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

O’BARRY CAPTIVITY DAY 10, SLAUGHTERS CONTINUE
27 JANUARY, 2016

https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/obarry-captivity-day-ten-slaughters-continue/

When Richard O’Barry walked through the doors of the immigration department at Tokyo’s Narita Airport on January 18, he expected a “normal” delay of a couple of hours. Ten days later, he remains incarcerated at a detention facility, not far from the airport, with no word on when he will be released.

O’Barry is no stranger to Japan, having visited Taiji for 14 consecutive years in his work to expose the brutal dolphin hunts, taking place there annually. His work was the subject of the 2009 Academy award-winning documentary “The Cove,” and while the movie shed light on the unimaginable cruelty of the drives, it also caused increased suspicion and scrutiny of O’Barry himself.

The first question he asked was not about his detainment, but whether the dolphin hunting boats had gone out.” ~ Lincoln O’Barry

His comment about the boats referred to the hunters who go out between September and March, searching for pods of dolphins to either slaughter for food – a practice which deeply concerns O’Barry, due to the toxicity of the meat – or capture for marine parks and aquariums throughout the world. One of the most gruesome hunts of the season took place last week, where a large pod of 50-60 striped dolphins were driven into the cove and slaughtered.

I just got to see Ric for about 30 minutes. The moment he saw me our eyes met, a big smile covered his face, he raised his hands in the air and said, “Yeah!”

O’Barry’s roots to the country go even deeper, with a decades-long history of visiting Japan, and many friends made there over the years.

Says Lincoln O’Barry:

“Dolphin Project has been working peacefully and lawfully with the people of Japan since 1975. My dad has been visiting The Cove in Taiji for over 14 years, always abiding by the law. He is clearly being held for political reasons.”

O’Barry also worked to assist the people affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster of March, 2011.

“Ric is a man that really does care for Japan and the Japanese people. He accompanied me twice on missions up to north Japan, spending thousands of dollars purchasing and passing out supplies for the people in temporary housing.” ~ Enson Inoue Mixed Martial Arts Champion

So why now, on a cold day in January, did the Japanese target O’Barry?

“I’m being held in one of the most notoriously dangerous prisons in Japan on trumped-up charges. The false charges are nothing more than political accusations, not evidence based on facts.” ~ Richard O’Barry

Ironic, considering last April, O’Barry was welcomed by the Government of the United States, when he presented Dolphin Project’s petition containing over one million signatures to the Obama Administration at The White House, and requested help to end Taiji’s dolphin trade and slaughter. One week later, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) threatened to oust the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) from their membership, for continuing to take dolphins from the Japanese drive fisheries. (JAZA has since complied, stating it would expel members that continue to buy dolphins caught in drive hunts. Despite JAZA’s supposed compliance, Dolphin Project continues to monitor activities at Taiji.)

Making O’Barry’s captivity even more disturbing is a 2015 report from the Economist Intelligence Institute, demoting Japan in their Democracy Index from a full democracy to a flawed democracy. The report cities Japan’s increasing media censorship and political pressure on businesses to withhold advertising in unfavorable publications enough to push the country’s scores down. *Source: Japan Times, 1-26-16

Just last week, the Tokyo High Court overturned an earlier ruling ordering the state to pay damages to the family of a Ghanaian who died after being overpowered by immigration officials during deportation. The 45 year-old man died after being restrained when he was put on a flight to Cairo at Narita airport near Tokyo in March 2010. *Source: The Mainichi, 1-19-16

O’Barry had previously complained of inadequate nutrition and sleep deprivation, prompting a visit by the American Embassy. While these issues seem to be resolved, the question still remains as to why he is being held in a facility which houses dangerous criminals?

The deportation process, from start to finish, could take up to 60 days, during which O’Barry would continue to be forcibly confined. To circumvent this process, he could sign an admission of guilt, a move guaranteed to ban his return to Japan for several years. Yet, despite a visit to the doctor’s after complaining of chest pains, and the potential for ongoing health risks, O’Barry refuses to sign any confession of wrongdoing.

His work methods are 100% peaceful. Since 2003, O’Barry, driven by empathy and determination, has been bringing attention to the dolphin massacre, a practice so cruel, it continues to be surrounded by secrecy and denial. And I believe this is why Japanese authorities are so committed to putting duct tape over his mouth.” ~ Helene Hesselager O’Barry

The more Japan escalates its attempts to muzzle O’Barry, the more the world is watching – and judging.

Tony Kanal

Says the Japan Times:

Whatever the immigration outcome of O’Barry, he has already won in the courtroom of public opinion. Global public sympathy is on his side, whereas Japan looks overly sensitive on this contentious issue of dolphin hunting.”

Japan would be wise to pay attention to the mounting international criticism of their treatment of O’Barry. For a man who has spent much of his life calling for the release of captive dolphins, we now call upon Japan for the release of Ric O’Barry.

What you can do

CALL
Contact the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, Japan and demand the release of Ric O’Barry

In Japan:

1-10-5 Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 JAPAN
Phone: 03-3224-5000
Fax: 03-3505-1862
email: http://japan2.usembassy.gov/e/info/tinfo-email.html

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy
Twitter: @CarolineKennedy

From the United States:

Unit 9800 Box 300
APO AP 96303-0300
Phone: 011-81-3-3224-5000
Fax: 011-81-3-3505-1862
email: http://japan2.usembassy.gov/e/info/tinfo-email.html

Contact your local Japanese Embassy

The Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.
2520 Massachusetts Ave N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
United States
Phone: 1 202-238-6700
email: jicc@embjapan.org

SIGN
Sign the petition to free Ric O’Barry

DONATE
Dolphin Project has mounted a legal defense fund, as our legal costs are escalating. All donations are greatly appreciated and urgently needed. Then please sign this petition and add your name to free Ric O’Barry.

