Vol. XXV No. 1 A publication o f Cetacean Society International Spring 2016

Whaling News Spring 2016By Heather Rockwell, CSI Representative to International Whaling Commission

In late October, the 66th Annual Meeting of theInternational Whaling Commission (IWC) willconvene in Portoroz, Slovenia. As we look ahead toanother showdown with the whalers this fall, here iswhat they have been up to so far this year.

When the Commission last met in Portoroz in 2014(IWC/65), the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hadruled that Japan’s scientific research program in theAntarctic was actually not scientific and was thereforeillegal. Some of us in the conservation communityhoped this would signal an end to Japan’s relentlessslaughter of minke whales in the Southern OceanSanctuary, especially after they announced thesuspension of their 2014/2015 Antarctic hunt.However, Japan started putting down markers soonafter IWC/65 that they would be returning to theirsouthern killing grounds. They submitted a new“scientific research” proposal to the Commissionbefore the end of 2014 (NEWREP-A or JARPAIII)with the intent to lethally take 333 minke whalesannually starting in late 2015. Unfortunately, Japan’swhaling fleet set sail in December 2015 for Antarcticato kill minke whales – which is in complete disregardof the Commission’s recommendations that all newproposals must be considered by the full Commissionprior to a permit being issued, and of advice fromscientists of the IWC Scientific Committee who statedthat lethally taking whales for this research is notnecessary. It seems that despite internationalcondemnation and scientific skewering of their bogusresearch program, Japan will continue to do whateverthey want without any repercussions.

In interesting news out of Iceland, KristjanLoftsson, the owner of Iceland’s only fin whalingcompany Hvalur, announced that there would be no

hunting of fin whales this summer in the NorthAtlantic. With thousands of tons of frozen fin whalemeat sitting in Japan and at least one shipment of finwhale meat returned to Iceland due to findings of highlevels of toxins, Loftsson blamed it all on problemswith Japan's slow, cumbersome, outdated food safetyregulations. Although minke whale meat in Iceland ismarketed and sold mainly to tourists, fin whale meatis sold and exported exclusively to Japan, wherediminishing interest and demand are most certainlycontributing to Loftsson's problems and this temporaryhalt to fin whaling. Upon hearing Loftsson'sannouncement, the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik calledon Iceland to cease all commercial whaling operations.Let's hope the U.S. government maintains this strongstance against Iceland.

And finally, a look at Norway, where governmentsubsidies are keeping the diminishing commercialminke whaling industry afloat. Despite Japan'srejection of imported Norwegian minke whale meattainted with high levels of pesticide in 2015, PrimeMinister Shinzo Abe of Japan recently met with oneof Norway’s parliament members to discusscooperation on fisheries issues, including whaling.Clearly, Japan is looking for Norway to support theirscientific whaling program in exchange for Japansupporting Norway's commercial whaling program.

BREAKING NEWS: As this issue of WhalesAlive! went to press, we received the horrific news thatJapan’s Antarctic whaling fleet had returned early tothe port of Shimonoseki with its full quota of 333minke whales, of which 200 were pregnant females.This slaughter in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary ofbreeding females is senseless, shameful and completelyunscientific.

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Whale Watching 101By Cynde McInnis

Whale watch season is upon us!!! Early reports are thathumpback, fin and right whales are in and aroundMassachusetts Bay!! At Cape Ann Whale Watch, inGloucester, MA, the season begins in mid-April and weare very much looking forward to it.

For most of the year, there are whales off the coast ofMA. During spring, summer and fall, humpback whalesmake the nutrient and food-rich water their feedinggrounds. In the winter, the humpbacks head south — manyto the Dominican Republic and other areas in the WestIndies. In the warmer, calmer and more protected water,females give birth to their calves and fatten them up fortheir migration north. Males are often competing forfemales and singing — something scientists are stillseeking explanations for.

The past few years, there has also been an increasedsighting of humpbacks around Virginia Beach betweenDecember and March. Sometimes they are seen feeding,so perhaps these are animals that don’t make the longmigration to the breeding grounds? Each humpback has ablack and white pattern on the underside of its tail that is

as unique as our fingerprints. The researchers at theVirginia Aquarium are collecting photo ID’s of theseindividual animals to help figure out where they are comingfrom, and if they are seen in other locations over the courseof the winter. As of the 2015 season, there have beenhumpbacks matched to the Gulf of Maine, Newfoundland,the Gulf of the St. Lawrence and Silver Bank (DominicanRepublic). Seventeen humpbacks have been seen inmultiple seasons. We look forward to hearing about howmany new whales were sighted in 2016!

Along with the humpbacks, Massachusetts Bay is alsohome to fin and minke whales in the spring, summer andfall, but not as much is known about their whereabouts inthe winter. Fin whales have been seen off the coast ofVirginia in the winter, although typically a little furtheroffshore than the humpbacks. Whether they are passingthrough or there to hang out is still somewhat of a mystery.

Right whales usually arrive in Massachusetts Baysometime after the New Year. Females and new calvesspend part of the winter off the Southeast United States(Georgia and Florida). In the past couple years, asignificant number of males and non-reproductive femaleshave been spotted on Jordan Basin in the Gulf of Maine.It’s thought that that might be an important place for rightwhales in the winter. Sometime between early January andmid-late May, they come to Massachusetts and the GreatSouth Channel (SE of MA) to feed on the rich abundanceof copepods — a small zooplankton that is the basis of theirdiet. Finally, in the summer they tend to move towards theBay of Fundy — although in the past couple years, fewerwhales have been sighted there. Is that because of climatechange? At this point, we don’t know. For the most part,researchers aren’t even sure where the roughly 500 whaleshave been in the summer. There have been scatteredsightings in unusual places like the St. Lawrence River, buttime and more research will paint a better picture of whatis happening.

