.

BLOOD LIONS SCREENING DISCOVERY CHANNEL: one can view more information hereto: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/discovery-international-blood-lions-documentary-827521
Screening data is as follows:

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
Please join the Blood Lions event on Facebook hereto: https://www.facebook.com/events/924352434295007/ invite your friends, family and work colleagues.

My own rating:
I myself have watched the entire Blood Lions documentary of which I do encourage everyone to please take time out to watch. The documentary runs for approximately 50+ minutes and is packed with education giving an up to date insight into the ruthless and barbarically unjust canned hunting industry. The film shows the extent at which canned hunters and breeders go too, to cover up their dirty little secret and, how this industry is still legal, not forgetting the Lions that are slaughtered within this pathetic industry. If you are unaware about this cruel hunting trade and the dangers it poses to wild Lions and other animals, then this is the film for you to watch. The makers have gone to great lengths to expose the trade, bringing you up to date knowledge of this heartbreaking and cruel industry and depicting how this trade is still continuing. I myself have rated the film 9/10. The only reason why I haven't rated the documentary 10/10 (in my opinion) is because the documentary isn't long enough. Nevertheless the entirety of the film provides all the footage and information that you need to know about Africa's filthy little secret. The producers have manufactured a non-graphic film that is suitable for adults and young adults too. You really do not want to miss this documentary. I and the [organisation] rarely do promote third party documentary films, however this isn't just a film. Bloodlions.org is an investigatory documentary that is educational, true-life and inspiring. Not only have the Bloodlions.org team exposed the horrifying trade, they have also began the ball rolling to close this disgusting filth down. There are today more Lions within captive breeding farms than there is within the wild. What does that tell you? Lions are being bred for the gun, greed and ego-driven narcissistic psychopaths hell bent on destroying our wildlife.

Dr Jose C. Depre
Thank you
International Animal Rescue Foundation World Action South Africa
Environmental and Botanical Science.

https://m.facebook.com/BloodLionsOfficial

Risso's Slaughter
October 28, 2015
51 minutes ago

In three days Taiji, Japan will celebrate the history between man and cetaceans at the annual Whale Festival. Love for the ocean’s whales and dolphins resonates from the preparations seen around town. The truth of Taiji’s relationship with dolphins took place today not far from the festival stage in the 8th drive of the 2015 hunting season.

At approximately 0730 am (local Japan time) the Cove Guardians observed the start of a formation. The 3.5 hour drive was too much for this pod of 29 Risso’s Dolphins. Overcome with panic and fear the pod was forced into the cove, their fate being sealed with the dropping of nets behind them.

The younger members of the pod were held back by savage beasts as the executioners slaughtered the remainder of the close-knit pod. After watching the brutal, inhumane death of the elders, the six dolphins were forced to remain under the tarps, swimming in the blood of their own family members, before being manhandled into slings and dropped out to sea. The Cove Guardians watched as they searched helplessly for those now at the butcherhouse.

Greed, not “culture and tradition” is always the driving force here in Taiji. In fear of the narrowing quota, instead of drowning and dumping juveniles at sea, these monsters released the young, knowing most will not survive without the pod. The executioners destroyed the lives of 29 Risso’s Dolphins today, only having to add 23 to the 2015-2016 quota. A quota that has never meant anything.

So how many of the 96-99 Risso’s Dolphins murdered this year will be served at the celebratory Whale Festival?

https://m.facebook.com/SeaShepherdCoveGuardiansOfficialPage/albums/560901160726785/

ON RED COVE DAYS, GOOD TEAM SPIRIT IS NEEDED MOST
29 OCTOBER 2015 - 11:50PM

Another update is provided from the ground in Taiji, Japan by Hans Peter Roth and Marna Olsen on behalf of WDC.

See link for pics.

http://us.whales.org/blog/2015/10/on-red-cove-days-good-team-spirit-is-needed-most

One should never get used to Blue Cove days. They will end eventually. Like yesterday. After eight consecutive days with no hunt in spite of relatively good hunting conditions, we had queasy feelings early on. Indeed, before 8am we spotted with our binoculars that two of the hunting boats had approached each other on the horizon. Soon other boats joined and eventually there was the whole drive formation of 12 boats in line, to drive dolphins closer and closer to shore.

The drive is being performed with the boats aligning and men on each boat banging with a hammer on a massive metal pole held in the water, to create a massive wall of noise that scares the dolphins, which are highly acoustic animals, and cuts their communication. Trying to get away from the noise of the boats behind them, they flee closer and closer to land to eventually end up at the infamous cove of Taiji, where they are either selected for the captivity industry or brutally killed for their meat.

So as soon as we see a formation like that, we know what’s going on and our hearts sink. That can be a challenge, also dealing with each other as a cove monitor team, because one can start feeling tense, weary, sad, sensitive and more irritable. So when we were driving from the vantage point over to the hill right above the killing cove, we had to remind each other to stay in good team spirit, supporting each other. It worked and it has worked fine so far for us, in spite and also because of the horror we have to witness here.

When we got to the hill, close to 3 hours had passed since the drive hunt had started. The boats kept struggling back and forth with a mid-sized pod of dolphins about one nautical mile out. Then it suddenly went quickly. The dolphins were completely exhausted and stressed to the max. Sealed in the killing cove, this pod of about 20 Rissos’ dolphins, which was about to be wiped out, was driven closer and closer to the killing beach, hidden under tarps in a literal “cover-up”. A horrible sight once again, mothers trying to protect their calves.

In the process of trying to get away, some of the dolphins entangled themselves in nets, and some actually got over one net, but only to be trapped by a next row of netting. The hunters and killers got most of the dolphins out of the nets. But one they did not see. It drowned, entangled under the surface. A death which is as horrible for these sentient air breathing creatures, as it is for a human being. And unbearable to witness… At the same time we just try to function, doing our job, documenting, reporting and deal with emotions later. It does not always work well…

When the killing was over, skiffs pulled the dead dolphins over to Taiji harbor, covered under tarps, but sometimes becoming visible. Would the hunters once again dump a drowned dolphin at sea and it might be washed ashore, as we had found a carcass on the beach after the last hunt? They did take six dolphins out to be dumped at sea; but these were alive. So we count a kill of 13, with one dolphin drowned and six released at sea, less than two nautical miles out. With our binoculars we could see them swim away.

We walked away quietly, heads hanging. It is hard to describe the helplessness you feel when you are so close to these animals you want to protect and rescue, and see them die in a horribly painful way after a very long and exhausting drive hunt of almost four hours. It’s hard not to get in the water, between the killers and the animals; but that would not save one of them. Then comes the time to digest, time for emotions. It is on these Red Cove days, when good team spirit and mutual support is needed most.