Click here to Donate
Thank you to Congressmen Ted Lieu, and everyone worldwide who has fought on Ric O’Barry’s behalf. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Vancouver Aquarium Exposed for Failing Whales, Dolphins and the Public

By: Alicia Graef
January 27, 2016

Aquariums keeping whales and dolphins in captivity continue to claim their work helps improve education and conservation, and the Vancouver Aquarium is no exception. Now, however, a new film is exposing the myths behind the aquarium’s misleading claims that endanger cataceans.

The film, Vancouver Aquarium Uncovered, focuses on the Vancouver Aquarium, but many of the issues it brings to light extend far beyond the tank walls of this single facility. Director Gary Charbonneau said he became concerned after attending a public hearing on the future captive cetaceans at the aquarium in 2014 and started investigating to find out more.

“What I’ve uncovered is absolutely shocking and sad. Everything we’ve been told about rescue, longevity and saving cetaceans in the wild is horrifically untrue,” he said.

The film highlights how the public has been misled to believe the aquarium supports conservation and education, when it clearly doesn’t.

The film touches on other serious problems in industry, including conflicts of interest among accrediting organizations and Vancouver Park Board members who are tasked with overseeing the aquarium; the aquarium’s ties to the brutal dolphin drives in Taiji; and the Georgia Aquarium’s attempt to import wild belugas from Russia, despite pledging not to take cetaceans from the wild.

Still more issues arise when finances are examined. Despite bringing in millions in revenue through both donors and government funding, the way the aquarium is spending money is shocking and incredibly disappointing — especially when it comes to its marine mammal rescue center, which many people, including the film’s director, are in support of expanding.

“We’re actually pushing for the aquarium to expand the marine mammal rescue center and fund it,” Charbonneau said in an interview with Roundhouse Radio. “Vancouver really needs an innovative marine mammal rescue center, and a science center as well with proper education and we don’t have that right now.”

You can watch the entire film for free at Vancouver Aquarium Uncovered.

http://www.care2.com/causes/vancouver-aquarium-exposed-for-failing-whales-dolphins-and-the-public.html

Hopefully the film will motivate people to push Vancouver Aquarium to make changes that benefit marine mammals, rather than exploit them for profit. People who want to take action can also support legislation that would improve the lives of cetaceans in Canada.

The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act will effectively phase out captive whales and dolphins by banning captive breeding, imports, exports and live captures of all whales, dolphins and porpoises, with exceptions for situations involving the rescue of injured animals.

Help Empty the Tanks in Canada

To see the film and find upcoming screenings, check out Vancouver Aquarium Uncovered and show your support by becoming a fan on Facebook.

Please also sign and share the petition urging Canadian lawmakers to end whale and dolphin captivity for good.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/vancouver-aquarium-exposed-for-failing-whales-dolphins-and-the-public.html#ixzz3ya4kJK00

Petition update

BREAKING: Undercover video from Marineland Canada.

Philip Demers
Niagara Falls, Ont, Canada

Jan 28, 2016 — After an extensive secret investigation, Last Chance For Animals ("LCA") has released alarming footage that exposes inadequate treatment, housing and care of marine mammals at Marineland of Canada. A complaint has been made to the OSPCA regarding the heartbreaking revelations. Similar to the allegations made by former employees in 2012, the video includes:

* Belugas suffering for months from an undiagnosed condition reported by employees to park management as "genital rubbing" which caused the whales to rub themselves constantly against the concrete pool floor until blood was visible in the water.
* A beluga calf suffering from a torn fluke was left untreated for two days, then was only seen by a local small animal vet.
* A juvenile beluga named Gia, who was accidentally separated from her mother then left in a shallow isolation pool for three months where she became emaciated.
* Belugas, including newborn calves, covered in "rake marks", visible scarring from being attacked and bitten by other dominant whales while in a confined pool.
* Barrels of industrial strength bleach adjacent to the water treatment building; staff and park guests complained of burning eyes and a chlorine smell on certain days when next to the pools.

Marineland Canada is still pursuing the former employees legally for disclosing animal abuse. A crowdfunding campaign is accepting contributions to their legal defense at www.SaveSmooshi.com

See video on link.
https://www.change.org/p/save-marineland-s-animals/u/15194238?tk=F8H3Zz4Ts2xhVmzKqM1pSB3fUbXn-LanifWNUVcIzno&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email

INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY OVER RIC O’BARRY’S CONTINUED DETENTION IN JAPAN

25 JANUARY, 2016

https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/international-outcry-over-ric-obarrys-continued-detention-in-japan/

THE COLOR OF MONEY
26 JANUARY, 2016
Taiji, Japan, January 26, 2016:
https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/the-color-of-money/

Breaking news: Captive Orcas, Dolphins to Get New Federal Protections

January 29, 2016
http://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2016/01/orcas-dolphins-get-new-federal-protections.html

Today, after a two-decade wait, we celebrate the release of a proposed federal rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve standards for the handling, care, and housing of captive marine mammals, mainly at aquariums and marine parks. It is an important animal welfare step, at a time when the nation is questioning more than ever if cetaceans should be put on display at all in captive environments at for-profit ventures.

Since the documentary Blackfish came out in 2013, the public has gained a new understanding of the consequences of long-term confinement of captive orcas, as well as the original actions that led to their captivity. Americans today no longer want business as usual and are seeking better conditions for animals, no more breeding of orcas and other marine mammals in captivity, and no wild capture of any cetaceans.

In October last year, the California Coastal Commission approved SeaWorld’s plan to expand its San Diego orca pools on the condition that SeaWorld doesn’t breed any more orcas at its facility and doesn’t transfer or import any orcas in and out of the facility. In November, SeaWorld – as a sign of its recognition that the culture has moved decidedly in an animal protection direction — announced that its San Diego facility will be phasing out the stunt-filled, theatrical orca shows for which the company is known.

