Canada's Marineland Under Scrutiny for Poor Animal Care

Allegations are that sea animals are not being well-cared for at this Niagara Falls resort.

Dead Whale in Washington State Had Golf Ball in Stomach

It's just another sign of the garbage we throw into the oceans. There was also some plastic and pieces of rope, but there's no determination of what may have actually killed it. It was not emaciated so it's still a mystery as to whether what it consumed played a factor in its death. Full story here in Washington Post.

PETA's Orca Lawsuit Dismissed by Federal Judge

Well, it's still historic and precedent-setting. Here's hoping we see more of these legal challenges. Full story posted on Global Animal and from the Huffington Post.

Do whales deserve constitutional protection against slavery? On February 8, a federal judge said ‘no,’ stopping a historic case filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals against SeaWorld for violating the 13th Amendment on slavery. Five orcas were listed as the plaintiffs.

PETA filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in San Diego last October, complaining that the whales “were forcibly taken from their families and natural habitats, are held captive at SeaWorld San Diego and SeaWorld Orlando, denied everything that is natural to them, subjected to artificial insemination or sperm collection to breed performers for Defendants’ shows, and forced to perform, all for Defendants’ profit. As such, Plaintiffs are held in slavery and involuntary servitude.” PETA went on to request that the whales be freed and released to a habitat better suited to their needs.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller dismissed the case, writing in his ruling that “the only reasonable interpretation of the Thirteenth Amendment’s plain language is that it applies to persons, and not to non-persons such as orcas.”

Before the ruling, PETA’s attorney Jeffrey Kerr told HuffPost that the animal rights group’s argument was based on the belief that “slavery doesn’t depend upon the species of the slave, any more than it depends upon the race, gender or ethnicity of the slave. SeaWorld’s attempts to deny [orcas] the protection solely based on their species is the same kind of prejudice used to justify any enslavement. And prejudice should not be what determines constitutional rights in this country … Because they can suffer from the prohibitive conduct of being enslaved, the 13th Amendment protection against that conduct should be extended to them.”

Dead Sea Lions in Puget Sound - Again

This has happened before. I don't know whether these are disgruntled fishermen or regular jerks. Here's the whole story from the Washington Post National.

Washington wildlife officials say eight sea lions have been found dead in the Puget Sound region in recent weeks — all apparently shot.

KING-TV reports that both the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are investigating the deaths.

The bodies of seven sea lions with bullet wounds were recently found on the Nisqually River.

On Monday, a sea lion was found dead on West Seattle’s Lincoln Park beach. The animal protection group Seal Sitters says a necropsy showed that the sea lion had suffered a shark bite and had twisted intestines in addition to a bullet wound.

Investigators say they do not know who is responsible.

KING says one of the Nisqually casualties was a Steller sea lion, protected under the Endangered Species Act. The one found in West Seattle was a California sea lion, protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Dutch Whale Denied Freedom; Must Go to Spanish Amusement Park

Unfortunate, but the court decided she would not survive being returned to the wild.

Here's an excerpt from the online Boston Globe...

Morgan, a 4-year-old killer whale, has lost her bid for freedom

Agriculture Secretary Henk Bleker ruled Wednesday that the orca, rescued last year ailing and emaciated from the Wadden Sea off the northern Dutch coast, should be transferred to an amusement park on the Spanish island of Tenerife.

A Dutch court had suspended the government's export permit after an animal rights coalition presented a plan to release her to the wild in stages. A judge ordered the coalition, the Agriculture Ministry and the Harderwijk Dolphinarium, which put her ondisplay after nursing her back to health, to review the scientific evidence and work out a solution.

Bleker said after hearing arguments from both sides that Morgan's chances of survival were too slim if she were freed.

"This feels like a defeat because an animal like this really belongs in the sea and not a zoo," Bleker said in a statement. "Morgan belongs in the wild, but not at all costs."

At Least Five Dead Whales Around Bay Area

Really sad. It looks like they are getting killed by ships as they try to eat krill.

A bountiful crop of krill and busy shipping lanes are to blame for a rash of dead whales that have surfaced around the Bay Area within a few short months, according to scientists.

At least five dead whales have been sighted or have washed ashore around the region since late July, not including a male fetus found near its 80-foot-long mother in Pescadero on Oct. 2.

..."We're definitely seeing an increase in ship strikes - it's awful," said Mary Jane Schramm, spokeswoman for the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

Researchers say the animals appear to be following abundant swarms of krill - the tiny, shrimp-like creatures that make up whales' favorite food group - right into the path of ship traffic. Last year's krill population was also large, but it did not bring the same cluster of whale deaths.

Oil Spill in China

China is currently experiencing its biggest oil spill ever too.

From Today Online...

China's largest oil spill has spread to 430 square kilometers (166 square miles) hundreds of clean up workers struggle to cope.

The official news agency Xinhua says 40 oil-skimming boats and about 800 fishing boats are being used to clean up the spill, and a 15 kilometers (9 miles) oil barrier has been set up to try to stop the slick spreading.

Huang Yong, deputy bureau chief for Dalian, China Maritime Safety Administration, told Dragon TV on Wednesday, "The oil spill will pose a severe threat to marine animals, and water quality, and the sea birds."

The oil slick started spreading five days ago when a pipeline at a busy northeastern port exploded.

China Central Television earlier reported an estimate of 1,500 tons of oil has spilled.

Another Depressing Oil Spill Story!

It's the "gift" that keeps on giving.

