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Petition Tag - whale
EchoGreen has been around for years with an intention to Do Something. We are a growing group of writers, musicians, singer songwriters, artists, media producers and web consultants. It's been a long time coming, the need is here.
Recently, as oil leaks into our oceans and we have images of tar rain pouring onto our bodies, homes, vehicles, animals and gardens, we cry for the dolphins, as it rains and we decide, the time is now.
EchoGreen will be sponsoring several petitions with the voice of those who are at one with the earth and its ways in the old way mixed with the new way.
The old way being, feeling the vibration of the earth and the beings, in other words, feeling their life, their voices and their feelings reverberate through our beings, while hearing the voice of the earth as if it is speaking our language and an animate object. Earth is an animate object, we often, have just lost our ability to hear what it has to say. She/it/he is talking to many of us at once. And we have something to say via our translations.
Whereas the new way is through media, through business, through the grid and the economy of the West, speaking out to the people who can make the difference because they have the economy and consumption at their fingertips.
We are the people, we are the change, we are the ones we have been waiting for and we are here. Let's take it for the big one, let's do what we can. Let's petition to businesses, to governments, to presidents, to the people. Let's make our voices loud and clear and let's take a stand.
We live, we eat, we release our waste, we breath, we love, we think, we feel, we dance, we laugh and we play, just as we all do or want to do.
It's time to do this without hurting the earth and others. What can we do? Whatever it is, you know inside you. Start by signing and making petitions and sending them to companies, making them popular. Campaigns are big and our voice can be heard. Do it from the heart and with integrity. Do it with true knowledge about what is best. For instance, how can we be mobile yet not consume oil? How can we receive food yet not have it inefficiently trucked across America? How can we save the seeds and not spread disease? How can we be healthy happy and harmonious?
We can do it. Let's do it, one at a time, before we can no longer breath, eat or stand.
2. No more whales or dolphins should be captured for the purpose of human entertainment 
The Capture
Every year, boats leave the harbour. They chase pods of dolphins by banging large poles that are placed in the water, making loud noise to scare the dolphins. Working as a team, they herd the dolphins into a small coves, and then proceed to brutally spear and harpoon many of the animals. They continue until the cries of the dying have faded, and then begin to load their precious cargo, while the water swims with blood.
But what will happen to the survivors?
While the dead are sold for as little as $500 per dolphin, others, usually the ‘pretty looking young females’ are chosen by marine parks for dolphinaria and swim with dolphin ventures all over the world for as much as $150,000.
Similar events happen in the Caribbean, the Solomon Islands and off the coast of Turkey and Russia. Pods are herded into the shallows, some die during the process, other die from the trauma during transit or shortly after capture. Russia still give an annual quota for the capture of ocras, however the last known capture was In 2003.
The Captivity
So why is it wrong to keep these animals?
First and foremost, they aren’t ours to keep. Whales and dolphins are not domesticated animals in any sense, and play a vital role in the circle of life of the ocean. They are designed and born to roam the oceans.
It’s dangerous. Many diseases are easily passed on from humans to Dolphins, the most serious being windpipe infections. These diseases are made worse, because in captivity the dolphins’ immune systems are compromised.
The whale and dolphin conservation society says that captive whales and dolphins must be treated continuously with antibiotics, and that without them they would last no more than a couple of days. Their stress in captivity erodes their immune system, making them susceptible to infection and parasites. How would you feel if you watched your whole family die before your eyes, and then were taken to what for all intense and purposes is a prison cell?
We as a species lack compassion and reason, and are lying to ourselves. When we visit these beautiful creatures, reduced to sad clowns, how many people think “I’m sure that tank’s not big enough… thought it looks a bit shallow.” Or, “That dolphin doesn’t seem to have much enthusiasm.”
We cannot claim to love and respect these beautiful animals, because in this environment they lose their majesty and mystery, as do so many other captive animals. They should be protected and treasured, and so allowed to remain free to wander their oceans, because the oceans belong to them.
I would like to credit Campaign Whale for some of the statistics.
Also a Huge thanks to the WDCS for helping me word this and giving me more information! Truly amazing people!
