(OCEANS) The things that keep most of us up at night, may have dolphins sleeping easy. But interestingly enough, our marine mammal friends might not need it. Dolphins have a unique ability to sleep with only half of their brains, keeping the other half alert while they rest. This function allows dolphins to avoid predators, and surface for air, while they remain at rest. Continue reading below in order to find out more about this interesting study. — Global Animal
(ACTIVISM) The world’s oceans may have just found their savior in the form of a 19 year-old Dutch student, Boyan Slat. At this moment, our oceans are filled with millions of tons of plastic waste. The waste from the oceans washes up on beaches all over the world, threatening countless marine species. Slat’s plan takes advantage of the ocean’s currents, collecting the debris at platforms, which then can be separated and recycled. Continue reading for more of the details on Slat’s plan and how his idea may save Earth’s precious marine life. — Global Animal
(ACTIVISM) SOUTH AFRICA — Each year, thousands of dolphins are slaughtered in Taiji on the south coast of Japan. Bottlenose dolphins are then pre-selected by trainers and sold for as much as $200,000 to marine parks all over the world such as Marineland, where the animals remain in captivity and are forced to perform circus acts for their entire lives. Aquariums defend their actions as “rescuing” animals, but in reality, the captive industry is subsidizing hunts which may not have been conducted otherwise. Today and May 25th, Ocean Watch SA is hosting a protest at uShaka Sea World to advocate for the rehabilitation and release of captive animals. Read on to learn more about Ocean Watch SA and sign the petition below telling uSkaka Sea World to retire their wild caught dolphins, Gambit and Frodo, ensure animals not disturbed after hours, stop breeding captive breeding programs, and only practice rehabilitation and release. — Global Animal
(OCEANS) Following pleas from several animal activists and environmental groups including the Whale & Dolphin Watch team, the California Coastal Commission has voted to reject the U.S. Navy’s plan to increase their use of sonar and underwater explosives during training off the Southern California coast. Opposed by several environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace, the Navy’s plan was unanimously ruled against for lacking sufficient evidence that the threat to marine life would be negligible. While the Navy estimates that the proposed program would kill 130 marine mammals and cause hearing loss in 1,600 animals over a span of five years, the Natural Resources Defense Council believe these numbers are stark underestimates. Read on to learn more about this ongoing issue and take a moment to give thanks to the activists involved in this grand victory. — Global Animal
(OCEANS) A bottlenose dolphin recently found himself stuck with a hook and a fishing line in his pectoral fin. Fortunately, the clever mammal knew how to ask for help. The dolphin continued swimming around a group of divers who were on a night swim off Kona on January 11, until they took notice of his condition and helped him. The divers were watching manta rays feeding on plankton when the dolphin started circling around them. Read on to learn more about the amazing story and watch the video of the dolphin rescue. — Global Animal
(MARINE PARKS) Ontario’s Environment Ministry is investigating four mass animal graves at the notorious theme park, Marineland, after a newspaper expose confirmed suspected cases of animal abuse and neglect. According to a former park employee, the potentially illegal graves contain the bodies of over 1,000 orcas, dolphins, seals, walruses, bears, bison, deer, and other animals. Read on to learn more about Marineland’s fishy history and voice your objections regarding the lack of captive-animal protection laws. — Global Animal
(DOLPHINS) SAN DIEGO — Since 1960, the U.S. Navy has been training bottle-nosed dolphins for mine detection. In an effort to keep our ports safe, dolphins are taught to locate underwater mines so humans can retrieve them. The mammals have been deployed in the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, as well as the Iraq War. However, it looks as though these dolphins may soon enjoy early retirements. With advancements in technology, the Navy plans to gradually phase out these dolphins and, for the next five years, replace them with 12-foot torpedo-shaped robots, or sea drones—unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Read on to learn more about the government’s decision. — Global Animal
(SHARK FIN) The cruel act of shark finning will no longer be tolerated in Europe, as the EU parliament officially banned the practice last week. With parliamentary approval, the measure will now hold strong and be enforced, aiding in shark protection and preservation. Ocean conservationist groups around the world applaud the European efforts and hope other nations will follow suit. Read on to learn more about this favorable plan. — Global Animal
and a portion of your purchase – in any department – is donated to Global Animal Foundation.