Whale watching out of Gloucester typically takes usto the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.Designated in 1992, it’s a place of natural significance withover 500 species of plants and animals found there. Thebasis is Stellwagen Bank, an underwater plateau roughly19 miles long and 100 feet deep that helps create a “soup”of plankton, the bottom of the food chain. Plankton attractsfish, which in turn attracts whales, dolphins, porpoises,sharks, turtles and birds in the spring, summer and fall.Whale watch season begins April 16 and ends the last dayin October. People often ask about the best time to go. Tobe honest, we can only tell you the best time to have gone(but not until the end of the season.) There really isn’t adifference between morning and afternoon either in termsof whales, but there are typically less people in themorning. The weather is nicest in July and August (warm

Whales Alive!A publication of Cetacean Society International

Editor: Brent S. Hall

CSI is an all-volunteer, non-profit, tax-exemptorganization with contacts in over 25 countries. Ourmission is to advocate for and protect cetaceans fromharm and harassment, to increase public awareness,and preserve their well-being and that of the marineenvironment. We support and promote benign activitiessuch as regulated whale watching, nonlethal andhumane research, and widespread educational,environmental programs relating to free-roamingcetaceans internationally. Our ultimate objective is theglobal acceptance of peaceful coexistence and mutualenrichment for both humans and cetaceans.

Cetacean Society International65 Redding Rd-0953, Georgetown, CT 06829-0953

Phone: 203-770-8615 Fax: 860-561-0187E-Mail: info@csiwhalesalive.org

Web: csiwhalesalive.orgCSI is a member of WhaleNet

President: David Kaplan Esq.Vice President: Cynde McInnis

Secretary: George A. UptonTreasurer: Rachel DeCavage

Executive Director: William W. Rossiter

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and calm), but we can have those beautiful, flat-calm daysin any month. If you do decide to come, here are a couplesuggestions.

• Bring a sweatshirt. Believe it or not, even when it’s90 degrees on land, we often put a layer on at sea.

• Bring your camera. But, don’t watch the whalesthrough your lens the whole time. Take a minute to enjoythem with your eyes!

• Wear good shoes. This isn’t a fancy place; pleaseleave your heels at home!

• If you have children, bring a coloring book or activity.We have 3-5 educators on every trip, and we will do ourbest to entertain and educate you while going to and fromthe whales, but it’s always nice to have something else todo!

We hope to see you sometime this summer!!

CONNY's CornerBy Patricia Sullivan

Are cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) saferin captivity than in the wild? A ludicrous question?Perhaps, but one that should direct our attention to the stateof our planet, and of caretaking and stewardship of captive,non-human animals.

Anti-captivity and animal rights advocates,shareholders, and organizations such as all-volunteernonprofit Cetacean Society International have cause tocelebrate following the March 17 announcement about thepartnership between SeaWorld Parks and Entertainmentand the Humane Society of the US to end captive orcabreeding and phase out theatrical orca whale shows. Chiefexecutive officer and president Joel Manby wrote an Op-Edpiece in the Los Angeles Times asserting the rationale forthe unprecedented, historic shift: “Americans' attitudesabout orcas have changed dramatically…now we need torespond to the attitudinal change that we helped to create…”

This monumental move to transform SeaWorld’sbusiness model is worthy of praise and commemorationas, according to Manby, the remaining orcas “… will bethe last generation of orcas in SeaWorld's care.” Wild-captured or born in captivity, Manby promises the morethan twenty SeaWorld orcas will continue to “receive thehighest-quality care, based on the latest advances in marineveterinary medicine, science and zoological bestpractices…” SeaWorld is an undeniable force for good inrescue operations, one of the largest in the world, and hascommitted to increase the work and focus in this area sothat stranded marine mammals receive rehabilitation andcare. Stocks have risen since the announcement.

Well-deserved congratulations aside, skeptics express

relentless concern about the remaining marine mammalsin captivity including but not limited to dolphins andbelugas, and remind the world of the four people killed and100+ aggressive acts by captive orcas, the innumerableanimals who have died in capture and captivity (only 20of the 145 wild orcas taken into captivity are alive today);sinking SeaWorld stock prices since the release of thedocumentary Blackfish, failed pregnancies and prematurebirths/deaths, the captive orcas around the world, forexample, wild caught Kiska in Canada; Morgan in LoroParque, Spain; Kshamenk in Mundo Marino, Argentina;Lolita at Miami Seaquarium (deemed most eligible forrelease to a more natural environment by experts) – andmost regrettable, the imminent death of beloved andinfamous Tilikum, who, at the time of this writing,languishes in a med pool in SeaWorld Orlando,unresponsive to treatment for a bacterial lung infection.Little has been reported about SeaWorld’s expansion intothe Asian and Middle East markets, but the probability istroubling.

Nevertheless, partnerships, collaborations and progressin captive animal care are to be applauded. Globally,groups and individuals have been working tirelessly inanticipation of the retirement of eligible orcas to asanctuary or sea pen facility. Millions continue to call forthe end of orca captivity, full stop. SeaWorld’sannouncement is certainly a positive step forward, but itwould be wise to also use this momentum to move towardeducation about and activism for protection of our planet’sdwindling natural resources, as Manby claims will be done:“…we are partnering with the Humane Society of theUnited States, the nation's largest and most effective animalprotection and advocacy organization. Together, we willwork against commercial whaling and seal hunts, sharkfinning and ocean pollution.”