In one specific provision within the rule released today, the USDA will resume its oversight of programs, like “swim-with-the-dolphins,” in which humans swim with captive dolphins. Interactive programs like these have carried on with no federal oversight for over 15 years since the USDA suspended its enforcement efforts in 1999. We applaud this step because these interactive programs present significant risk to the health and wellbeing of the animals as well as to humans.

I want to thank our allies on Capitol Hill who worked diligently to raise awareness about captive marine mammal issues and to advocate for new standards. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), along with 38 other lawmakers, sent a letter in May 2014, urging USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to release these updated standards on marine mammals. This year, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) offered an amendment directing the USDA to issue updated standards for captive marine mammals. In July, Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Reps Huffman (D-CA) and Schiff (D-CA) called on the Obama Administration to act on this rule and finish it up before the President’s second term ends.

Reps Schiff and Huffman also introduced the Orca Responsibility and Care Advancement (ORCA) Act on November 16th. This act would phase out keeping orcas in captivity by prohibiting the breeding, wild capture, and import/export of orcas for public display purposes.

In the wild, orcas live in family groups and swim dozens of miles a day, diving and feeding. Dolphins roam widely as they hunt for food and play freely in a rich ocean environment. A zoo or aquarium or marine park cannot provide even a faint approximation of what are normal living circumstances for these animals, and can lead to abnormal behaviors, stress-related illnesses, and shorter lifespans.

Today’s move by the USDA is a reason to celebrate. Please join us in urging the agency to finalize this rule. It’s been a long wait, and these animals deserve a better living environment.

(More is needed but this is certainly a welcomed step in the right direction. Please note that there is not a single republican sponsor.)

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."

http://www.cetajournal.net/dolphins-a-reflection-for-the-new-year/

https://dolphinproject.net/take-action/orcas-and-dolphins-do-not-belong-in-captivity/

With More Babies Arriving, We Can Do More to Protect Endangered Orcas

By: Alicia Graef
February 2, 2016

As a group of endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest welcomed a ninth new baby in just over a year, federal officials have launched a review to determine how well the Endangered Species Act is protecting them.

These orcas, known as the southern resident killer whales, live in three distinct pods (J,K and L). There were about 140 of them in the 1960s, but captures for public display took a serious toll on them. Despite live captures being banned and years of protection in both the U.S. and Canada, they have yet to make a full recovery. According to the Center for Whale Research, which keeps an official census, the population is now just 85 individuals.

While a slew of new arrivals has raised hope that they will make a comeback, they’re still facing a number of threats that put their future survival in question. They also recently suffered the heartbreaking loss of another calf.

In 2014, a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found three main threats to their survival, including a lack of food, noise pollution that’s impacting their ability to hunt and communicate and a buildup of pollutants in their bodies.

According to NOAA , these orcas are the most contaminated marine mammals in the world and have been found to have DDT, PCBs and flame retardants in their systems, which have been linked to disease and reproductive problems.

Now as the National Marine Fisheries Service begins its five-year status review, conservationists are urging it to speed up a promise to expand their critical habitat in the hope that it will reduce some of the threats they face as a result of human activity.

In 2006, roughly 2,500 square miles off the coast of Washington was designated as critical habitat, protecting the orcas in summer months, but scientists have identified an additional 9,000 square miles of habitat along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California as important for them and their advocates are pushing to get it protected.

While the NMFS announced that it intended to make the change, a final decision isn’t expected until 2017. Now conservation organizations are urging the agency to move up the timeline.

“These iconic orcas need more federal protection, not less. This status review will show these orcas are still endangered and that we need to quickly address threats from pollution, noise and lack of prey,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans program director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

See video on link below.

How to Help

For more ways to help support efforts to ensure the future survival of these unique orcas, check out the Orca Network, Center for Whale Research, Center for Biological Diversity, Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s Don’t Let Orcas Be Dammed campaign and the Southern Resident Killer Whale Chinook Salmon Initiative.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/with-more-babies-arriving-we-can-do-more-to-protect-endangered-orcas.html#ixzz3z9FOEhSp

Paul Watson: Join World Love for Dolphins Day to Put an End to the Slaughter

Paul Watson | February 4, 2016 12:31 pm

http://ecowatch.com/2016/02/04/world-love-for-dolphins-day-2016/
See link for video.

Most people throughout the world love and respect dolphins. There are only a few places in the world where these beloved creatures are captured and slaughtered, places like Japan, the Danish Faroe Island, Greenland, the Solomon Islands and a few islands in the Caribbean like St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Only in Taiji, Japan however is the slaughter of dolphins linked directly to the worldwide marine aquarium industry.

In 2003, Sea Shepherd exposed the horrific slaughter in Taiji to the world and ever since there has been a raging controversy over the Taiji dolphin drive.

In 2009, The Cove, a film about the dolphin slaughter received the Academy Award for best documentary. Despite this, the massacre of these beautiful, intelligent, socially complex cetaceans has continued.

The Japanese government has taken a hard stand in defense of the thirty or so fishermen who capture and kill these dolphins. Foreigners who go to Taiji to oppose the drive are being denied entry into Japan and others are harassed by police. Japanese nationals who dare to oppose the killing are treated very harshly with threats and intimidation.

Sea Shepherd has had volunteer Cove Guardians in Taiji every day from September 1st until the end of February to make sure that the killing is never out of sight and out of mind. It is a frustrating and depressing experience for people to participate as Cove Guardians, to witness the brutality and the murder of dolphins and unable to lift a finger to stop it due to a strong policing policy that watches the movements of every person who arrives to defend the dolphins with a camera.

Now, yet another killing season is coming to an end and Sea Shepherd is calling for volunteers, supporters and dolphin lovers around the world to join us on Saturday, Feb. 13 for a the World Love for Dolphins Day.

The message that we must deliver is that to end the killing and the capture of dolphins in Taiji we need stop supporting the facilities that profit from the capture and killing.

