A Voice for the Ocean

mad-as-a-marine-biologist: Are any of you looking for work...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 20:13:18 -0500

Are any of you looking for work experience and skill development for marine conservation?

If you’ve done a science degree but haven’t got much work experience, or if you’ve done lots of work experience, but didn’t do a marine science degree, but still want to get into conservation - Zoox might be perfect for you.

Doing the Zoox Experience Programme will give you intensive and unique training on the basics of marine conservation, then you embark on a six-week work experience helping to coordinate a real conservation project on the ground, and carrying out personal conservation projects aimed to develop the skills that you need to fill in on your CV!

This was my dream internship. Now it’s my dream job. Check it out!

www.zoox.org.uk

anoceanactivist: Just a little reminder!

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:03:42 -0500

anoceanactivist:

Just a little reminder!

"There are a few events that for me remain vivid in my memory and have haunted me since I left. one..."

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:01:45 -0500

“There are a few events that for me remain vivid in my memory and have haunted me since I left. one is the removal of the ‘original baby shamu’ - her name was Kalina - from the park. she was just 4 years old when we were told that she would be removed from her mother (Katina) and her 2 half siblings (Katerina, Taima), and be shipped to another park. I had serious misgivings about this situation as I was at least aware that the lives of wild orcas revolved around family and social bonds. I thought it was our responsibility to maintain as much of a normal semblance of family life for the animals as possible, and that meant NOT moving babies away from their moms and the only social settings they knew. Very naive of me, to be sure! I was quite unaware of the decisions being made at higher levels, and only later was able to understand and admit that the motivations for higher ups at SW are purely $$$. In any event, the evening Kalina was moved was a gut wrenching emotional scene for me. To watch her and her mother Katina struggle to try and stay together while they were forcibly separated by nets, and then watch Kalina hoisted with a crane, put in a truck and shipped away was simple heartbreaking. But the worst of it was after it was over and I stayed on night duty to do observations. Katina spent the night alone in a corner of her tank, shivering and screeching, crying because of her loss, for the entire night. I cried on my way home and knew that it was the beginning of the end of my time at SW. Other memories that bother me the most involve Kanduke (Duke), our male whale at the time who died in 1990 when I was still there.”

- Carol Ray, former Seaworld Orca trainer (via freedomforwhales)

"Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder."

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:23:38 -0500

“Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”

- Rumi (via stjernebarn)

griseus: DID YOU KNOW … Most sharks give birth to live young,...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:19:04 -0500

griseus:

DID YOU KNOW …

Most sharks give birth to live young, but a few lay eggs, mostly small sharks that live near the sea floor. Empty egg cases often wash up on beaches and are called mermaid’s purses.

Ghost shark egg case (Callorhynchus milii) Spotted by RachaelB

via Project Noah

Revolution is a film about changing the world. The true-life...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 22:00:00 -0600

Revolution is a film about changing the world. The true-life adventure of Rob Stewart, this follow-up to his acclaimed SHARKWATER documentary continues his remarkable journey; one that will take him through 15 countries over four years, and where he’ll discover that it’s not only sharks that are in grave danger — it’s humanity itself.

In an effort to uncover the truth and find the secret to saving the ecosystems we depend on for survival, Stewart embarks on a life-threatening adventure. From the coral reefs in Papua New Guinea and deforestation in Madagascar to the largest and most destructive environmental project in history in Alberta, Canada, he reveals that all of our actions are interconnected and that environmental degradation, species loss, ocean acidification, pollution and food/water scarcity are reducing the Earth’s ability to house humans. How did this happen, and what will it take to change the course that humanity has set itself on?

Travelling the globe to meet with the dedicated individuals and organizations working on a solution, Stewart finds encouragement and hope, pointing to the revolutions of the past and how we’ve evolved and changed our course in times of necessity. If people were informed about what was really going on, they would fight for their future — and the future of other generations. From the evolution of our species to the revolution to save it, Stewart and his team take viewers on a groundbreaking mission into the greatest war ever waged.

Startling, beautiful, and provocative, Revolution inspires audiences from across the globe to start a revolution and change the world forever.

REVOLUTION (2013) dir.Rob Stewart. “Revolution is a film...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 21:58:00 -0600

REVOLUTION (2013) dir.Rob Stewart.

“Revolution is a film about changing the world. The true-life adventure of Rob Stewart, this follow-up to his acclaimed SHARKWATER documentary continues his remarkable journey; one that will take him through 15 countries over four years, and where he’ll discover that it’s not only sharks that are in grave danger — it’s humanity itself.”

You can keep updated with the film by visiting their Twitter, Facebook, and website.

Documentarian Gabriela Cowperthwaite discusses Tilikum and the shocking truth behind orcas in captivity.

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 21:36:00 -0600

Documentarian Gabriela Cowperthwaite discusses Tilikum and the shocking truth behind orcas in captivity.:

This article was published in January but I thought I would share it based on what the director said as a response of what she would like the audience to take away after leaving the theater.

“I stumbled upon this story. I had taken my kids to SeaWorld before so I didn’t come into the film with an agenda. I came in with a question. Making this film changed me, but I didn’t make it with the intention that it would change you. I simply told the story. And I can’t say I am trying to make you take a stand. I can only hope that after seeing Blackfish, if you go to these parks, you’re no longer making a passive decision. You’re not being lured by the iconic symbol of a happy Shamu. You’re now an actively thinking consumer. You now know the truth.”