The scope of work in animal protection andenvironmental advocacy is massive. Again, Manby joinsenvironmentalists and advocates by acknowledging theneed for education, energy and difficult decisions “… tohalt and reverse the exploitation of wild places and theextinction of wild species.”

Is protection for wild orcas and other marine mammalsalone unattainable? According to an article publishedonline January, 2016, PCB pollution continues to impactpopulations of orcas and other dolphins in Europeanwaters, cetacean populations in the Northeast Atlantic andthe Mediterranean are declining faster than they canrecover. The meta-analysis of European data collected from1990-2012 showed that several cetacean species have veryhigh mean blubber polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)concentrations which are likely the cause of populationdeclines and suppression of population recovery. Eventhough the US Congress banned PCB production in 1979

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and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent OrganicPollutants banned it in 2001, because of PCBs'environmental toxicity and classification as a persistentorganic pollutant, and “despite regulations and mitigationmeasures to reduce PCB pollution, their biomagnificationin marine food webs continues to cause severe impactsamong cetacean top predators in European seas.” The studyfound three out of four species: striped dolphins (SDs),bottlenose dolphins (BNDs) and orcas, or killer whales(KWs) - had mean PCB levels that markedly exceeded allknown marine mammal PCB toxicity thresholds.

PCBs are not the only poison in the ocean. RogerPayne, founder and president of Ocean Alliance, presentedto the International Whaling Commission annual meetingin 2010, reporting results of studies of cells from spermwhales indicate pollution is reaching the farthest cornersof the oceans. Sperm whales like CONNY – themagnificent, one-of-a-kind life-size model built in 1976 bythe Connecticut Cetacean Society (now Cetacean SocietyInternational) on the grounds of The Children’s Museum– are at risk worldwide. Listed as Vulnerable on theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature and NaturalResources (IUCN) Red List, populations of these deep-diving toothed whales are scant and require furtheranalyses. In addition, efforts to assess the conservationstatus of sperm whales and the impact of whaling, includingsocial disruption, on current populations are compromiseddue to the lack of a good model of sperm whale populationstructure. Global population is estimated to be in the100,000s, significantly less than pre-whaling numberswhich may have been as high as 1,100,000. The greatestthreat to Sperm whales had been extensive commercialhunting, particularly of large males, but that has virtuallyended although small-scale fisheries still exist in Japan andIndonesia. A number of threats still remain, includingentanglement in fishing gear (especially gill nets),collisions with ships, ingestion of marine debris, and oceancontaminants. Heavily depleted populations from whalingdays have still not recovered.

The IUCN report reflects studies throughapproximately 2008, omitting a wealth of science aboutevents from then until now. Between January 9 andFebruary 4, 2016, 29 sperm whales stranded and died onNorth Sea beaches in Netherlands, France, Britain andGermany, the largest mortality event on record. Massstrandings of sperm whales are not uncommon in theregion, with records of sightings dating back to the 16thcentury. Multiple explanations have been offered, such asthe whales searching for food in shallow waters (spermwhales can dive as deep as two miles to find food),disorientation, starvation, depletion of prey - giant squidand octopus, warming of the world’s ocean, and noise fromunderwater bomb explosions and seismic surveys. Little

has been said about a possible culprit – noise from offshorewind farms. Because that area has the world’s largestconcentration of offshore wind turbines, it is reasonable toinfer that the noise created by the turbines can interferewith whales’ sonar, communication and navigation andcould be one cause. Investigation is ongoing.

There is overwhelming evidence that our ocean is inperil, and the health and safety of marine animals is injeopardy like no other time in history. Regardless, goodpeople continue to do great things to protect and preserveour increasingly endangered cetaceans.

Learn more by visitinghttp://www.csiwhalesalive.org/ andhttp://www.worldcetaceanalliance.org/ or check out ourFacebook pages.http://us.whales.org/wdc-in-action/fate-of-captive-orcashttp://www.iucnredlist.org/details/41755/0

Patricia Sullivan MS Ed. Education Director, CetaceanSociety International Co-Chair, Policy, Advocacy andCampaigning Working Group of the World CetaceanAlliance

SeaWorld, the HumaneSociety of the U.S., and

Tilikum: What Will HappenNext?

By William Rossiter

On March 17th Joel Manby, President and ChiefExecutive Officer of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. andWayne Pacelle, President and CEO of the Humane Societyof the U.S, announced an agreement between thecorporation and organization that centered on theimmediate cessation of SeaWorld’s breeding program fororcas, including SeaWorld’s four orcas rented to LoroParque, Canary Islands. The calf that will be born to alreadypregnant Takara will be the last to be born into captivity atSeaWorld’s parks. This news deserves a celebration,especially for those of us with CSI and many otherorganizations who have been working for decades to endthe captive exploitation of cetaceans. CaliforniaAssemblyman Richard Bloom certainly celebrated thebreeding ban, which his 2014 AB2140 or the “blackfishbill” proposed to accomplish. Of course we’re a long wayfrom that goal, but this is a very big step in the rightdirection. Other than a handful at HSUS everyone withevery other organization working to stop captive cetaceandisplays was as surprised by the announcement as the

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media, which erupted with excited headlines. Skepticslooked for loopholes, inured by decades of experience, andthere may be “clarifications” over time, but theannouncements together amount to one of the mostsignificant and positive victories in several decades ofadvocacy efforts.