The dolphins that are driven into the cove are inspected and the prettiest and most profitable are selected for the captivity industry and the rest are ruthlessly slaughtered for meat. It is the captivity industry that motivates the killers because one dolphin can sell for around $200,000 whereas one dolphin killed for meat brings in only a few hundred dollars.

DAY 18: O’BARRY GROWS WEAKER; DELAY CAUSE FOR CONCERN
04 FEBRUARY, 2016

https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/day-18-obarry-grows-weaker-delay-cause-for-concern/

Tokyo, February 5, 2016: Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project has been incarcerated in a Japanese detention center for 18 days. At the time of this writing, no formal deportation order has been issued, making O’Barry a prisoner of the country.

Says Helene Hesselager O’Barry:

Ric called me from his cell this morning, and I worry for both his safety and his health. He is being treated like a criminal, held in captivity for more than 18 days. I fear his continued incarceration is punishment by the Japanese authorities for speaking out against the dolphin slaughter. Let Ric into Japan or let him go.”

O’Barry’s legal team has also expressed serious concerns over the lack of response from the Department of Justice. Says lawyer Takashi Takano:

The delay in responding to Ric’s case is a very bad situation, and is not normal. I am concerned because this situation is so unusual. He is getting weak and is unable to eat. Ric has already suffered a health scare, having chest pains which required a trip to the hospital.”

Background

On January 18, 2016, O’Barry was detained by Japanese immigration officials at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. What started off as a “routine” questioning turned into a repeated interrogation. He was placed in a deportees’ facility, similar to a jail, where he was held for over three days. When O’Barry later refused to board a flight that would take him back to the United States, he was placed in a formal detention facility, where he has been incarcerated ever since.

For 13 years, O’Barry has been peacefully visiting the fishing town of Taiji, bringing information of the brutal dolphin slaughters taking place there to the rest of the world. His work was the subject of the 2009 Academy award-winning documentary “The Cove,” and while the movie shed light on the unimaginable cruelty of the drives, it also caused increased suspicion and scrutiny of O’Barry himself.

What you can do
Dolphin Project is calling for international action, demanding the release of Ric O’Barry

SIGN
Sign the petition to free Ric O’Barry

DONATE
Dolphin Project has mounted a legal defense fund, as our legal costs are escalating. All donations are greatly appreciated and urgently needed.

Click here to Donate

CALL
Contact the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo, Japan and demand the release of Ric O’Barry.

In Japan:

1-10-5 Akasaka
Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 JAPAN
Phone: 03-3224-5000
Fax: 03-3505-1862
email: http://japan2.usembassy.gov/e/info/tinfo-email.html

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy
Twitter: @CarolineKennedy

From the United States:

Unit 9800 Box 300
APO AP 96303-0300
Phone: 011-81-3-3224-5000
Fax: 011-81-3-3505-1862
email: http://japan2.usembassy.gov/e/info/tinfo-email.html

Contact your local Japanese Embassy

The Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.
2520 Massachusetts Ave N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
United States
Phone: 1 202-238-6700
email: jicc@embjapan.org

SHARE
Spread the word! Share on all your social media, using the hashtag

#FreeRicOBarry & #IStandWithRicOBarry

JAPAN DEPORTS RIC O’BARRY
For immediate release: February 5, 2016

TOKYO – Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project and star of the Oscar winning documentary “The Cove” has been placed on an airplane and deported from Japan, where he has been incarcerated for 19 days. Immigration officials cited O’Barry’s trip to Futo on August 27, 2015 as the official reason for his deportation, claiming he did not inform them of his travel plans.

Says Dolphin Project’s lawyer, Takashi Takano:

My client, 76 year-old anti-dolphin hunt activist, Mr. Richard O’Barry, was detained for 19 days at a jail-like facility of the Immigration Bureau at Narita Airport, Tokyo. During this time, he lost more than 10 kilos (22 pounds) and suffered from a minor chest problem. With regards to the refusal of his entry into the country and the reason for his detention, the Bureau’s explanation seems very obscure. “Tourism” is not just “sightseeing,” but also includes such activities as visits to places of disasters or holocaust. Mr. O’Barry’s visits to “The Cove” in Taiji and his reports on dolphin hunting should be considered a legitimate tourist activity. To those who believe Japan is an open and democratic country, it must be shocking to realize this kind of experience can happen here and now.

On January 18, 2016, O’Barry was detained by Japanese immigration officials at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. What started off as a “routine” questioning – something which would typically take upwards of two hours or more, turned into a repeated interrogation. He was placed in a deportees’ facility, similar to a jail, where he was held for over three days. When O’Barry later refused to board a flight that would take him back to the United States, he was placed in a formal detention facility, where he has been incarcerated ever since.

Upon learning of O’Barry’s predicament, Congressman Ted Lieu’s office contacted the State Department, which confirmed O’Barry’s detention. Several celebrities including Matt Sorum, Slash, Maisie Williams, Tony Kanal, Drew Chadwick, Montel Williams and Duff McKagan tweeted for Japan to #FreeRicOBarry. Major media across the world ran stories about his incarceration, concurring he had already won public opinion. Even Japanese activists, during a recent demonstration in Tokyo against dolphin hunting and captivity, held up “Free Ric O’Barry” signs.

Last August, O’Barry, on his way to Taiji to mark the start of the 2015/16 dolphin hunting season, made a side trip to Futo in support of former dolphin hunter Izumi Ishii’s whale watching tours. He later went on to the infamous fishing town, where, for the past 13 years, he has been visiting to bring the notorious dolphin hunts to light. Despite testimony from Mr. Ishii, explaining that O’Barry did not know he was going to Futo until after he went through immigration, officials refused to change their findings. It would appear authorities had already made up their minds to deport him, no matter what evidence was presented, and they were within their power to do just that.

Says O’Barry:

It is ironic that they are deporting me to keep me quiet, when they themselves have brought more attention to the dolphin slaughter than ‘The Cove’ movie. It breaks my heart to be deported from a country I have grown to love.”

