Tag Archives | endangered whales

Gulf Sperm Whales Considered “Special”?

April 13, 2013

(OCEANS) Even though sperm whales are currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced it will decide whether or not the 1,300 sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico should be considered for special protection as a “distinct population segment.” Because sperm whales are genetically different than most whales and face unique threats in the Gulf area, the NOAA will now conduct a 12-month review to consider listing the whales as separate from whales outside of the Gulf—although it’s still unclear what protective measures might be taken. Continue reading to learn more about the reasons for the deliberation and the potential impact this status change could have on the whales as well as the environment. — Global Animal

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Sea Shepherd Intercepts Poachers, Not A Single Whale Killed

January 29, 2013

(OCEANS) According to a press release, Sea Shepherd Australia’s vessel, the SSS Brigitte Bardot, has successfully intercepted the Japanese whaling ship, Tushin Maru No. 3 in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Though it is appalling that the whaling fleet has been detected in Whale Sanctuary to begin with, Operation Zero Tolerance co-campaign leader Bob Brown believes, “It is likely that we have intercepted these whale poachers before a single harpoon has been fired.” Sea Shepherd will continue to do its part in upholding the Australian Federal Court ruling that bans Japanese whaling, while Operation Zero Tolerance co-campaign Leader Jeff Hansen reassures, “We will not tolerate a single whale death inside the established whale sanctuary by these poachers.” Read on to learn more about this great success. — Global Animal

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Paul Watson Steps Down From Sea Shepherd

January 15, 2013

(ANIMAL ACTIVISM) Founder and president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS), Paul Watson, has recently announced his resignation as President of the U.S. and Australia chapters as well as his command of the ship Steve Irwin and as campaign leader for Operation Zero Tolerance. In compliance with a court ruling to temporarily block the SSCS from attacking whalers or coming within 450 metres of their ships in the Antarctic, Watson has now taken on the role as an “observer,” working behind the scenes for the anti-poaching organization. With Watson removing himself and the U.S. chapter named specifically in the ruling, the anti-whaling organization’s other international chapters are free to move forward with their conservation efforts. Read on to learn more about the activist’s bold decision. — Global Animal

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The Last Whale On Earth?

November 29, 2012

(WHALING) AMSTERDAM — On November 20 at the Playgrounds Audiovisual Arts Festival in Amsterdam, Sea Shepherd member and Dutch actor Rutger Hauer revealed he and filmmaker Sil van der Woerd’s most recent creation. The two animal activists created “A gift for Sea Shepherd,” a moving short film that serves to denounce whaling. In an abstractly beautiful four minutes, actor Hauer is confronted by the last living whale during Requiem 2019. According to Sea Shepherd, “the film chronicles the last whale on earth coming face-to-face with the source of its destruction- man.” Continue reading to learn about the short film and the co-producers’ dedication to protecting whales. — Global Animal

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Operation Zero Tolerance Takes Sail

November 9, 2012

(OCEAN CONSERVATION) Defenders of the ocean’s wildlife no longer have any tolerance for whale poachers. November 5th launched Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s (SSCS) ninth annual Southern Ocean campaign “Operation Zero Tolerance (OZT)” with the departure of flagship Steve Irwin from Melbourne.  This year, SSCS has taken on a substantial goal: to send the illegal Japanese whalers home with zero whale kills. Read on to learn more about Sea Shepherd’s endeavors. — Global Animal

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Georgia Aquariam To Import Wild Belugas

September 29, 2012

(TAKE ACTION) GEORGIA — The Humane Society of the United States has created a petition against the Georgia Aquarium. The facility is requesting a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service to import 12 wild caught Beluga Whales for entertainment purposes. The Belugas will be taken from their natural environment and placed in a tank to be guffawed at by insensitive spectators. The permit also entails the legal transport of these marine mammals 6,000 miles by plane. The animals will also be transferred from one container and plane to another during a layover in Belgium. These conditions will be extremely stressful for the whales, and not to mention that their heightened noise sensitivity will be exposed to hours worth of screaming engines. Continue reading and sign the petition to stop the exploitation of these Beluga Whales. — Global Animal

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Animal Legal Defense Fund & PETA vs. Seaquarium

August 23, 2012

(ANIMAL WELFARE) Today, animal activists including the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), PETA, the Orca Network, and private citizens filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) challenging the decision to renew Miami Seaquarium’s federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) license. ALDF and PETA currently have another lawsuit pending against the National Marine Fisheries Service for excluding the last orca remaining at the marine park, Lolita, from the endangered list of Pacific Northwest’s Southern Resident orcas. Read on to learn more about the lawsuits and sign the petition for Lolita’s freedom. — Global Animal

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California Boasts Best Season For Whale Watching

August 21, 2012

(ANIMAL NEWS) CALIFORNIA — Large numbers of endangered blue and humpback whales are flocking to the waters of Monterey Bay after a sudden increase in krill, their main food source. Whale watching enthusiasts are taking advantage of the rare and life-changing experience of getting up close to the marine animals, but experts worry that more whales could mean more collisions with nearby ships. Read on for more on the new whale population off the California coast. — Global Animal

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