3. In Memory of Colin the Baby Whale
In August 2008, a baby whale was found in waters off the Sydney coast at The Basin in the Pittwater area. The whale was deemed to be "abandoned" when it was found suckling to the bottom of moored yachts in the area.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Authority monitored the whale for several days, with attempts to lure the whale out to deeper waters in an effort to have it join passing-by pods of whales being unsuccessful. The abandoned whale returned to The Basin.
After several days without its mother's food, and with no significant attempts by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Authority to feed the abandoned whale while arrangements were made for its health and safety, the whale was ultimately put down with several injections of anaesthetic on 22 August 2008. It is alleged, that the whale suffered before dying.
The people of NSW, and the world, contend that the State of New South Wales, through the operation of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Authority, failed in its duty to protect the whale from harm, and ultimately, death.
4. Support The Proposal For Lolita's Retirement!
Lolita, also known as Tokitae, is an old female orca living in Maimi Seaquarium. She was captured along with other members of her family on August 8th, 1970 in Puget Sound.
During the capture, four whales were killed, and seven young whales were captured. One of the seven whales was named "Tokitae", which is Chinook for "Beautiful Day". She is now known as Lolita, and for 30 years she has lived at Miami Seaquarium in the oldest and smallest tank in the country.
Her cousin, Hugo, used to share a tank with her, but he died from a brain hemorrhage after bashing his head against the walls of his tank. Lolita has been alone ever since.
Proposal Draft: http://www.orcanetwork.org/captivity/2007proposaldraft.html
5. Capture of wild dolphins and whales should be ILLEGAL
Only a few months ago, 28 live dolphins were captured from the Solomon islands, and headed for a marine park in Dubai. Already, 4 discarded dolphin carcasses have been discovered, and activists fear the worst for the remaining dolphins. Those that survive will be condemned to a life in slavery.
Dolphins are living, breathing creatures. They form loving bonds with their families in the wild, and they are extremely intelligent. Yet governments just treat them as an object; merely a form of profit.
Activists have called for the release of the dolphins, yet the Solomon Islands government claims that they had been working too long on this deal to stop.
The whale shark has been around for nearly 60,000,000 (60 million) years but that's about to change.
Countries like America and China are catching it and placing it in massive aquariums for us to see, even though they die extremely quickly for example one year.
Normally they can live to 150 years..
7. Stop Lafayette From Polluting Our Seas
August 4, 2006
In many places, pollution from mining operations damages marine habitats and contaminates seafood consumed by local people, threatening our oceans and ultimately ourselves and our future.
In the Philippines, Bicol's immensely beautiful marine environment and its fragile sea creatures face a grave threattoxic pollution and siltation caused by mining operations in Rapu Rapu Island in Albay.
The pristine waters of the Bicol region are acknowledged as the feeding grounds and migratory route of the whale shark, the largest fish in the sea. It is also home to five of the seven known marine turtles in the world, and its rich seagrass beds and mangroves, which make for a high marine biodiversity index, have turned the area into exceptionally rich fishing grounds for the region's fishermen.
The Philippine government allowed Australian firm Lafayette Philippines Inc to start the extraction of gold, silver, copper and zinc within Rapu Rapu in April 2005 despite strong opposition from local and national groups concerned that toxic mine tailings will be released into the sea. Clearly, the island is a dangerous place for a mine: not only is it situated along the country's typhoon belt, but also along a major fault, making it a high-risk area for mining catastrophes. During its few - months of operation, the mining company showed negligence and government agencies, such as the Environmental Management Bureau and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, failed to act on behalf of the people and environment. In October and November 2005, cyanide and other contaminants from the mine spilled into the sea and around the island, resulting in massive fish kills.
On May 19, 2006, a government-commissioned report recommended canceling the license of Lafayette in Rapu Rapu and a moratorium on all mining at Rapu Rapu. Greenpeace is running a petition to President Gloria Arroyo to follow the recommendations of the Rapu Rapu Factfinding Commission.