O’Barry’s deportation is cause for concern, especially for other activists, including Dolphin Project Cove Monitors, who are committed to exposing Taiji’s brutal drive hunts. His work methods have been 100% peaceful, yet O’Barry has been treated like a criminal. Also last August, the 76-year old was arrested for allegedly not carrying a passport. After spending a night in jail, all charges against him were dropped when police discovered the passport in the car O’Barry was driving.

This is a desperate attempt by the Japanese Government to hide the atrocities in Taiji. My dad is being held as a political prisoner. They have run out of excuses on why the slaughter and sale of mercury contaminated dolphin meat continues. Dolphin hunting in Taiji began in the 1950’s and is hardly cultural or traditional. The dolphins that aren’t slaughtered are sold to dolphin abusement parks around the world.” ~ Lincoln O’Barry

While he cannot enter Japan, O’Barry remains optimistic.

This is the beginning of something, not the end. The deportation is the green light to sue the government, something we have never had before.” ~ Ric O’Barry

Dolphin Project’s legal team has already filed an objection, with a formal lawsuit to follow. This is far from over.

Dolphin Project would like to thank each and every person who has fought on Ric’s behalf. Your tweets, emails and calls made a difference!

Special thanks to Matt Sorum, Leilani Munter, Maisie Williams, Slash, Dr Brian May and Tom & Kim Schotz. Thank you to Congressmen Ted Lieu, the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and The Law Offices of Takashi Takano.

https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/japan-deports-ric-obarry/

The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/02/10/three-animals-have-died-in-three-months-at-seaworld-san-antonio/
Feb. 10, 2015

Three animals have died in three months at SeaWorld San Antonio
By Sarah Kaplan February 10 at 3:33 AM

Dart was a Pacific white-sided dolphin, the kind that’s known for zipping through the water near the bows of ships and performing ocean acrobatics, one of the most active and playful species of an already active and playful animal.

But for the past month, the 12-year-old SeaWorld San Antonio show animal had been ailing. And this weekend, he died, the park said.

Dart was the third mammal to die at the SeaWorld branch in Texas in as many months, his death coming fast on the heels of those of Unna, an orca, and Stella, a beluga whale.

Last July, a baby beluga also died after being born prematurely.

[Three whales die at SeaWorld San Antonio in second half of 2015]

It’s still not entirely clear what caused any of the three most recent deaths. It doesn’t appear that the park has released necropsy results for Stella, who died Nov. 14 after being treated for gastrointestinal problems. In an announcement on Saturday, the park said that Unna was receiving antibiotics for an infection and treatment for a fungus but appeared to have a systemic bacterial infection that ultimately led to her death in December.

Dart (SeaWorld) Dart, the Pacific white-sided dolphin, died at SeaWorld San Antonio this weekend. (SeaWorld)
Although SeaWorld reported that Dart had “health-related issues,” it didn’t specify what those were. But one of Dart’s four Pacific white-sided dolphin companions, 37-year-old Betty, is also sick; the park said she is being monitored constantly for indications of inflammation or infection.

SeaWorld spokeswoman Becca Bides told the Austin American-Statesman on Tuesday that necropsy results for Dart are expected in about six weeks.

In a statement, the park said that it has been “a difficult time for our San Antonio team,” acknowledging that Dart’s is the latest in the string of deaths.

But “there are no apparent connections between these deaths,” it continued. “Our veterinarians will be conducting a thorough review of all the cases as they work through the post-mortem examination process.”

Still, the news is alarming for SeaWorld — and its animals. All three of the most recent deaths involved relatively young animals: Stella, who was born at Sea World in 2013, was only 2 when she died, and Unna was 18 (female killer whales generally live to 50, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). At 12, Dart was just about a third of the way through the average Pacific white-sided dolphin lifespan of 36 to 40 years.

Meanwhile, SeaWorld has seen its finances slide and the pitch of public condemnations rise. The documentary “Blackfish” was released in mid-2013, and between 2014 and 2015 SeaWorld’s net income fell by 84 percent. Bands canceled their concerts at the parks, Pixar changed an allusion to it in the “Finding Dory” movie, and the chief executive resigned.

Last fall, the California Coastal Commission banned the breeding of killer whales (which are actually a species of dolphin) in captivity as well as the sale, trade and transfer of orcas — essentially spelling the end of SeaWorld’s iconic killer whale-focused “Shamu” program, even as it approved an expansion of the park’s orca habitat. A month later, SeaWorld said that it would be phasing out the San Diego Shamu show in favor of a more natural “orca experience” without the splashy antics and acrobatics.

Stella, a beluga whale, died at SeaWorld San Antonio in November after suffering from gastrointestinal issues. (SeaWorld)

The effects of captivity on whales and dolphins are still debated. Animal rights groups such as the Humane Society argue that the large and social animals aren’t suited to life at aquariums and parks. Evolved to roam thousands of miles of ocean in massive pods (Pacific white-sided dolphins like Dart live in groups of up to 100), a captive animal is likely to be bored, lonely and vulnerable to infection. Wild animals have a longer life expectancy, the group argued in a report in 2011, and are less likely to display “aberrant” behavior, including attacking humans. Captive orcas have been implicated in the deaths of at least four people since 1965; there are no records of wild orcas ever killing a human.

SeaWorld has pushed back against these accusations repeatedly. In a document released in response to “Blackfish” — which SeaWorld said is “propaganda, not a documentary” — it argues that orcas in captivity are not the “ticking time bombs” that are described in the film. And in a FAQ-style addendum to the announcement about Unna’s death in December, the park addressed questions such as “Activists claim that Unna’s immune system was compromised from stress, making her more susceptible to infections and ultimately causing her death. How do you respond to that?” and “Some have claimed that SeaWorld has unbalanced water disinfection with high levels of chlorine. Is that true?”

