Tag Archives: dolphin

This Sweet Endangered Finless Porpoise Cried as It Was Sold for Meat

Posted on by
7

129,168 SUPPORTERS
130,000 GOAL
It was a horrific sight: a live porpoise cried as its captors auctioned it off for parts. Literally the animal had tears rolling down its face and it was making crying sounds. Luckily, two animal activists were able to purchase it and release it into the wild, but the trauma is done and whoever did this is still out there.

Sign on if you want Chinese authorities to investigate this act of animal cruelty and punish the responsible parties.

Poiposes are a lot like dolphins actually. And the porpoise in question is not only adorable, but it’s also endangered. The finless porpoise is on the red list. It’s believed there are only about 200 of them left and this one was almost murdered for parts! 

The sweet porpoise cried the whole time it was being auctioned off and it’s likely that it was injured because, when the activists took it out to sea, it had a difficult time swimming. It’s completely outrageous that someone captured this rare and endangered creature just to torture and ultimately murder it.

Catching and selling a finless porpoise is completely banned and illegal in China. That’s why we want to make sure the authorities find whoever did this and bring them to justice!

Photo credit: video screenshot

Shark fisheries hunting dolphins, other marine mammals as bait: Study

Posted on by
3
  • Global shark fisheries have for decades engaged in the deliberate catch of dolphins, seals and other marine mammals to use as bait for sharks, a new study has found.
  • The researchers found the practice picked up when prices for shark fin, a prized delicacy in Chinese cuisine, went up from the late 1990s onward.
  • The researchers have warned that the targeting of these species could hit unsustainable levels, and have called for more studies into the species in question as well as better enforcement of existing law protecting marine mammals.

Shark-fishing outfits have for decades been catching dolphins, seals and other sea mammals to use as bait, helping drive some of those species closer to extinction, researchers have found.

In their study published June 7 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, the researchers recorded the deliberate harvesting of small cetaceans and marine mammals for use primarily as shark bait by fishers from 33 countries, particularly in Latin America and Asia.

Two-thirds of 42 identified aquatic mammal bait species were “deliberately killed or targeted” for shark bait in at least one country, the authors concluded from analyzing 145 source materials — peer-reviewed articles, books, government reports and academic theses — ranging from 1970 to 2017.

Atlantic humpback dolphins inhabit shallow coastal waters and are often caught by small-scale fishers in West Africa. Image by Tim Collins.

Their analysis also indicated that small cetaceans are the group of aquatic mammals most vulnerable to the practice. Eleven of all the identified species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

“Bycatch — the incidental capture of dolphins, sea turtles, birds and other non-targeted species in fishing operations — is a well-known problem,” the researchers wrote in an accompanying statement. “Less well-known is the widespread practice of acquiring and using aquatic mammals for bait.”

The researchers noted that the trend picked up when the global price and demand for shark fins increased drastically from the late 1990s, outweighing the market value or desirability of consuming cetacean meat in many areas.

In Asia, the study reported, the use of small aquatic marine mammals appeared to be most prevalent in Indonesia, the Philippines and Taiwan, and the main purpose was to attract sharks.

A 2013 study in the journal Marine Policy estimates that between 63 million and 273 million sharks are killed each year, including those killed for their fins. Hong Kong is one of the world’s biggest shark fin trading hubs, and accounts for 50 percent of the global shark fin trade. Shark fin is seen as a symbol of class and wealth, and is served at special events or occasions.

The researchers noted that the Philippines was one of just two countries in their study where fishing outfits targeted more than 10 different species of aquatic mammals. In Brooke’s Point, Palawan, up to 150 dolphins were estimated to have been killed per season for use as bait in traps for chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius). Demand for dolphins was such that fishers adapted their fishing gear and methods to increase their effectiveness in hunting the cetaceans.

In Latin America, the use of aquatic mammals as bait was found to happen in Argentina and Brazil, where small cetaceans and the South American sea lion (Otaria byronia) are captured to target sharks and crabs.