“Blackfish” tells the story of Tilikum, a...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 21:26:00 -0600

“Blackfish” tells the story of Tilikum, a performing whale that killed several people while in captivity. Along the way, director-producer Gabriela Cowperthwaite compiles shocking footage and emotional interviews to explore the creature’s dual nature, the lives and losses of the trainers and the pressures brought to bear by the sea-park industry.”

mad-as-a-marine-biologist: Sir Richard Branson PSA - Protect...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 21:09:51 -0600

mad-as-a-marine-biologist:

Sir Richard Branson PSA - Protect Manta Rays

- Shark Savers

thepolarbearblog: Impressive polar bear sculpture made from...

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:57:21 -0600

thepolarbearblog:

Impressive polar bear sculpture made from plastic carrier bags at the Eden Project near St Austell, Cornwall, UK.

Did you know? Plastic bags are said to be the most common man-made item seen at sea by sailors and that marine animals ingest plastic bags because they mistake them for jellyfish, which can be fatal.

[Photo credit: 185Queens on Flickr]

anoceanactivist: Learn the truth. Save Lolita.

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:49:11 -0600

anoceanactivist:

Learn the truth. Save Lolita.

save-lolita: when looking online for Save Lolita petitions, I...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:21:06 -0600

save-lolita:

when looking online for Save Lolita petitions, I came across so many that were not active anymore. Here is a list of active petitions related to Lolita. If you have any that are not on here, please let me know!

1. “Arthur Hertz, CEO of the Miami Seaquarium: Retire the oldest captive Killer Whale, Lolita!”

http://www.change.org/petitions/wometco-enterprises-inc-retire-the-oldest-captive-killer-whale-lolita

2. “Let Lolita Go Home”

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-lolita/

3. “Free Lolita”

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/590/606/293/free-lolita/

4. “Miami Seaquarium v Miami Seaprison”

http://www.change.org/petitions/miami-seaquarium-vs-miami-seaprison

5. “After 42 years of Imprisonment, release Miami’s orca”

http://forcechange.com/31716/after-42-years-of-imprisonment-release-miamis-orca/#gf_1

6. “Skelanimals, LLC: Help Bring Lolita’s Plight To Light!”

http://www.change.org/petitions/skelanimals-llc-help-bring-lolita-s-plight-to-light

7. “Help Save Orca Whales”

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/448/050/229/help-save-orca-whales/

8. “Keep Orca Whales on Endangered Species List”

http://forcechange.com/47139/keep-orca-whales-on-endangered-species-list/#gf_1

fightingforwhales: A world without whales? It’s a terrible...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:19:51 -0600

fightingforwhales:

A world without whales? It’s a terrible thought. Sea Shepherd is here to make sure that doesn’t happen. They patrol the seas willing to take on any whaler in their path. The beautiful spirits of the ocean deserve to swim free without the fear of having a harpoon shot in their back. A world without whales, in my opinion, isn’t much of a world at all.

Ten Fast Facts About Captive Orcas and Dolphins

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:13:55 -0600

Ten Fast Facts About Captive Orcas and Dolphins:

fightingforwhales:

Here’s a little section from the article:

“A public display of wild animals is not necessary to engage people. Many wild animals, including several whale species, enjoy a high degree of public interest and concern despite never being maintained in captivity for public display.”

save-lolita: #Tweet4Taiji - 2/7 - Killers in dive suits...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:48:26 -0600

save-lolita:

#Tweet4Taiji - 2/7 - Killers in dive suits wrestled dolphins to shore before slaughter

save-lolita: #Tweet4Taiji - One killer lays on tarps as one...

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 14:48:14 -0600

save-lolita:

#Tweet4Taiji - One killer lays on tarps as one fluke is revealed for our cameras.

mad-as-a-marine-biologist: mothernaturenetwork: 30 things...

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 15:06:37 -0600

mad-as-a-marine-biologist:

mothernaturenetwork:

30 things you should never compost or recycle

Though recycling and composting are two of the most important green practices, there are some items that are bad for the environment. Follow these guidelines for best practices.

Recycle, but do it right.

Shark Saver’s long-term partners, LUSH, is joining the...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:34:29 -0600

Shark Saver’s long-term partners, LUSH, is joining the non-profit marine conservation organization with a tour through Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to raise awareness about shark conservation and the sale of shark fin soup. 100% of the profits go to Shark Savers.

Singapore kicked off in January, and beginning in February LUSH’s retail locations and the Shark Savers Taiwan team will conduct the largest awareness and education campaign on shark fin soup yet in Taiwan. Then it’s off to Hong Kong in March with joint promotions running through May.

LUSH and Shark Savers have joined for a two week event called “Soap not Soup”, featuring the sale of ‘shark fin soap’. LUSH produced this special edition soap out of seaweed and sea salt, topped off with a small cardboard shark fin. All sales proceeds will go to Shark Savers.

YOU can take the pledge support ending the shark fin trade in your country HERE.

I’m FINished with Fins campaign: http://www.sharksavers.org/
LUSH cosmetics: http://www.lush.com/

"Each year, Americans dispose over 140,000,000,000 pounds of packaging. Let’s make that number..."

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:27:08 -0600

“Each year, Americans dispose over 140,000,000,000 pounds of packaging. Let’s make that number disappear.”

- Learn more about the The Disappearing Package Project. (via unitedbyblue)