[The fate of SeaWorld’s ‘Shamu’ show was forecast by the very first whale performers]

SeaWorld’s answer: No. The park also directs readers to a study published in the Journal of Mammalogy in 2015 that found no significant difference in life spans between captive and wild killer whales.

Notably, though, that study was conducted by researchers for SeaWorld.
(Which lies about orcas, constantly.)

VIDEO:
Swim With Dolphins in 360 Virtual Reality Video, Then Help Set All Dolphins Free
http://www.ryot.org/dolphins-virtual-reality/941175

TYSON SADLER

NOTE: While you can enjoy VR on desktop and mobile, for the best viewing experience we recommend watching 360 videos in the YouTube App for Android or iPhone.

Just 53 miles east of Miami, Florida is the small Bahamian island of North Bimini. It’s home to a beautiful pod of wild Atlantic Spotted Dolphins who are highly social and curious. Together, they swim up to 100 miles a day and navigate by bouncing sonar waves off objects to determine their location and distance.

RYOT News has partnered with Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project to capture these stunning marine mammals in their natural habitat with 360 degree, virtual reality video. Using this new technology will allow us to learn more about these playful creatures in the turquoise waters they call home.

Leaving the marina, we sailed past deserted private islands, untouched reefs and amazing shallow wrecks to find the resident pod. We found them – at least 50 of them – about five miles north of the island playing in shallow water, about 30 feet deep. As we approached, they curiously swam towards us, played in the wake of our boat, and several of them swam off the front of the bow.

Once we knew it was safe, we donned our masks and fins and jumped into the water. While swimming, immersed in the pod, curious youngsters would swim alongside protective elders with their excited pink bellies to check us out. It was evident that wild dolphins are free to make their own choices about when and where to interact.

There was no fear. No aggression. Only a mutual curiosity. At one point, I was able to dive down towards the sea floor and found myself embraced in a swirl of Spotted Dolphins. On my way up to the surface, several made eye to eye contact with me.

Dolphins have long been known for their intelligence. They have distinct personalities, can recognize themselves in mirrors, and can think about the future. New studies imply that bottlenose dolphins are more intelligent than chimpanzees.

Scientists at Emory University performed brain scans on dolphin species and found that the cerebral cortex and the neocortex of bottlenose dolphins were so large that dolphins’ cognitive capacity is second only to humans.

Lori Marino, a zoologist at Emory University in Atlanta, used MRI scans to map the brains of dolphin species. She said, “Many dolphin brains are larger than our own and second in mass only to the human brain when corrected for body size. The neuroanatomy suggests psychological continuity between humans and dolphins and has profound implications for the ethics of human-dolphin interactions.”

Thomas White, professor of ethics at Loyola Marymount University says, “The scientific research suggests that dolphins are ‘non-human persons’ who qualify for moral understanding as individuals.”

The result of this expedition is to bring you closer to wild dolphins than ever before. RYOT is pleased to announce the world’s first Virtual Reality Wild Dolphin Experience!

Video link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MFgSjruP7DQ

Dolphins don’t belong in captivity. They belong in the wild. Please join RYOT News, along with Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, and many of our friends who are taking the pledge not to buy a ticket to a dolphin show.

Take The Pledge To NOT Buy A Ticket To A Dolphin Show
TARGET: SPONSORS OF CAPTIVE DOLPHINS SHOWS & POLITICIANS

ONE WHALE’S STORY: TICHKA/AYDIN
14 FEBRUARY, 2016
https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/one-whales-story-tichka-aydin/

SHOCKING REVELATIONS OVER ANIMAL DEATHS AT SEAWORLD TEXAS
16 FEBRUARY, 2016

69 dead marine mammals in 24 years....and that's just at SeaWorld.

https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/shocking-revelations-over-animal-deaths-at-seaworld-texas/

Washington’s One Step Closer to Banning Captive Whales and Dolphins

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/washingtons-one-step-closer-to-banning-captive-whales-and-dolphins.html#ixzz40RyRKE70

These 8 Marine Species Are in Danger of Disappearing

By: Alicia Graef
February 17, 2016

While conservationists are working to raise awareness about the health of our oceans and marine life at large, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is specifically drawing attention to eight marine species who are at high risk for extinction through its Species in the Spotlight campaign.

The campaign was launched last year on Endangered Species Day. The NOAA is raising public awareness about species at risk of disappearing in the near future in an attempt to convince international conservation efforts focused on helping them recover.

The species included are all listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and were selected because their populations are all declining. So, why were these species selected out of the endangered species list? According to the NOAA, the threats to their survival are known and there’s a high likelihood of success if the right actions are taken.

As part of the campaign, the NOAA is also releasing 5-year plans of action for each, which build on formal recovery plans. The administration is also working on increasing public and private partnerships and getting concerned citizens involved in efforts that range from supporting captive breeding and reducing conflicts with humans to reducing bycatch and improving habitat, among many other measures.

Helping species at risk won’t just help protect individual species and ocean habitats, but will have much wider benefits.

“Recovering threatened and endangered species also supports strong coastal communities and benefits our nation’s economy,” says Eileen Sobeck, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Recovered species play important roles in a healthy marine food web, contributing to sustainable fisheries and creating vibrant coastal destinations with wildlife tourism opportunities.”

The eight species at a highest risk of extinction include:

Atlantic Salmon
Central California Coast Coho Salmon
Cook Inlet Beluga Whale
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle
Sacramento River Witner-Run Chinook Salmon
Southern Resident Killer Whale
White Abalone

“The action plans will help change the trajectory to recovery for these eight extremely vulnerable species,” says Sobeck. “To ensure these species have a fighting chance at recovery, we need help from our valued partners and the public. You can visit our Species in the Spotlight Action Plans site to learn about NOAA’s science behind this effort, and how you can contribute toward the milestones that will help these species recover.”

For more info on how to get involved, visit Species in the Spotlight: Survive to Thrive.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/these-8-marine-species-are-in-danger-of-disappearing.html#ixzz40YrIDxPt

This article enraged me.