Vanessa Mintzer, a marine researcher at the University of Florida and lead author of the report, warned that the killing of marine mammals for bait could reach unsustainable levels and lead to a population decline.

“With this global review we wanted to see whether, and where, other species were killed for bait, and learn about possible solutions to stop the problem,” Mintzer said.

Map highlighting the number of aquatic mammal species by country that have been used as bait in fisheries between 1970 and 2017 (GIS layers: S. Claus et al., 2018).

However, the authors noted that their efforts to fully understand the extent of this practice were hampered by a dearth of information on the status of the populations being killed, and whether, or how fast, they were declining, despite previous sources revealing the widespread killing of marine mammals for bait.

“The killing of marine animals for bait is, in general, a clandestine activity,” Mintzer said. “As a consequence, the level of killing and impact on the species identified in the review will likely remain largely unknown for the foreseeable future.”

The researchers have urged marine scientists studying the species in question in locations identified as “hotspots” in the report to obtain better data in order to come up with a solution.

They also called for improved enforcement of existing laws that make it illegal to kill marine mammals, as well as for local communities and fishers to be involved in education and sustainable fishing programs and policies — rather than rely on top-down implementation — to ensure successful enforcement.

“We need to identify other affected populations now to facilitate timely conservation actions,” Mintzer said.

Banner image of bottlenose dolphins swimming courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

How Do We Oppose Murderous Psychopaths?

Posted on by
5

by Captain Paul Watson:

In 2003, Sea Shepherd brought the issue of the dolphin slaughter to worldwide attention. In October of that year we sent photographer Brooke MacDonald to Taiji. Her pictures appeared on the cover of newspapers around the world and her video was aired on CNN.

Yet the killing continued.

In November two Sea Shepherd volunteers including Sea Shepherd Global Director dove into the Cove, cut the nets and freed 16 Pilot whales. They were both arrested and spent a month in prison and were fined $8,000.

And the killing continued.

In 2009 Louie Psihoyos and Ric O’Barry made a documentary film called The Cove. It won the Academy Award for best documentary film and exposed the horror of Taiji to hundreds of thousands of people.

Yet the killing continued.

Sea Shepherd’s Cove Guardians were on the ground every year since 2009. Seven years for six months, a total of 42 months on the ground, livestreaming, witnessing, filming, photographing, protesting, monitoring – watching dolphins die and unable to do anything to physically stop it.
During that time we sent in hundreds of volunteers.

After yet after 14 years the only dolphins saved were the 16 freed when Sea Shepherd cut the nets in 2003.

Since 2014 Japan has been denying entry to Sea Shepherd Cove Guardians eliminating 100% of our Cove Guardian leaders and most of the volunteers.

This year, Japan has made Sea Shepherd tactics subject to charges of terrorism. Under the new laws, 2 people with a camera may be charged with terrorism.

This is, to put it bluntly – insane!

These official decisions have convinced me that we are dealing with a psychopathic attitude where every single obstacle is being thrown into the path of anyone who opposes the mass slaughter of dolphins in Taiji.

Since September 1st, Sea Shepherd has received some criticism for not being in Taiji this season. This criticism is quite unfair. How can the Cove Guardians be in Taiji when they can’t even get into Japan? And how can they expect us to send inexperienced volunteers into a position where they will be charged with an act of terrorism just for being there?

Some critics say that the Dolphin Project is there, so why is Sea Shepherd not there?

It is true that Ric O’Barry has been banned from Japan but very few Dolphin Project Cove Monitors have been denied entry – yet. Sea Shepherd is happy that Dolphin Project people can be on the ground but I predict their freedom to do so will soon be greatly diminished.

The Japanese government wants to remove observers.

The thugs in Taiji are psychopaths completely lacking compassion and empathy for the dolphins. The attached image screams the word – psychopath!

The politicians enabling the mass slaughter are also psychopaths lacking empathy and compassion.