Manby outlined SeaWorld’s plans for “new, inspiring,natural orca encounters, rather than theatrical shows”,beginning in San Diego during 2017, followed by SanAntonio and Orlando through 2019. The “programs willfocus on orca enrichment, exercise, and overall health”,apparently motivated by SeaWorld’s long-awaitedacceptance that they can’t survive by catering to customerswho only want to be entertained by trainers directing orcasto leap through hoops, jump for balls or splash everyonein the first few rows. In an odd twist, SeaWorld will betrying to present the audience with the real orca, the oneseen in increasingly awesome documentaries, the orcaanyone with a TV can see is a charismatic, complicated,intelligent, social predator that is reduced to a caricaturewhen ordered to perform tricks in the equivalent of a closet.This is an experiment in audience tolerances as much aspreferences, dependent upon ticket-buyers’ responses. Ifthis is more than repackaging, and paying customers aresatisfied with the still-cued, choreographed and controlledbehaviors of the orcas minus the splash and screams, theexperiment in what HSUS calls the “humane economy”will be a business success, and SeaWorld will survivelonger than their orcas do.

To Pacelle a “humane economy” is how corporationsshould respond and adapt to public concerns over animalwelfare. He linked the event to Ringling Bros. year-oldpledge to phase out its use of elephants in traveling acts.Both men stressed SeaWorld’s increasing efforts to rescueand rehabilitate marine mammals, with a five-year $50million package that included advocacy against commercialwhaling, seal killing, and shark finning. In addition to“protecting coral reefs and reducing the commercialcollection of wild-caught ornamental fish” HSUS alsospoke of SeaWorld’s commitment to provide “onlysustainably raised seafood, crate-free pork and cage-freeeggs, and to offer more vegan and vegetarian options at allof its restaurants and other food service operations, whichserve more than 20 million people annually.”

Rescue and rehabilitation programs have provided aback door for bringing in new captives. SeaWorld’sincreased effort to help distressed marine mammals mayresult in many deemed unreleasable kept by SeaWorldparks, which of course will use this example of "humaneeconomy" to emphasize that "SeaWorld cares". On thattheme "JJ" was a young gray whale "rescued" many yearsago who was released only because he got too big tohandle. Before then a team financed by the U.S. Navy

secretly tried to test JJ's hearing to document the point atwhich loud sounds might deafen him, but he fought thecrude apparatus. I don't want to think that SeaWorld's"rescue" will ever again resemble that mutual ordeal, orthe continuing ordeal of Kshamenk.

Kshamenk, as tweeted by @samsimon, (Sam Simon) whoadded "This is Kshamenk, the most abused orca in the

world, permanently bent from living in a pool."

Kshamenk was "rescued" twenty-five years ago byArgentina's Mundo Marino, which has profited well fromclueless customers ever since. Shortly after Kshamenk hadbeen put on display by Mundo Marino, ostensibly as abreeding partner for Belen (who died soon after), GabrielaBellazzi asked me, on behalf of CSI, to help her convinceher government that Kshamenk had been illegally"rescued" after being forced to strand by an operationdirected by Mundo Marino. Even with proof in hand Gaby'sefforts failed, and I learned a lot about Mundo Marino'spolitical influence, and Argentina's corrupt officials andrampant chauvinism. As president of Wild EarthFoundation, and officially directing stranding responseefforts in her region surrounding Chubut, Gaby will keepsuch travesties from happening again. SeaWorld partneredwith Mundo Marino in 2011 to train their husbandry staff

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how to obtain Kshamenk's sperm, which resulted in Makanibeing born to SeaWorld's Kasatka in 2013. And this isElsa, a young female orca that followed a trawler intoProvincetown harbor in 1982 and followed the vessel outa month later.

The Zodiac behind the kayak is weighed down byrepresentatives from the New England Aquarium, NMFS,and the Center for Coastal Studies. NEA was thinking of“rescuing” Elsa at the Aquarium, with NMFS in the middleand CCS opposed to the silliness of capturing a wild orcaperfectly capable of providing for herself. As long as shedidn’t strand she was to be left untouched, so of course noone reported her resting in the shallows. Let’s not go backto the 80’s, SeaWorld! "Rescue" means what it should tothe California Marine Mammal Center north of SanFrancisco. Their celebratory releases of successfullyrehabilitated marine mammals show what the world's bestmarine mammal rescue and rehabilitation effort shouldlook like. It's truly non-profit yet open to the public, staffed24/7 every day by people who compete for the honor ofvolunteering there, supported by a legion of donors.

You may not expect to be reading presumptuouscomments about big business in Whales Alive!, but it'simportant to understand that the breeding ban and muchelse is an experiment that must succeed. Manby's CEOappointment in April of 2015 was similar to many otherbusinesses facing failure, including considerable leewayfrom the board to stabilize the corporation. No one couldhave predicted then that SeaWorld would ban breeding oforcas less than a year later. CEO's come and go dependingupon their performance, and if Manby's vision doesn'tsatisfy the board someone else may take the helm and steeraway from everything just announced. Evidence ofreluctance and resentment by employees used to the "oldways" may interfere, especially at management levels.Manby has his hands full with much left to explain. Forexample, what happened to August, 2014's "letter of intentwith Village Roadshow Theme Parks, a leadinginternational entertainment and media company, to co-develop theme parks in Pan-Asia, India and Russia. Thisletter of intent, along with our previously announcedmemorandum of understanding with our partner in theMiddle East, creates exciting opportunities for us to extendour parks and brands beyond our domestic borders." Thecurrent Middle East partner remains a mystery, but in 2008SeaWorld Dubai, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and DiscoveryCove theme parks were planned for "Worlds of Discovery"on Dubai's now-abandoned Palm Jebel Ali. Manby inMarch reiterated progress in SeaWorld’s global expansionplans, saying the company had “moved to the next phaseof our international development strategy" and signed anMoU with a Middle Eastern partner.