Beachgoers in Argentina Kill Rare Dolphin While Taking Selfies

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/beachgoers-in-argentina-kill-rare-dolphin-while-taking-selfies.html#ixzz40dcWo6TV

Petition:
Help End All Imports or Exports of Dolphins Across U.S. Borders

https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/help-end-all-imports-or-exports-of-dolphins-across-u-s-borders?cmpid=tpanimals-eml-2016-02-20-Lemur#

Please sign and share.

Coral World: Accreditation For Care of Sea Lions 'A Big Investment'
BY KELSEY NOWAKOWSKI — FEBRUARY 22, 2016

http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2016/02/22/coral-world-accreditation-care-sea-lions-big-investment

Both VI Source and the Daily News has run articles on Coral World recently.
I emailed Lowe Davis the below Letter to Editor earlier today. She said they'd publish tomorrow. I have pretty much same response to VI Source.

Coral World’s accreditation means little

There is nothing ethical in the keeping of marine mammals in captivity. Period.

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.’"

Meanwhile, SeaWorld has seen its finances slide and the pitch of public condemnations rise. The documentary “Blackfish” was released in mid-2013, and between 2014 and 2015 SeaWorld’s net income fell by 84 percent. Bands canceled their concerts at the parks, Pixar changed an allusion to it in the “Finding Dory” movie, and the chief executive resigned. The tide has turned and people's sentiments have changed since the release of documentaries such as “The Cove,” “Blackfish” and others. The awareness of what these intelligent, sentient, magnificent creatures suffer in captivity has been brought to the forefront of the world's attention.

Coral World’s accreditation may sound good but many that receive this have terrible track records in the care of their captive marine mammals. There were 69 dead marine mammals in a little over 20 years and that's just at SeaWorld. Multiply that by the number of these captive facilities, worldwide.

I might add that the waters in which Coral World plans to keep these captive dolphins incarcerated is regularly on DPNR's Beach Advisory List as being unsafe to swim in because it does not meet water quality standards, as Water Bay exceeded the established Enterococci Bacteria threshold. This was as recent as last week.

I can only hope and pray that the Army Corps of Engineers will not grant this permit and that greed and profit -- which are at the forefront of facilities that keep marine mammals in abject, dismal and cruelly deprived circumstances -- will never see the light of day on our beautiful island.

Right now in Taiji, Japan, fishermen are hunting and killing dolphins, after selecting which ones are deemed "pretty" enough to be selected to be sold into a lifetime of deprivation in aquariums and facilities worldwide that exhibit dolphins for profit. We actually don't know from where Coral World plans to acquire its dolphins as they have refused to say.

The most persistent and difficult justification for these types of facilities comes from the public itself — the visitor’s “love” for animals. The psychological and physical abuses to them that are a result are overlooked by a naive public that wants to see these creatures, regardless.

This is a useless, selfish love that indulges itself at the expense of the animals. Luckily, millions of people are becoming aware and educated to the plight of marine mammals and those held in captivity in zoos. These animals don’t need our love. They need our respect. They need our understanding of their physical, social, and psychological requirements, and they need protection under the law.

How can you help? Don't buy a ticket and vow not to patronize aquariums that keep captive marine mammals, like those poor sea lions at our very own Coral World.

This is a great video and still available for viewing.
Everyone should watch and share.

By All Rights
https://vimeo.com/152855940
It's only available to be viewed for free until Friday at noon. Please watch.

What SeaWorld Won’t Tell You About Dawn Brancheau’s Death
February 24, 2016

http://www.seaworldofhurt.com/features/seaworld-trainer-dawn-brancheau-death/?utm_campaign=022616%20PETA%20E-News%20Standard&utm_source=PETA%20E-Mail&utm_medium=E-News

An Animal Has Died at SeaWorld Every Month Since November
February 12, 2016
http://www.seaworldofhurt.com/an-animal-has-died-at-seaworld-every-month-since-november/

The brutal slaughter of dolphins and whales is over in Taigi, for this season.
Their season is 6 months long.

https://dolphinproject.net/blog/post/breaking-officials-confirm-taiji-drive-season-over/

http://www.cetaceanrights.org/

Here’s Why We Should Never Forget What ‘Blackfish’ Was Really About

Aisling Maria Cronin
March 7, 2016

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/never-forget-what-blackfish-was-really-about/

It was recently the sixth anniversary of Dawn Brancheau’s death. She was an orca trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, who died on Feb. 24, 2010, after being pulled into the water by Tilikum. This tragedy prompted calls for a substantial change to the way SeaWorld operates, and as a result of her death, several new safety measures were put in place, including a rule that trainers were not to have direct contact with the whales. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited the corporation for a number of safety violations and instructed them to ensure that their trainers start wearing safety vests and remain out of the water, among other measures.

Brancheau’s death was explored in depth by the 2013 documentary Blackfish. “Blackfish” revealed, in shocking detail, the extent of the corruption and cover-ups perpetrated by SeaWorld in an effort to stop members of the public from learning just how damaging captivity really is to an orca, and how this creates a myriad of dangers for those who work with them. Brancheau was highly regarded and loved by her family, friends, and colleagues. She undoubtedly cared for the whales she worked with. However, her death revealed that placing a highly intelligent, sensitive, and cognitively sophisticated orca into a small tank that can never hope to replicate the space they would have in the wild leads them to experience untold frustration … and this can sometimes lead to tragic consequences.

How do Killer Whales Live in the Wild?
Wild orcas live in tight-knit matriarchal pods and remain close to their family members for their entire lives. They can travel up to 100 miles a day – which makes them one of the most widely ranging mammals on the planet – and possess brains over four times larger than our human ones. The lobes that deal with the processing of complex emotions are also larger in an orca’s brain than in a human one. In addition, the typical lifespan of a wild orca is thirty years for males, and fifty years for females, though some – such as “Granny,” the J-Pod’s head matriarch – can live to be significantly older than that. When spotted off the coast of Canada in May 2014, she was believed to be an astounding 103 years of age!