Being on the ground in Taiji now is a fruitless endeavor. Years of documentation and live-streaming have not made a difference. The killing continues and the killers become more entrenched in their ruthlessness to the point that their very identity as Japanese is equated with the merciless massacre of dolphins.

It has become painfully evident to me that they simply have a perverse lust for killing. They do it for money AND they do it because they enjoy it. We can see it in their eyes, this lust for inflicting gross suffering and death.

The Dolphin drives are an organized highly ruthless slave trade. Slavery is where the money is, the meat trade is minor by comparison. They could enslave dolphins without killing any and still make a huge profit. The reason they don’t do so is very simple – they like to kill.

What has been going down in Taiji can only be understood as a form of collective insanity. We cannot expect reason, compassion, pity, empathy and kindness will have any influence on the minds of psychopathic individuals and collectively Taiji has become a community of psychopaths backed up by the not surprising psychopathic politicians, passing laws against compassion, empathy, kindness and pity.

Because of this I came to the realization that continuing to be in Taiji, with the increasingly difficult possibilities of even being there, was becoming very unproductive.

We have achieved nothing since 2003, not a single dolphin saved since 2003. Yes, we have raised awareness throughout the world but Japan does not care what the rest of the world thinks or feels.

Sea Shepherd is not abandoning our opposition to the despicable cruelty and killings. We are simply changing strategies and developing new tactics.

We have 14 years of documentation so there is little that continues to happen that we have not already captured on film. We need to get these images out to the public – in Japan.

We need to develop a Japanese website and Japanese social media. We need to make the Japanese people at least as aware as the rest of the world. We need to develop economic strategies aimed at Japan with a special focus on the Olympics in 2020. We need to research legal options.

Unfortunately we’ve done all that we practically and strategically can accomplish on the ground in Taiji.

We are refocusing and planning for a new strategy.

The Cove Guardians were heroic, steadfast and I appreciate the efforts of each and every person who spent time on the ground there. They suffered harassment and abuse including numerous abuses from the police and fishermen and most importantly they had to endure the trauma of witnessing the monstrous acts of cruelty and murder.

They did all that could have been done within the context of having to do so within Japanese territory under the ever present watch of the police and rejection from border guards.

When I first organized the Cove Guardians I felt confident that it could have success but I did not take into account the one factor that makes it difficult to overcome such a heartless behavior and makes it impossible to deal with the situation in any meaningful way.

That factor is insanity. We can’t reason or appeal to the heart of a Psychopath because we have been looking for something that does not exist – their heart!

We must develop a new and effective approach.

Uncover Photo

Federal regulators want to ban swimming with dolphins in Hawaii

Posted on by
2

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-regulators-want-to-ban-swimming-with-dolphins-in-hawaii/

 In this handout photo provided by SeaWorld San Diego, Sadie, a 13-year-old bottlenose dolphin at SeaWorld San Diego, swims with her newborn calf at the marine park’s Dolphin Stadium October 20, 2014 in San Diego, California.

HANDOUT, GETTY IMAGES

HONOLULU — Federal regulators are proposing to ban swimming with dolphinsin Hawaii, a move that could imperil one of the Aloha State’s most popular tourist activities and the industry that has sprung up around it.

The National Marine Fisheries Service says spinner dolphins — the playful nocturnal species that humans in Hawaii routinely frolic with — are being deprived of rest during the day and becoming stressed out.

Swimming with dolphins is popular with visitors and some locals, with dozens of companies on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island operating dolphin tours daily.

The proposed rule could shut down or greatly disrupt the industry as it now operates. That’s because the ban would cover waters out to 2 nautical miles, which is where 98 percent of Hawaii’s spinner dolphins rest after they’ve spent the night feeding. Tour companies take customers to these close-to-shore waters to find dolphins.

Ann Garrett, assistant regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service’s protected resources division for the Pacific Islands, said dolphins have been found to be burning calories at a higher rate because they are forced to be vigilant as people approach their pods.

“All of these things can contribute to a reduction of fitness over time — this kind of chronic level of stress. That’s what we’re concerned about,” Garrett said.