The Greenpeace petition calls for permanent closure of the mine and obligation or Lafayette to clean and rehabilitate the mine site so that further damage can be avoided.
8. South Koreans, Save the Whales!
By the 1970s, commercial whaling had caused 8 out of the 10 great whale species to be commercially extinct. The International Whaling Commission's (IWC's) ban on commercial whaling went into effect in 1986. Since then, pro-whaling countries have been trying to lift the ban and continue to kill whales by using exceptions to the ban.
Most species of whales are still endangered and there is no humane way to kill a whale. Whales suffer horrible and often prolonged deaths due to brutal and unreliable killing methods used by whalers. They also suffer from being caught in fishing nets of commercial fisheries targeting other species. Instead of making an effort to safely release them, they are brought onboard to die and to be sold for human consumption.
The annual IWC meeting will be held in Ulsan, South Korea in 2005. South Korea has voted against protecting whales. Please sign this petition to let your government know that South Koreans care about whales and about animal welfare and want them to vote in favor of protecting these magnificent animals.
9. Save Fudgie The Whale!!!!!!
The save fudgie the whale petition is trying to fund the Carvel ice cream company wich is probably going to out of buisness soon. If so, The greatest icecream cake ever created will be lost forever because Mr. Carvel never told anyone the secret recipe. He died last year and the secret was lost. The fudigie's you see in stores were made six to eight years ago and have been in the freezer. If this petition is not funded, fudgie will be lost forever.
Here is a letter sent by the whale watching operators in Tonga:
'The Humpback Whales of Tonga Need YOU.
AS YOU MAY KNOW that there is a strong possibility of Whaling starting in Tongan waters. Over the last two months there has been discussions in Parliament regarding whaling. If whaling is allowed we all will suffer with the lack of tourism. We all know that the Whale watching industry holds a very important role in bringing tourists to Tonga. Many South Pacific destinations have great diving, white sandy beaches etc, etc but what make us unique is the Humpback whales.
Whales Alive has started a petition which will reach the local, national and international supporters of whale watching and 'Stop Whaling in Tonga'. The first step is starting an email-based petition to get to people that have visited or are going to visit Tonga to see the whales. It is short and to the point but I believe it will be very effective. I am asking you to send this petition to people in your email address book to start the ball rolling.'
11. Keep Caribbean dolphins in the wild where they belong!
Minvielle & Chastanet Ltd., a large St. Lucian company wants to capture wild dolphins and put them in a sea pen for tourists to play with!
St. Lucia and the Commonwealth of Dominica currently have captive dolphin facilities in the planning stages. The one in Dominica is partially constructed.
The two foreign investors involved are in St. Lucia, Dolphin Fantaseas and in Dominica, DOLPHINS PLUS.
A permit will be sought for the first 6 bottlenose dolphins for the St. Lucia facility to be captured in St. Lucia's territorial waters, in defiance of the SPAW protocol of the Cartegena Convention, which St. Lucia has ratified.
The dolphins for Dominica have recently been transferred from the Dolphins Plus facility at Prospect Reef in Tortola, which has closed down.
Our dolphins are a shared resource. Both St. Lucia, Dominica and the islands
to the north and south have thriving whale and dolphin watching operations, generating income for many.
These animals are large, wild and free ranging and it is wrong to confine them to enclosures, however "large" or "deep". They can never be as large or deep as the ocean which is their home.
The proposed St. Lucia facility is in an inlet at the entrance to Castries harbour which is not only extremely polluted, but is directly in the path of low flying aircraft coming in to land at the airport, and yards away from large cargo and cruise ships entering the harbour.
In times of heavy rain, the bay fills up with plastic rubbish from the Castries river. Plastic is extremely dangerous to marine mammals.
The Dominica facility is in a quieter area, but the irony is striking - Dominica, the Nature Island of the Caribbean, pioneers of the whale and dolphin watching industry, promoting swimming with captive dolphins?
This will be a blow to the images of both islands and any others which chose to go this route. We are hoping that the recipients of this petition will reconsider their positions and follow the example of so many countries in South and Central America whose authorities have come to realize that cetaceans are totally unsuited to captivity.