Closer to home, SeaWorld is a major taxpayer and

employer in San Diego. Manby's success will be measuredby many factors, including a reversal of the 16 percentdecrease in payments to San Diego between 2013 and 2014for their leased land on Mission Bay. Those payments arebased on revenue, which obviously was declining. Moneyaside, Manby's plan certainly will satisfy San Diego'sSeaWorld lease and master plan, which requires that 3/4of the park's attractions include "a significant education oranimal-conservation focus" and local public sentimentopposes a ride-heavy theme park on Mission Bay. Will hisvision that “guests just want to observe and learn and wedon’t need all these 'theatrical tricks'" be verified on thebalance sheet? Critics say that customers come to beentertained, not taught. With that in mind, SeaWorldOrlando plans two new roller coasters, San Diego plans anaquarium-based submarine ride attraction at its park, andSan Antonio is talking of a "new dolphin habitat and guestexperience".

Negotiations at very personal level between the menbegan in January. Secrecy was paramount to preventinsider trading on SeaWorld stock, which on the 17th alonerose 9.43%, more than the stock value had lost since thebeginning of 2016. Obviously SeaWorld’s board was awareof the plan and must have been pleased with investors’reactions: they didn’t fire Manby! Investors had beenworried by many indicators that SeaWorld was unable toreverse a trend that began with the death of trainer DawnBrancheau in 2010, the third human the adult orca Tilikumhad killed. The trend accelerated with the release ofGabriela Cowperthwaite’s “Blackfish” in 2013, a film shebegan so as to “explore the trainer relationship andexperience”, but reoriented brilliantly so that theexperience endured by captive orcas changed the mindsand hearts of ever increasing audiences. Building on thebest efforts of anti-captivity organizations like CSI, the“Blackfish” effect continued to grow.

Without taking away any credit from Blackfish foraccelerating this revolution, Tilikum is the reason we’ve

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come so far, which makes his current plight even morepoignant. These images by Heather Murphy, OceanAdvocate News, may be among the last taken of Tilikum.

The aerial image shows SeaWorld’s medical pool atShamu Stadium (white tent, lower right) where Tilikumwas kept physically isolated from the others. Who providedthe helicopter for that image? The incredible, indomitable,courageous and committed Dr. Ingrid Visser, the worldscientific authority on wild orcas who has put her life onhold to help captive orcas. I have been honored to haveknown Ingrid at least since 1991, and understand whyresources like http://www.orcaresearch.org/ andhttp://www.freemorgan.org/ can’t even keep up with herselfless efforts.

Here Heather shows Tilikum languishing by the gatewith his head raised in an unusual posture, watching andlistening as the show goes on. Heather had to make quitean effort for this image, because SeaWorld doesn’t wantthe public to see him this way. She said that no one on staffspoke of him unless asked. Thanks to Heather and socialmedia many people have shared what she witnessed. Asthis is written, about all Tilikum has to do now is float, bemedicated and think, day and night. Caring people cannothelp wondering what he’s thinking about, but how can weknow, given our ignorance about orcas and what heremembers about his life? We might wonder if he has anyhappy memories; we only know of the tragedies in his life.But what we should wish for is that he is aware thatwhatever he’s endured has become the symbol and catalystfor meaningful changes to the business of exploiting whalesand dolphins to entertain. As you read this Tilikum likelyhas died of a lung infection that SeaWorld’s best medicalattention could not cure.

SeaWorld used social media beginning in early Marchto announce Tilikum’s impending death, perhaps topreempt another round of negative publicity that they have

experienced almost continuously since the movie“Blackfish”. The initial announcement and several postsabout how much they care have not yet included a publicdiagnosis of the bacterial infection, which prompted severalexperts to wonder if it is a “super bug”. SeaWorld hasstressed that, at 35, Tilikum’s death was not that early formale orcas, without mentioning that the proven stress ofcaptivity on whales and dolphins often leads to immunedeficiencies that lead to infection. Look again at the aerialimage as other orcas press close to Tilikum. All of themmay be on a daily regimen of drugs, all in a confined spacewith an orca whose infection resists treatment and haspublicly not been confirmed non-communicable to otherorcas and humans. Unna died from a Candida infection inDecember at San Antonio’s SeaWorld. She also had beenunder constant care by the best SeaWorld could offer.Candida has killed other captive orcas but has never beenfound in wild orcas.

Wild male orcas can expect to survive far longer than35 in a world full of survival threats. And free wild females?

This March photo by Heather MacIntyre shows 104-year old Granny spyhopping in Puget Sound! SeaWorldhas always named their captives, but publicly all orcas usedto be called Shamu. Decades ago only discerning fanswould have noticed that Shamu looked different that day,not knowing that the previous Shamu had died in secret.Some Shamus were rumored to have been buried at nightunder parking lots or dumped in landfills. None of thesecomments are meant to disparage SeaWorld’s medicalteams or any other employees. Along with all the othersdoing these often difficult jobs at every captive cetaceandisplay facility, they are doing their best with the resourcesthey are given, motivated by a personal commitment forall the animals in their care.