Scientists have not done any studies on how frolicking with humans has affected the dolphins’ numbers. But they fear the stress will harm the animals’ ability to reproduce.

The federal agency plans to hold public meetings on the regulations next month and expects to make a final decision next year.

Garrett said Tuesday that the agency aims to require swimmers, snorkelers and others in the water to stay at least 50 yards from the animals.

She said tour operators can follow this rule and still make a living. She said some already do so voluntarily.

Under the proposed rules, “those that are putting their people in the water to interact with dolphins, this would change the nature of what they’re doing,” she said. “They could still do snorkeling for other reasons – it’s just not setting their people within a pod of dolphins or within 50 yards of a dolphin.”

Hawaii’s spinner dolphins get their name from their habit of leaping in the air and spinning around. Some scientists say such behavior is not always playfulness and can instead be an attempt by a dolphin to alert others to danger.

Spinner dolphins eat fish and small crustaceans that surface from the ocean depths at night. At daybreak, they gather in shallow bays to hide from tiger sharks and other predators.

When they sleep, they rest half their brains and keep the other half awake so that they can surface and breathe. As a result, they can look awake and active even when asleep.

Unlike the better-known bottlenose and other dolphin species in Hawaii waters, they are highly predictable in their behavior, returning to the same general area every day. That makes them easy for tour groups to find.

The prohibitions would cover waters up to 2 miles off the main Hawaiian Islands. It would also apply farther from shore in certain waters between Maui, Lanai and Kahoolawe islands.

© 2016 The Associated Press.

Marine experts seek answers in death of humpback whale

Posted on by
6

A whale washed up Sunday evening on the beach in Seaside. — Kyle Spurr/The Daily Astorian

 

SEASIDE — The dead 24-foot humpback whale that washed ashore on the north end of Seaside’s beach Sunday caused quite a stir.

A couple of dozen onlookers stopped to watch Tuesday as a team of marine experts from Portland State University and Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network volunteers performed a necropsy on the animal, which had been moved slightly inland and north on the beach. Some came to town specifically to see the whale.

The team collected biological samples that will be used to help determine a cause of death. If there are no “smoking guns,” such as bullet holes or something stuck in the mammal’s throat, then it can take days or weeks to determine a cause of death, said Keith Chandler, the general manager of Seaside Aquarium.

It was clear the animal did not die from old age, as it was only about a year old, Chandler said. He said it is not unusual to see a whale wash ashore on the North Coast, but they tend to be gray whales. Humpbacks are rare — Chandler said he has only see a few in his 20 years with the stranding network — but the species was spotted in nearby waters recently.

“There were a few humpbacks hanging out in the mouth of the Columbia River last year,” he said. “They are usually further offshore. It could have died offshore and with the storm, washed in.”

The whale was one of at least five cetaceans to wash up in the area in three days. A harbor porpoise and two striped dolphins were found Saturday. One dolphin was found in Cannon Beach and the other in Ocean Park, Washington. A third striped dolphin washed ashore in Seaside Monday. Chandler said it is “quite unusual to get them all together,” especially the striped dolphins.

The Ocean Park dolphin showed signs of being entangled in a net and had a hole in its tail that appeared to be from a gaff, Chandler said. The dolphin from Seaside had a similar hole in the same area, but it had not undergone a necropsy by Tuesday. Chandler said it could be a single event — getting caught in the net — that caused the unusual occurrence of killing multiple dolphins at once. If a single event is the cause of death, Chandler said, then “we know it’s just an accident,” as opposed to persistent conditions impacting a species, like disease.

City crews planned to bury the whale at the beach by Wednesday morning.

http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20160203/marine-experts-seek-answers-in-death-of-humpback-whale?utm_source=Daily+Astorian+Updates&utm_campaign=b5c32b3710-TEMPLATE_Daily_Astorian_Newsletter_Update&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e787c9ed3c-b5c32b3710-109860249

Make the Gillnet Ban Permanent to Save the Vaquita!