12. HELP a Young Orca Whale Live Free
This petition is to object to the permanent capture of a young Orca whale, named A-73 (the "A" is for her family, or pod name, and the "73" is her birth order in the pod).
A-73 was noticed a few months ago in Puget Sound, where her family does not often travel. Her pod seems to have left her behind after she was orphaned, and she is very ill with legions and dietary problems including malnutrition.
Right now this highly intelligent, social, mammal, has been seen playing with driftwood and rubbing herself against logs for hours at a time. Scientist say it's because she is lonelyimagine the loneliness she would feel if she were to spend the rest of her life in captivity, without the freedom to hunt, or swim, or play. Instead, she could be doomed to a life of circus tricks and confinement in a pen, which places her so painfully close to freedom.
The Vancouver Aquarium graciously has agreed to take the whale in for medical treatment and try as quickly as possible to re-introduce her to her pod. However, the US and Canadian governments have not developed a solid and responsible plan incase the transfer of A-73 and the proposed reunion with her family pod, who is around Vancouver from June to September, is unsuccessful. Being that the pod initially abandoned the young whale, some scientists say the chance of reintroduction could be slim.
Would the aquarium industry then be allowed to add the orca to its collection of captives?
We would like assurances from the Canadian government that that there is
absolutely no chance that this whale will end up in captivity for the rest of her
life.
This petition in particular asks:
1.) The Vancouver Aquarium to guarantee every attempt will be made at releasing A-73 to live with it's native pod;
2.) If the pod does not accept A-73, the Vancouver Aquarium should GARAUNTEE the release and further monitoring of the whale outside of captivity. The Aquarium should administer any treatment needed, outside of a sea-pen or captive enclosure;
3.) The Canadian and United States governments to create and enforce laws regarding the capture and treatment of all whales in the Canadian & U.S. waters-- including the import of wild captured animals into Canadian & U.S. aquariums.
13. Total Ban of Commercial Whaling
UPDATE: June 2005
In June, the International Whaling Commission (IWC), whose almost 60 member countries oversee worldwide whale conservation, will hold its annual meeting in Ulsan, South Korea. This year, as befits the complicated politics of international whaling, the eyes of the world will be riveted on the host country. That's because, as an IWC member increasingly aligned with aggressive pro-whaling nations, Korea's vote will likely be decisive in determining the long term fate of the great whales and other threatened marine mammals.
As in prior years, the debate at Ulsan will focus on whether to lift the ban on commercial whaling. This year, there is a greater than ever threat that this will occur, and Korea holds a linchpin vote. An IWC member since 1978, South Korea supported the 1982 ban on commercial whaling imposed by the IWC and officially prohibited domestic whaling. Recently, though, Korea has regularly voted with the pro-whaling countries of Japan, Iceland, and Norway to subvert the 1982 agreement.
The IWC was created by whaling countries in 1946 in response to the alarming whale population decline due to large scale commercial whaling activities. The commission was hard pressed to fulfill its mandate because whalers routinely exceeded their permissible take and inaccurately reported the numbers of whales killed. By the 1970s, 8 out of 10 species of great whales covered by the IWC treaty were commercially extinct.
Korea is uniquely positioned to make the difference by divorcing itself from such subterfuge carried out on its soil. By taking a strong stand for whales, by resisting the pressure of the whaling nations, and by defending the extant ban on commercial whaling, Korea can ensure that the future will judge Ulsan as a turning point, a moment when humanity found its right relationship to the majestic creatures of the sea.
The best outcome of this year's meeting would be the creation of an additional sanctuary in the South Atlantic, championed by Argentina and Brazil. With a change of heart at Ulsan, Korea could achieve lasting distinction as the nation which truly granted safe harbor to the whales.
..................................
In June 2000 the International Whaling Commission voted to not support the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary. In 1998 over 1100 whales were killed for profit, despite the worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling.
Some species are still on the brink of extinction. By 1990 the Blue Whale numbers had been reduced from over 250,000 to just 1,000. It is time to put a stop to commercial whaling and find a permanent solution to protect whales.