Social media is responsible for empowering the

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accelerating trend that’s forcing SeaWorld to act. Itsgrowing influence affects everyone with Internet access,from expert eight-year-olds to 80-year-olds trying to catchup. Of course the key is learning what to trust; what’s realand what’s not. Today’s 14-year-olds know a lot moreabout the world than their parents did at their age,sometimes good, too often bad, often bewildering andintrusive, but here to stay. Every day they access socialmedia outlets that flood an eager audience and promptexchanges between people of all ages, especially theteenagers whose parents pay for the tickets to seeSeaWorld’s shows.

After Dawn Brancheau’s death SeaWorld tried tocounter the media storm with social media through siteslike http://ask.seaworldcares.com/ or https://twitter.com/SeaWorld. Despite their glossy look they stumbled,drawing incessant criticism for their simplistic self-promotion and free interpretation of facts. The easiest wayto see through the illusion promoted by SeaWorld’s socialmedia is to review expert resources like Facebook’s “Fromthe Dolphins’ Point of View”. For some history on the linkbetween SeaWorld and the infamous Taiji dolphinslaughters see http://voiceoftheorcas.blogspot.com/. Forinformation on specific dolphins and whales at specificfacilities, see http://ceta-base.org/, but be understandingthat the volunteers posting births, deaths, transfers andother data sometimes can’t keep up with the action, andmuch remains hidden from public view by the industry.

Without question Manby’s announcement wasaddressed to the unforgiving world of investors and thefinancial media, which routinely had broadcast significantdrops in share values and investor confidence, and thewider media that had reported reflexive changes asSeaWorld executives struggled with bad news. Forexample, Manby’s comments on the revised themes of theshows repeated November announcements that SanDiego’s “theatrical killer whale show” would be replacedduring 2016 by a “new orca experience” in an “informativeand more natural setting” beginning in 2017. But when theCalifornia Coastal Commission approved construction ofSeaWorld San Diego’s expansion for Blue World withcaveats prohibiting orca breeding or transfers to and fromthe park, SeaWorld in December put the already-startedproject on hold and sued the Commission. In January thecorporation announced that the fast-lifting floors requiredafter the death of Dawn Brancheau were being removed,citing their long-delayed cessation of some in-waterinteractions between orcas and trainers. Do you rememberthe ex-trainers’ comments in “Blackfish”, that they wereleft clueless about so many safety issues as well as staffinjuries? Are current trainers better briefed? How manyothers have quit? While San Antonio highlights theirbeluga interaction opportunities, SeaWorld Orlando ended

their beluga interaction program in February, withoutexplanation. Why? And what executive decided to send anemployee using an alias to infiltrate and spy on PETA?That made as much sense as prodding a very big gorillathat really digs social media! By March the corporationwas cautioning investors over an expected “shortfall ininternational attendance in 2016”, along with the thencurrent 9% drop in stock price. By April Chief ParksOperations Officer Dan Brown and Chief ZoologicalOfficer Brad Andrews will have been replaced. What elsewill have happened by the time you read this?

No matter what the news, the trends make CSI’s 1995position on captivity more relevant than ever, but perhapsneeding a translation for today’s social media: "It is theposition of the Cetacean Society International that it is nolonger justifiable for cetaceans to be captured or maintainedin captivity for purposes of exhibition, research, oreducation. There exists a moral imperative for cetaceansin captivity to be maintained in optimal conditions for theirphysical and social well-being and for efforts to be madefor their rehabilitation and release". This is CSI’s policy,but I won’t assume everyone with CSI agrees with it, noragrees with everything I’ve written in this article. Theseissues are propelled by opinion, which even differ on whatthe most realistic welfare-based solution is. CSI’s policydoes not demand that all display facilities empty their tanksright now. Where would all the captives go? The law stillholds that all animals are property, without the fundamentalrights we all take for granted, but that may be challengedby the right case and a judge with enough courage. Asassets cetaceans can be bought, sold and traded, albeitwithin intricate rules.

With the welfare of the captives as our overridingconcern, and an example of a prepared plan for a suitablecandidate, I ask you to consider Orca Network’s “Proposalto retire the orca Lolita to her native habitat in the PacificNorthwest”.

Photo courtesy Howard Garrett

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 9

This superb plan for this beautiful bay is detailed athttp://www.orcanetwork.org/Main/index.php?categories_file=Retirement, and gives hope to everyone who sharesour concern for the ultimate fate of every cetacean now ondisplay. If you want to do something substantial to help,contribute to Orca Network.

While some demand that display facilities release theiranimals now, most experts on all sides agree that theirsurvival in the wild is unlikely. Many were born incaptivity, with no concept of the real world. Wild-caughtcetaceans are likely to have forgotten how to survive,especially without the benefit of group support in a familiarhabitat. But if the trend continues to decrease profits andincrease costs the pressures on the parks will demand realaction, which the business-minded executives wouldtranslate as discarding assets that were no longer providingthe income needed to maintain them. Be thankful theanimals can’t legally just be tossed away when they nolonger profit the business. And so we’re back to what youcan do: convince people not to buy tickets.