Posted on by
1

https://www.change.org/p/make-the-gillnet-ban-permanent-to-save-the-vaquita?tk=yiaboXSGrYZoj8CTjXeQw6T2X-psCv0jRHADusYpMtM&utm_medium=email&utm_source=signature_receipt&utm_campaign=new_signature

VIVA Vaquita Coalition
42,068

Supporters

The critically endangered Vaquita porpoise is the rarest marine mammal species on the planet.

Between 50 and 100 remain, and all of them live in a tiny region in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Their only threat is accidental entanglement in fishing nets called gillnets, which are illegally set for the also-endangered Totoaba fish. There is a lucrative black market trade in Asia for the swim bladders of the Totoaba, fueling this highly destructive fishery. The Vaquita is simply an accidental victim in this situation, but nevertheless, it is on the absolute brink of extinction.

2016 is a “make or break” year for the Vaquita.

In 2015 we convinced the Mexican government to ban all gillnet fishing in the Vaquita’s range, which is amazing news!

Now this year, we are going to have to make sure they flawlessly enforce the ban as well as make it permanent with the aid of Vaquita-safe fishing gear.

2016 has to be the Year of the Vaquita, or else it will be too late to save this magnificent animal.

Thank you for signing this petition and speaking on behalf of the voiceless!

Please visit the websites below to learn more about the Vaquita and how you can help!

http://vivavaquita.org/

Japanese town’s controversial dolphin hunt begins

Posted on by
1

SeaWorld says it won’t take beluga whales captured in Russia
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-seaworld-georgia-aquarium-belugas-20150903-story.html

Japanese town’s controversial dolphin hunt begins
http://news.yahoo.com/japanese-towns-annual-dolphin-hunt-begins-104914360.html
“In the annual hunt, people from the southwestern town corral hundreds
of dolphins into a secluded bay and butcher them, turning the water
crimson red. The scene was featured in “The Cove” documentary, drawing
unwanted attention to the little coastal community.”

11214207_829677830435133_118593585578390559_n

Stop Seismic Blasting

Posted on by
Reply

Seismic blasting is one of the loudest man-made noises in the ocean. The explosive blasts threaten the lives of dolphins and other marine mammals, by preventing them from finding their babies, mates, or even just food. Join us in telling President Obama to oppose seismic blasting in the Atlantic.

Sign our Petition to Stop Seismic Blasting
Add your name to oppose harmful seismic blasting off the East Coast before dolphins and whales pay the price.
Learn More
oceana.org

Paul Watson Asks us to Redefine Intelligence

Posted on by
4

http://upliftconnect.com/humans-arent-intelligent-creatures-planet/

Cetologists observe, document, and decipher evidence that points to a profound intelligence dwelling in the oceans. It is an intelligence that predates our own evolution as intelligent primates by millions of years. – Paul Watson

I had a profound experience while kayaking in Hawaii this past winter with friends. We were visited by a whale and there is no doubt that this majestic being was coherent, aware of us, and enjoying our company as much as we were enjoying his. We put our snorkeling masks on and jumped in and could easily see the whale gently make eye contact with each of us. With one thrust of his tail he could have left in an instant but he stayed with us for over an hour.  A mammal with a brain bigger than ours and complex migration songs that change every year, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of thoughts could be going through his mind. The recent piece by  Dawn Agnos on UPLIFT about a conversation with a horse shows that emotional intelligence and empathy are a language that many animals understand. It was only recently that terms like emotional intelligence emerged and it is interesting to consider that there are many different kinds of intelligence.  Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd makes a good argument in a recent Facebook post that perhaps humans concept of intelligence is anthropocentric and lacking in breadth.

Screen Shot 2015-05-07 at 9.43.23 PM

Watson starts early in his essay with the bold assertion that, “Biological science is provoking us to shatter our image of human superiority.” Though indigenous wisdom has always considered humans a part of the circle of life rather than above it, that sentiment has almost been completely destroyed by generations of colonial indoctrination. The very roots of colonial indoctrination not only conclude that humans are superior to all other life forms, it also considers some humans as superior to others. Social Darwinism, a myth, was an effort to use science to validate the behavior of employing superior weaponry to oppress other humans. Though we owe much respect to western science we must also understand the cultural and religious backdrop from which this discipline emerged. We must also be willing to explore the assumptions within science if we are to evolve it.

