Sea Shepherd activist and Cove Guardian Erwin Vermeulen, who was arrested for allegedly pushing a Japanese fisherman in Taiji, has been afforded a release order by a Japanese judge. This is great news for Sea Shepherd but primarily awesome for Erwin and his family. Congratulations, Erwin!
228 marine mammals of varying species (dolphins, whales, seals, etc.) are in need of rescue each year on the shorelines of Cape Cod. Yet in five weeks 179 dolphins (and dolphins alone) have been discovered stranded in these shallow waters, beaches, and mud flats, unable to swim back to sea. And no one seems to know why.
Professionals can point to no significant changes in tidal conditions or health conditions (scientists are tagging them and checking their health) as a cause. However, dolphins do travel/live in large groups which means whatever is causing the mass stranding is forcing a large number of them into the horrible situation.
Volunteers are working around the clock on the rescues, which is awesome. Yet of the 179 discovered only 71 were alive. Of those 53 were successfully released back into safe waters. Thankfully, there are people who are willing to pause their own lives to help get these dolphins survive. We can only hope professionals will discover the origin of the problem and be able to resolve it sooner than later.
Every once in a while I find something which isn’t related to Sea Shepherd but that I’m confident is important to share with Sea Shepherd fans because it’s related to the well being of animals and consequently is relevant indirectly. This is one of those occasions.
Over the past few years there have been an increasing number of reports of mass bird deaths. And of course the media is quick to write it off as freak occurrences of mother nature and even apocalyptic foreshadowing. I—like many others I’m sure—was confident this had nothing to do with odd turns in the road and everything to do with sadistic humans wanting to change something. And as it turns out, this was the case.
The United States Department of Agriculture has publicly admitted to poisoning millions of birds. And they have been doing so for quite some time. The reason? Because birds were shitting in open containers of feed meal. So rather than suggesting that farmers cover their feed meal containers they agreed to the genocide of many species of birds.
Humans never cease to amaze me at just how sadistic they can be.
This morning Sea Shepherd announced that the crew of the Brigitte Bardot is now safe and sound. They and their vessel are being shepherded (I can use puns if I want to) back to port where they will work feverishly to repair the hull which was damaged by a rogue wave.
Sea Shepherd is going to lose some ground monitoring Japanese whalers with two ships out of commission. However, the good news is that the Bob Barker is in direct pursuit of the whalers they discovered early in their campaign. What’s more, the Bob Barker is Sea Shepherd’s ice-class vessel, meaning they can confidently chase whalers into growler-infested waters if necessary.
#brigitte bardot #steve irwin #bob barker #vessel #ice class #growler
While in pursuit of Japanese whalers the Sea Shepherd vessel Brigitte Bardot was severely damaged by a rogue wave which cracked its hull. It has been taking on water while the storm continues to bombard it with waves, and the Steve Irwin is racing 240 miles toward the ship and its crew in response to their distress call.
Brigitte Bardot captain Jonathan Miles Renecle is confident the ship will stay afloat until the Steve Irwin arrives. However, based on the photographs they posted of the tied up hull I think there is cause for alarm. The entire crew of ten would certainly perish if left in the water for even a short period of time.
What’s more, what does this mean for the campaign? Can Operation Divine Wind meet its objectives without the Brigitte Bardot? Can it be quickly repaired and put back into this campaign?
This is a huge blow to the campaign. But most importantly, I hope for the best for the stranded crew. Here’s to a speedy rescue via the Steve Irwin. Hang on, folks!
#brigitte bardot #steve irwin #rescue #operation divine wind #damage
A brief note from Captain Paul Watson aboard the Steve Irwin en route to the Southern Ocean for Operation Divine Wind.
This video is beyond beautiful and I am left speechless. How many people besides Michael Fishbach (the narrator/savior in this video) can say they directly saved a Humpback whale with their bare hands? Wow.
Things have never been cordial between Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace (at least I can’t recall a time). But the fire is super hot right now. Greenpeace is accusing Sea Shepherd of being disgraceful for calling out Japan on spending Tsunami relief funds on whaling.
Executive Director of Greenpeace Japan, Junichi Sato, had some words for Japan’s inexcusable dispersion of relief funds to the whaling industry:
Not only is the whaling industry unable to survive without large increases in government handouts, now it’s siphoning money away from the victims of the March 11 triple disaster—at a time when they need it most. This is a new low for the shameful whaling industry and the callous politicians who support it.
Shortly thereafter he said Sea Shepherd’s same position was “really disgraceful.” Is that disgraceful like when Greenpeace tried whale meat in the name of their campaign? Or disgraceful like when Greenpeace protected whalers from Sea Shepherd?
All I know is that Sea Shepherd puts their lives on the line every winter in a true venture to save whales and, in turn, the human race. Greenpeace, as Paul Watson puts it:
They raise some $40 million dollars a year on their anti-whaling campaigns and all they do is produce mail-outs asking for funds. They have not sent a ship to the Southern Ocean to hang banners for years.
#greenpeace #paul watson #tsunami #relief funds #japan #whaling
This is absolutely beautiful. Sea Shepherd is affording their supporters an opportunity to have their personal messages printed on the bottles of butyric acid they’ll be throwing at Japanese whalers this winter.
Sure, many bottles crash on the sides of ships. And even if they do land on deck they likely won’t be read. But it’s an awesome idea all the same. What’s more, if you believe in the power of words, having powerful messages printed on these bottles is enough, even if they aren’t read by the whalers.
#butyric acid #donate #message on a bottle #power of words #the hidden messages in water
Switzerland is home to a dolphinarium called Connyland. The only dolphinarium left in the country, in fact. Recently they hosted a rave on their grounds for whatever insane reason.
Animal activists warned that the loud music would pose a threat to the cetaceans’ sensitive hearing and immune systems, yet the park allowed the rave to occur anyway. Shortly thereafter two of their dolphins died slow and painful deaths.
Keeper Nadja Gasser recounted the event:
The death was very drawn out and painful. The death went on for over an hour. It was horrendous. I have not been able to sleep since. He was drifting under the water and was clearly in trouble and so we jumped into the water. We tried to hold him. He was shaking all over and was foaming at the mouth. Eventually we got him out of the water. His tongue was hanging out. He could hardly breath. He was given adrenalin, but it didn’t help. After an hour the dolphin died.
An investigation is underway, but everything points to narcotics being ingested by the dolphins. Narcotics which were thrown into their enclosure during the rave.
There is a petition at change.org demanding the closure of Connyland. I encourage you to read the petition letter and support it with your signature.
#dolphins #cetaceans #dolphinarium #captivity #connyland #switzerland #change.org #rave #drugs
Page 1 of 24 Older entries →