Providing sanctuaries for ex-captive whales anddolphins demands enormous investment. Where will themoney come from? Bring on the Munchkins! Steven Dunn,CEO of Munchkin, Inc., the baby product company,publicly offered Joel Manby, the CEO of SeaWorld a $1million pledge to build a cold ocean water sanctuary forTilikum and other captive whales. Dunn’s companydiscontinued production of their “Bathtub Orca” after Dunnsaid: “a bathtub isn’t big enough for an orca!”, along witha visionary video that you can watch by searching for“Orcas Live In Oceans”. In December Dunn attended thefirst Sea Sanctuary Workshop, held during the Society forMarine Mammalogy biennial conference in San Francisco,and by March he had a plan to work with biologists to builda sanctuary while attracting financial support. Similarlyenlightened CEO’s to follow Dunn’s example are a limitedand endangered population, so how might the sanctuarysponsorship concept make business sense to hard-mindedcorporations? Can you help to create and sell a suitableplan? Can you commit to patronize and promote acorporation that wants to try? Do you have any contactsthat might be willing to listen? As Dr. Lori Marino has said:“There are sanctuaries for elephants, primates, tigers, lionsand other animals, but there is not a single one for dolphinsand whales.” If a sports arena can be named for a businesswhy not a cetacean sanctuary?

As the trend against captive cetacean display continueswhat will happen to Connecticut‘s Mystic Aquarium &Institute for Exploration and its beluga whales? With CSI’score in Connecticut I’m very aware that Mystic Aquariummust not fail, in part because of all the truly educationalexperiences they offer visitors, but I’m concerned that theirapparent reliance on belugas may weaken the business. The

Aquarium is an essential component of the state’s mostpopular tourist area that’s centered on historic Mystic butsupplies income to many associated business and hundredsof families’ incomes. What is not yet apparent is Mystic’smanagement showing some awareness that what’shappening to SeaWorld may happen to Mystic. As thesmallest of the “Beluga Club” that includes threeSeaWorlds, Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and GeorgiaAquarium they must participate in the cooperative breedingexchange program that the US facilities think will keeptheir populations viable. As reported in previous WhalesAlive! newsletters, Mystic was involved in GeorgiaAquarium’s permit request to import 18 wild caughtRussian belugas, which NMFS rejected. The Aquariumsued, CSI and others joined in support of NMFS, and justbefore the Federal Court in Atlanta decided in favor ofNMFS (and us!), SeaWorld abruptly refused to take theirallocation of 11 belugas. With no Russian belugas andMarineland of Canada’s refusal to sell any of their belugas,captive breeding motivated the still unconfirmed report thatsix belugas were exchanged on one day in early February,with Naluark shipped from Mystic to SeaWorld Orlando,which sent Maple and Aurek to Georgia Aquarium, whichexchanged Nunavik with Grayson from Shedd, whileShedd shipped Miki to Mystic. Confused? Think howconfused those belugas must have been! There’s no publicinformation or published data about the impact onindividuals that are shipped between parks, but as tradedcommodities they will be shuttled around until they haveno more reproductive potential. At least they won’t be sentto Vancouver Aquarium, which has most recently beenexposed at: http://www.vancouveraquariumuncovered.com/.

If you really want to help all the cetaceans in captivedisplay parks in the US now here’s something veryimportant that you can do right now without leaving home:APHIS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,is “proposing to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulationsconcerning the humane handling, care, treatment, andtransportation of marine mammals in captivity. Theseproposed changes would affect sections in the regulationsrelating to variances and implementation dates, indoorfacilities, outdoor facilities, space requirements, and waterquality. We are also proposing to revise the regulations thatrelate to swim-with-the-dolphin programs. We believethese actions are necessary to ensure that the minimumstandards for the humane handling, care, treatment, andtransportation of marine mammals in captivity are basedon current industry and scientific knowledge andexperience.”

Yes, this is important stuff, and changes are longoverdue, but which changes do you want, and which willthe industry push for? For one example, “the minimum

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 10

space requirements for primary enclosures…are based onstandards and scientific information available at the timethe regulations were promulgated in 1979, and amendedin 1984.” For another, APHIS is considering sunshades,which the industry will fight. Your opportunity to commenton the proposed rules will end May 4, 2016. It won’t be asmuch fun as holding a placard at a protest, but it’s yourchance do something at a fundamental level. Start bysearching for 81 FR 5629, which will bring you to theAPHIS announcement that includes the details of the rulechanges proposed and how to submit your comments.Disregard the April deadline, and download the file. I’dsuggest the text file, unless you have software that doesmore than allow PDFs to be read. Of course this will betime consuming, but it’s cheaper than therapy for yourfrustrations and it will help you understand better whatwe’re all up against. For example, search for “data” andread APHIS’ admission that the underlying data is sooutdated, and their own resources so limited, that they leaveit to commenters to provide current information ondifferent sections. They will accept reputable or verifiableinformation, not just peer-reviewed and published papers,but let’s expect a flood of self-serving material from theindustry and recognize that APHIS won’t consider yourconcerns without information. Why are the rules up forreview, after decades of “our side” pleading for updating?Reducing paperwork! Search for “reduction” and readabout how the Paperwork Reduction Act may be used toreduce the reports facilities must make. Assume theindustry’s focus will be on reducing costs, seeking theminimum “welfare” to maximize profits. A few minuteswith the full proposal will convince you that your time toact is now. Stay focused on a future without captivecetaceans and don’t miss this opportunity to make adifference!

CSI's Grant ProgramBy William Rossiter

CSI’s grant program is different in so many ways fromothers, primarily because we devote so much volunteertime to interact with and help the people who apply beyondsimply providing a small grant at a critical time in theircareers. We get to know them rather well, perhaps becausethe Internet has fostered a surprising intimacy betweenpeople who may never meet. And so, for example, a youngscientist in Ecuador laments her dilemma that herappointment to represent her nation officially at an IWCmeeting conflicts with her need to care for her newbornson (her mother took care of the baby), or another isconnected with a senior researcher on another continent

who is happy to help with a technical question, because herecalls how CSI helped him decades earlier. Everyone whoreceives a CSI grant knows we have faith and trust in them;many remind us of that at every opportunity.