Rupert Sheldrake attempted to do this during a TED Talk entitled, The Science Delusion and his presentations was banned. This is not to say that Sheldrake is right and all of science is wrong, that is too simplistic. It is merely an opportunity to open a dialogue about assumptions within science that the scientific community may or may not be willing to consider. I mention it in the context of considering the humble notion that humans may not posses the highest form of intelligence on the planet. If for no other reason than amusement, just open your mind and consider…

Mammals like us, who have been on the planet a whole lot longer than us, who also have larger brains than us, is interesting to reflect on. We humans pride ourselves on technology, on creating tools, gadgets and machines. Of course it is easy to consider that intelligence is based on technology. Then there is the idea of emotional intelligence which acknowledges a form of intelligence which is internal, can not be easily measured empirically but plays a major role in the success of an individual. Intuition, compassion, empathy are usually considered feelings, but these are skills, non-physical tools that we can use to ascend the social ladder. Meditation could also be considered a non-physical tool that changes our biology, reduces stress and opens the mind. We may be at the very beginning of understanding that tools do not need to be physical or easily measurable by traditional science in order to be valuable.

We willingly accept the idea of intelligence in a life-form only if the intelligence displayed is on the same evolutionary wavelength as our own. Technology automatically indicates intelligence. An absence of technology translates into an absence of intelligence.

Dolphins and whales do not display intelligence in a fashion recognizable to this conditioned perception of what intelligence is, and thus for the most part, we are blind to a broader definition of what intelligence can be.

Evolution molds our projection of intelligence. Humans evolved as tool-makers, obsessed with danger and group aggression. This makes it very difficult for us to comprehend intelligent non-manipulative beings whose evolutionary history featured ample food supplies and an absence of fear from external dangers.  – Paul Watson

Again it is important to recognize how this attitude has not only been applied to animals, but also to indigenous people historically. How we define intelligence is restricted to our definition of intelligence. Are we willing to broaden our definition of intelligence?

Intelligence can also be measured by the ability to live within the bounds of the laws of ecology — to live in harmony with one’s own ecology and to recognize the limitations placed on each species by the needs of an ecosystem. Is the species that dwells peacefully within its habitat with respect for the rights of other species the one that is inferior? Or is it the species that wages a holy war against its habitat, destroying all species that irritate it? What can be said of a species that reproduces beyond the ability of its habitat to support it? What do we make of a species that destroys the diversity that sustains the ecosystem that nourishes it? How is a species to be judged that fouls its water and poisons its own food? On the other hand, how is a species that has lived harmoniously within the boundaries of its ecology to be judged?  – Paul Watson

Watson gets very in-depth and cites the research which compares cranial capacity, and brain complexity between humans and sea mammals. At the very least this information is humbling. Paul Watson has given us a lot to think about, but probably the greatest gift in his essay can be summarized by this quote:

It’s not enough to understand the natural world, the point is to defend and preserve it. – Edward Abbey

Watson is not merely a philosopher, he puts his words and beliefs into action. For 35 years, Captain Paul Watson has been at the helm of the world’s most active marine non-profit organization – the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. I highly recommend reading the entire essay which is available here.

To even consider that we are not superior to other species is delightfully humbling. It can restore a child-like sense of awe for life which also inspires a desire to preserve our environment. Our tools are wonderful, our science is also wonderful, but it should be used to celebrate and elevate all of life.  We must consider that the unconscious, disrespectful use of our tools and science can create unimaginable destruction for ourselves and other species. A healthy future includes humans who are aware of this and who live within the bounds of their ecosystem. We have the ability to create worlds or destroy ourselves. How do you want to live your life?

WORDS BY JACOB DEVANEY