A bottlenose dolphin, with an S-shaped spinal deformity, is seen here rubbing against a sperm whale. Photograph courtesy Alexander Wilson and Aquatic Mammals

Recently an article written by Linda Poon, of the National Geographic news, covered what has been a rare interspecies event between a deformed bottle-nosed dolphin and sperm whales off the coast of the Azores.

Reading through the article, it was interesting the theories, ideas and thoughts expressed by biologists and behavioral “greats” about whales. I say this because there was too much significance placed into the idea that interspecies events such as these are rare in a marine setting, that there was more emphasis on “why” rather than noting the event and recognizing that cetaceans are social, caring and self-aware.

Mind you, none of these “specialists” have the ability to communicate directly with these creatures, yet they have lots of opinions about it! In a completely different area yet similar, as an artist, I have experienced business executives working with me on a creative project. They may know nothing about art, but they certainly have many opinions about it! Read the rest of this entry »

It is November and the Sea Sheppard team are gearing up for another season of interruption against the Japanese whaling fleet.

This time, however, the annual hunt masked as scientific discovery, is controversial for another reason. It is even drawing criticism inside Japan. The reason for this is around $30 million USD worth of funding that has come not just from the government, but directly from a fund set aside to help rebuild the economy in the area of eastern Tohoku wrecked by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Whaling has always been a controversial outside of Japan, but has barely made an impact inside the country. This year, the task of the Japanese whaling fleet is to kill 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales. The iron and mercury rich meat will find its way into some supermarkets, where it will be bought by few people or in some restaurants, where again, it will be an occasional dish. Most of it is destined to be frozen and stored, like with the whale meat from previous kills. For the Japanese government, this is a twisted piece of principle. The principle of not being told what to do by outsiders and of continuing an old tradition, forced on the country by food shortages, and disregarding increases in technology that turn the killing of a few whales close to the shore, to a mass, industrial killing spree anywhere in the Pacific.

This year, even the Japanese are complaining.

An Abuse of Funds

The Japanese government have always poured funds into the whaling project. If it was not for government largesse, the project would fail. Now Greenpeace have reported that the whaling project is receiving funding from money set aside to help Tohoku overcome the devastation of the March, 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The amount is thought to be 12.1 trillion yen, which works out at about $30 million US dollars or £19 million. This money comes technically from the Japanese Fisheries Agency, which regularly funds operations of this kind, but the agency lobbied central government for a slice of the Tohoku relief fund.

Junichi Sato

Japan’s fisheries agency argued that the funding would actually help the local communities, who rely on whaling for their income. Junichi Sato, however, has argued that the whaling programme and the tsunami recovery effort are totally unrelated. He told Australia’s ABC that the money would be used “to cover the debts of the whaling programme.” Sato says this is because “the whaling programme itself has been suffering from big financial problems.”

A New Tactic

Last season the Sea Shephard team were able disrupt whaling efforts to such an extent that Japan abandoned its effort before completing it. This year both the New Zealand and the Australia governments have lodged formal complaints against Japan for their determination to kill whales again. Naturally, these protests will fall on deaf ears. Australia have decided to take  things further by taking legal action through the International Court of Justice, though whether this would have anything other than a moral victory is moot. Turning the southern Pacific into a protected nature  reserve would have more of an impact, as would serious attempts to limit Japan’s ability to plunder fish such as tuna from across the world through international fish markets.

As for Greenpeace and the Sea Sheppard team, this is a new year with a new tactic. The plan is simple, stop Japan killing any whales. As Ecorazzi have reported, the Sea Sheppard Conservation Society (SSCS) have added a fourth, mysterious ship to their fleet. Known as Sam Simon, the ship is being kept under wraps until Operation Zero Tolerance gets underway in the Southern Ocean this year. The fleet will contain four ships, a helicopter, three drones and eight small RIBs. These will be staffed and aided by over a hundred volunteers from around the world. This includes Paul Watson, who is being sought by Interpol for skipping bail in Germany after a dubious legal action by Costa Rica, which came a matter of months or even weeks after a round of funding from Japan.

For the SSCS, maintaining a high quality fleet and effectively side stepping Japanese attempts to track and control them is vitally important. As the sinking of the Ady Gil demonstrated in the past, maintaining a fleet and complying with ship insurance regulations is difficult for organizations like the SSCS and it is important to do things in the right way. Luckily the society have friends in high places, as shown by the names on the boats such as The Simpsons’ Sam Simon and also Bob Barker. This risk, however, will be increased due to the society’s attempt to cut the whaling fleet off closer to the Japanese mainland. This risks incidents involving the Japanese navy and maybe even legal action in Japan if they stray into Japanese waters and are arrested. The one hope is that it will cut down the number of whales killed or maybe even stop it altogether.

The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.

We are trying to stop the mass industrialization of one of the rarest environments on Earth – the magnificent Kimberley, Australia – nursery and breeding grounds for Humpback Whales

Its pristine coast is home to the largest population of Humpback whales in the world – over 33,000 return each year to mate or give birth to the next generation of whales.

The largest protected areas are the Prince Regent Nature Reserve and the Drysdale River National Park along with Gregory National Park and Keep River National Park across in the Northern Territory which preserve similar habitats, (and indeed Keep River’s nearest town is Kununurra in the Kimberley).