Sadly, captive orcas seldom get to experience natural family bonds for very long, as SeaWorld and other marine parks have a nasty habit of separating mothers and calves … then refusing to admit that they have done so. Captive orcas also tend to have a shorter life expectancy than their wild counterparts, with males surviving for an average of nineteen years, while females live to an average age of thirty. In 2013, a Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) study revealed that the 33 orcas who were bred in captivity up until that time, and had since died, only survived for an average of 4.5 years.

The majority of male captive orcas experience dorsal fin collapse, including Tilikum, the whale who killed Brancheau. Conversely, this condition is observed in less than one percent of wild male orcas. Depression, abnormal repetitive behaviors, self-mutilation, and unusual illnesses and infections are also rife among captive orcas. SeaWorld has even had to resort to medicating the animals with psychoactive drugs in an effort to prevent these problems. Late last December, a young female named Unna, who had been living in SeaWorld San Antonio, became the latest SeaWorld orca to die of a resistant strain of the fungus Candida.

The Tragic Truth
Brancheau is not the only whale trainer to have been fatally injured by a captive orca. Alexis Martinez was killed by an orca named Keto at Loro Parque in Tenerife on Dec. 24, 2009. Keto had been bred in captivity by SeaWorld, meaning that the corporation had to have known about the tragic incident … yet took very little action to ensure the safety of its own trainers in response. If they had done so, Brancheau might still have been alive today.

“It’s a sad fact that when Alexis Martinez was killed, the incident did not get any media attention at all,” said Dr. Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Animal Welfare Institute. “I honestly think the lack of attention to Alexis’ death was one of the most unethical things SeaWorld ever did. They knew about it, yet never said a word to the U.S. media, despite it being one of their captive-born whales who killed Alexis. If Dawn hadn’t died nine weeks later, it’s hard to know if anyone outside of Tenerife to this day would know about Alexis’ death.”

Tilikum, too, has been connected with other deaths besides that of Brancheau since he was first captured off the coast of Iceland in 1983, at the age of just two years. In 1992, he pulled a trainer named Keltie Byrne to the bottom of the pool at the now-defunct marine park Sealand of the Pacific. Tragically, Byrne met her death as a result. He was also connected to the death of Daniel Dukes in SeaWorld Orlando seven years later. It is obvious that neither of those deaths would have happened were he not held captive in the first place.

According to Helene Hesselanger O’Barry of The Dolphin Project, “Had Tilikum not been yanked out of his ocean home, he would likely still be traveling the deep, chilly waters of Iceland for miles each day, going from one destination to the next. His world would have been one of tremendous diversity, new challenges, and boundless activities, such as hunting, playing, and socializing with pod members. With every leap out of the water, he would see an endless ocean, free of barriers other than where the ocean meets the shore.”

John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer who was interviewed in “Blackfish,” has revealed that episodes of aggression in captive orcas are far more commonplace than members of the public realize. In his groundbreaking book Beneath the Surface, he revealed that he himself once experienced a moment of terror for his life, after an orca named Freya became angry and refused to cooperate with any of his or his fellow trainers’ signals. She ended up pushing him into the center of her pool – away from the safety of the edge – before repeatedly pulling him underwater. Hargrove and his colleagues eventually figured out a way to defuse her anger, and the entire incident lasted less than fifteen minutes, but Hargrove said that he could recall “(looking) back at the water, at what could have been the end of my life at the age of 27. My knees were shaking.”

He added that during his time as a SeaWorld trainer, he truly “loved those charismatic and complex beings. … We were dedicated to working and performing with the whales; and we steadfastly believed we were doing what was best for the orcas. Our lives were so intertwined that we felt as if we could channel what the whales were feeling.” Ultimately, however, he came to conclude that SeaWorld trainers’ genuine belief that they are doing the best they can for the animals is, sadly, “just a part of a rapacious corporate scheme that exploited both the orcas and their human trainers,” and that “if I had to live (the orcas’) lives, it would be hell. Captivity is always captivity, no matter how gentle the jailer.”

What Next for Captive Orcas?
Six years on from Brancheau’s death, the public is a lot more informed than they once were about the suffering that orcas and other marine animals endure when they are confined to cramped, unnatural pool environments. SeaWorld has gone through a series of major setbacks since “Blackfish” was released, with high-profile musicians refusing to perform at the park, major shareholders divesting from the company, and audience attendance figures dropping. In August of last year, the corporation reported that their second-quarter profits for 2015 had declined by an incredible 84 percent on the previous year’s figure.

Last October, the California Coastal Commission ruled that SeaWorld San Diego’s proposed “Blue World Expansion Project” could go ahead only if the company agreed to cease their captive breeding program. This stipulation effectively rendered the extension plan useless, as it means that the corporation will be deprived of new orcas to restock their tanks once the animals currently living at the park begin to die out. In November 2015, SeaWorld San Diego announced that they would be putting an end to their orca shows. CEO Joel Manby explained that “we are listening to our guests, we’re evolving as a company, we’re always changing.” If only they could “evolve” in the direction of retiring their captive orcas to spacious, tranquil sea pens, instead of insisting that the animals must continue to remain in tanks!

“Blackfish” has largely succeeded in turning the tide of public opinion against captive whale and dolphin shows in the West, but a major battle is now looming elsewhere in the world. As we prepare to face that battle, it is important for us to honor the memory of Dawn Brancheau and other people who died unnecessary deaths because of humans’ cruel practice of confining orcas and other marine animals in an environment that fails to meet their needs.

Now more than ever, we must rally together and boycott these cruel facilities. When we stop paying to see these animals in captivity, we send a message that orcas, dolphins, whales, and all other animals belong in the wild – not on display for our entertainment.