From the Khaleej Times Online/AFP...

Scientists studying the massive BP oil spill fear a decades-long, “cascading” effect on marine life that could lead to a shift in the overall biological network in the Gulf of Mexico.

With some 400 species estimated to be at risk — from the tiniest oil-eating bacteria to shrimp and crabs, endangered sea turtles, brown pelicans and sperm whales — experts say the impact of oil and chemical dispersants on the food chain has already begun, and could grow exponentially.

“A major environmental experiment is underway,” Ron Kendall, director of the Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University, told AFP.

Whales Share Some Human Traits, Study Shows

From the AFP...

As the future of whales once more comes under global debate, some scientists say the marine mammals are not only smarter than thought but also share several attributes once claimed as exclusively human.

Self-awareness, suffering and a social culture along with high mental abilities are a hallmark of cetaceans, an order grouping more than 80 whales, dolphins and porpoises, say marine biologists.

If so, the notion that whales are intelligent and sentient beings threatens to demolish, like an explosive harpoon, the assumption that they are simply an animal commodity to be harvested from the sea.

Birds Suffering from Oil Spill

Pelicans unable to fly due to being coated with oil. It's the Exxon Valdez all over again.

Several pelicans were coated in oil on Barataria Bay off Louisiana, their usually brown and white feathers now jet black. Pelican eggs were glazed with rust-colored gunk, and new hatchlings and nests were also coated with crude.

It is unclear if the area can even be cleaned, or if the birds can be saved. It is also unknown how much of the Gulf Coast will end up looking the same way because of a well that has spewed untold millions of gallons of oil since an offshore rig exploded more than a month ago.

Gulf Oil a Looming Threat to Marine Life

So far, we're not seeing the large-scale impact of this oil spill on marine life. But there are concerns out there. It may not be immediate, like oil-coated birds, but slower and more subtle, like the effect on oxygen levels in the sea. This is a complex ecosystem we're dealing with.

From NPR...

Especially troubling to scientists are the effects the oil and dispersants could be having on dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Scientists fear the oil will make it difficult for marine animals to obtain the oxygen they need to survive. Scientists have already observed some dying fish.

Dead Marine Animals Showing Up Along Gulf Coast

But so far, it looks like the oil spill is not to blame. But why did 60 dead endangered turtles wash up over three weeks? And what about the dead dolphin? Seems odd, although officials with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality said that fish they've tested have not been killed by oil, but a lack of oxygen in the water. They also say low oxygen levels are common this time of year due to changes in temperature.

Still, though, 60 sea turtles over 3 weeks? Seems like an awful lot...

Dead Sea Turtles Near Oil Spill Site

According to this article, "at least 25 sea turtles have washed up dead on Mississippi beaches over the past few days, according to multiple media reports. So far, there is no evidence that the oil spill killed the turtles, but tests are ongoing."

The web page also has a video.

Garbage Found in Dead Whale

It looks like the garbage didn't kill it, but still....just plain gross and unacceptable.

From the Seattle Times....

A gray whale that died after stranding on a West Seattle beach had a large amount of trash in its stomach, ranging from a pair of sweatpants to a golf ball, said biologists who examined the animal.

Scientists with the Cascadia Research Collective said the examination did not immediately determine why the 37-foot near-adult male died, but it was found to be in better nutritional condition than other gray whales that died recently. Starvation was not considered a major contributor to its death.

Saving Marine Animals that Are NOT Cute

We hear about the problem with charismatic land species. It's those species that either have a powerful personality or a cute face that endear people to them and garner news attention. Examples include panda bears, wolves, elephants, tigers, etc. It's easier to motivate people to save them as opposed to other species that are vital, but either boring or ugly.

It's the same problem with marine life. People want to save the dolphins and the sea otters, but what about the bluefin tuna? Or cod? They don't invoke the pathos of the tragic salmon or the merriment of a playful porpoise.

So what happens to them?

Marine Life Top of CITES Meeting Agenda

Oh look, more meetings.

From Al Jazeera...

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or Cites that opened in the Qatari capital on Saturday will be discussing 42 proposals during the next two weeks.

Apart from issues like combating elephant poaching for ivory in Africa and banning trade in polar bear skins, those focusing on sharks and tuna are likely to be among the most contentious.

On its agenda is Monaco's proposal to have a complete ban on the international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna.
Australia and Japan are among the countries refusing to back a total ban.

Interesting to see Japan and Australia united on some issues, in contrast to their conflict over whaling.

Are Dolphins Like Human Children?

Scientists at Emory University think so.

US Considers Removing Humpback Whales from the Endangered Species List

I don't feel too comfortable about this. Seems a little premature, even though the population has been recovering well.

Dolphins Threatened by Australian Oil Spill

The World Wildlife Fund has reported that dolphins and other marine life have been swimming around in an oil spill off the coast of Australia. There have not been many deaths yet, but the toxicity could lead to long-term health effects for the animals.

Sharecropping the Oceans

As someone who used to work for a seafood company, I can tell you these monstrosities are just pillaging our oceans with no care about anything. All the life in the ocean is simply raw materials for products. I don't know how many cases of shrimp, squid, salmon, etc. I had to order dumped because of expiration issues. All that life for nothing. And they just keep bringing in more of it.

Short-term profit for short-term gain. It's a rape of the seas, but this article is more polite by calling it a "sharecropping." Big companies using little guys to do their dirty work for them, but the end result is the same. Lost sea life and a bleak future for the oceans.