The problem is, though, that while the land is being protected, the oceans surrounding Kimberly are not and neither are the whales Read the rest of this entry »

A 1200 year tradition of killing. How long will we continue to look on and then look the other way?

You might think a comment like that came from the days when Rome sent Christians to their deaths in the arena.

A tradition that has occurred for over 1200 years?

In a recent press release posted by JiJi Press, the Japanese Whaling fleet returned back from the Southern Atlantic Ocean with a total of 267 dead whales. Of those caught and killed, 172 whales were pregnant.

When you think of it, it is at best an outrage. Japan’s press release was that it was a “successful catch,” when in truth, whale meat is being stockpiled for people who eat it only as a luxury. The fact is, less than 2% of the Japan’s population eat whale meat.

Read the rest of this entry »

Around the world, I am sure the whale community is aware that they now have friends in Switzerland!

In an amazing and yet sane move by the Swiss government, officials have now banned the keeping of Dolphins in zoo aquariums in Switzerland.

Although a great family movie, the Big Miracle misses the big picture.

Although for some it is very old news, I saw the film “Big Miracle”, based on a true life story about three endangered Pacific Grey Whales trapped in Alaska and the rescue efforts to save them. The unfortunate thing is that the real message was watered down and overlooked!

As is usual with scriptwriters, the story was “much to do with Hollywood” and altered from the real story. The movie, although moving and portraying the mindsets of the people and cultures affected by the “whales plight”, did touch but touch upon the realities of current Inupiat life and the lust for power by oil barons.

The only ones not really represented or understood were the ones the story was really all about – whales! Read the rest of this entry »

A Whale of a Time?

I don’t usually post other people’s blogs, but if you are living in the L.A. area, take a ride to the Santa Monica pier and join in the festivities:

On February 18th and 19th our aquarium under the Santa Monica Pier will be hosting “A Whale of a Weekend,” celebrating the annual gray whale migration along our coast. Read the rest of this entry »

Justice is really blind, now that a U.S. Federal Court Judge, Richard A. Jones, is willing to listen to a frivilous lawsuit filed by the Japanese to stop the Sea Shepherd from its activities to hinder the Japanese from their so called "scientific research".

In a recent Associated Press release, The Tokyo-based Institute of Cetacean (Whale) Research along with a few other countries are seeking to get a U.S. federal court to order the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to cease disrupting its whaling activities in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica.

What is amazing to me that a U.S. federal judge is willing to hear Japan’s whaling argument or even allow it into the federal court system. Why? Consider the fact that our own President was supposed to take the side of anti-whaling, based on his initial campaign promises.

But, as we have seen, no sanctions – other than a letter – have been written and authorized by the President – and sent to the Faroe Islands, which somehow is supposed to tell them to “stop whaling”.

It is kind of like the recent spy plane recovery. A several trillion dollar spy plane is downed in Iran. Instead of destroying or recovering it, Obama felt that we could just get it back by asking for it. Well, it will be returned – in pieces!

Read the rest of this entry »

Last year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited SeaWorld following the death of a killer whale trainer. If a Florida court rules in favor of OSHA, employees of SeaWorld and other parks like it will no longer be able to come into direct contact with whales unless there is a barrier between them.

Although I usually write about the less aggressive whales, I by no means wish to forget Killer Whales and the ongoing saga with Sea World.

You see, Killer Whales are big business. People are drawn to intrigue and horror stories. And “Killer Whales” always draw a crowd, especially when “killers” can be shown to be playful, docile and controlled.

At least that is what you are led to believe.

But to understand it a bit more clearly, you need to separate out a couple of ideas. Ideas that confuse the issue, simply because words can border on sensational, and thus draw crowds. Crowds that pay money to see “killers”.

Killer whale jumping out of the blue water (Orcinus orca)

You see, the word “killer” usually brings into one’s mind a sinister thing, an evil thing. And from years ago, “killer” whales, were actually just that – whales that eat other whales. Recent events now show that these whales even eat sting rays and great white sharks.

The truth is, these whales are at the top of their food chain, just like we are. They eat other animals.

However, when any animal, including man, is caged and corralled, behaviors change. Men become violent. Well, so do whales, especially whales that are predators. Just like men, given the chance, they will turn against their keepers.

Tilikum is one such “killer” whale.

How would you express your rage at captivity, left to be in a room the size of a living room for the rest of your natural life?

As it turns out, Tilikum has killed two other people. But remember one thing – there are no records of wild orcas hunting and killing man in open waters. The behavior changed when forced these mammals were forced into a small enclosure.

Sea World has 25 of the 42 whales that exist in large-scale aquariums. And right now there is a move to remove trainers from being in the water with any orca. The interesting thing is that Sea World is attempting to stop this lawsuit by OSHA.

They are trying to prove that these animals can be “controlled” when the point is that having human trainers riding them are what visitors come to see every year, paying millions of dollars in entry fees and paraphernalia.

Does Sea World really care about the safety of their trainers…really?

The spark of sanity that may occur is that OSHA could win this case, denying trainers to be in the water with orcas.

People will no longer be drawn to the shows where trainers are thrown into the air, hug and ride whales.

The excitement will go.

And so will visitor attendance.

If OSHA wins their case, it means one step closer to freedom for these magnificent beings.