Another difference is that no general CSI funds areused for grants, including members’ donations. Everythingwe give away comes from foundations and directeddonations, which since July 1st have provided about$69,800 to 90 people or projects. If you want to help othersthrough CSI please contact Bill Rossiter atrossiter@csiwhalesalive.org or 203-770-8615.

The benefits of having helped so many since 1982 aretoo numerous to list, but one recent example ties into theWhales Alive’s article on captive cetacean display. CSI’scomments on the APHIS proposed rules are being assistedby two marine mammal disease specialists, Marie-Françoise Van Bressem, DVM, PhD, CetaceanConservation Medicine Group (CMED), Germany andPeru, and María Gabriela Hernández Mora, DMV, CostaRica. Both are experts on mutually-communicable diseasesof captive cetaceans and humans, particularly relevant tostranding responders, trainers and interactive programswhere customers get close to the captives.

Over the years many experts have assisted CSI’s effortto help young scientists and their projects, often bydonating their unique expertise or resources. Dr. ColinMacLeod, a long-time friend to CSI, world authority onGeographic Information Systems (GIS), and lecturer at theUniversities of Aberdeen (Scotland) and Bangor (Wales)in March offered to donate some of his GIS books throughCSI to graduate students in Latin America! Since youasked, GIS users “apply many layers of data to visualize,question, analyze, and interpret data, to understandrelationships, patterns, and trends”, which translates inLatin America to scientists understanding species,populations, habitats, prey preferences and threats fromfisheries far better than ever before. Until regional studentslearn GIS techniques, population and management projectsfor cetaceans that range far offshore in seas inhospitable tohumans are limited to projects like Argentina’s MaríaNatalia Paso Viola’s. We’ve just sent her funds to betterunderstand human impacts on Commerson’s dolphins bynecropsy of dead dolphins either stranded or killed in nets.Stranding networks are advancing rapidly in the region,aided by many free copies and CDs of Marine MammalsAshore, the stranding response guide book. Dr. Valerie J.Lounsbury, a marine mammal vet at the NationalAquarium, donated the books and CDs she co-authoredwith Dr. Joseph R. Geraci, for CSI to distribute free to LatinAmerican stranding responders, with immeasurablesuccess.

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 11

Sena Wazer has a lot to say, all of it well worth yourattention. She is sure to effect positive changes in the worldher generation will inherit from ours. We look forward tosharing more from her in the future. – Bill Rossiter

My name is Sena, and I am 12 years old. I amhomeschooled and I live on a farm in Mansfield, CT. Eversince I read the true story of Ibis at age five, I have beentrying to help whales.

Right now I am very concerned about two issues:whales getting caught in nets and whales eating garbagethat ends up in the ocean and kills them.

I am trying to help solve these problems by doing afew different things. One of those things is presentations,which I really enjoy. Once or twice a year I do apresentation to 150-200 third grade school children. First,I show them a few very cool pictures of whales anddolphins playing, and I talk about how much I like them,the similarities between whales and us, as well as howfriendly they are to people. Then I show pictures of whalesand dolphins trapped in nets. I talk about how the nets makeit hard for whales and dolphins to breathe and eat. I tell thechildren that we can address this problem, and show theseafood guide (Google Seafood Guide), which they canuse to help their parents shop with more awareness. Afterthat, I talk about balloons being released and how whalescan mistake balloons floating in the ocean for squid andhow they can eat them, which kills them. The kids arealways really upset by pictures of whales and dolphinscaught in nets and they always have lots of questions at the

end, which I think is really good.Another thing I have been doing every year on Earth

Day is go to our local Food Coop, where I set up a boothon whales. I bring posters asking people not to releaseballoons and I also bring information cards on dolphinsthat are being slaughtered in Japan.

One other thing that I am super excited about is a neworganization called Decide to be Kind(http://www.decidetobekind.com/). This organization isfocusing on trying to get people to be kind to each otherand to the environment. Sometime in early April, some ofthe organizers of the organization will be coming to myfarm to film a Kindness Challenge. I will be asking peopleto bring reusable containers (instead of using disposablecontainers) when they go somewhere to get a snack or drink(such as Starbucks). I will also be announcing a cleanupday where people can go to a local park to help pick upgarbage.

I am very happy that I can help the whales in someway.

Sena Wazer

Whale NewsBy Taffy Williams / NY4Whales

SEX WITH DOLPHINS?Mie University, roughly 100 miles north of Taiji

(setting for the Academy Award winning film, “TheCove”) is planning to develop a dolphin-breedingtechnology. In 2015, facing mounting internationalpressure, the Japan Association of Zoos and Aquariums(JAZA) banned the taking of dolphins caught by drivefisheries for use in Japanese aquariums. The university saysthe position has since created a drop in the supply of thehugely popular dolphins for entertainment in Japan. MieU Professor Motoi Yoshioka hopes to create a workingtechnology, saying he will start with bottlenose dolphins,then move on to other species. Technology? Who couldforget the disturbing footage of SeaWorld employeesmasturbating orcas for seminal fluid? Let’s hope thedolphins outsmart them, somehow.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/10/national/mie-university-aims-develop-dolphin-breeding-technology/#.VutokoT82Ig

DOLPHINS AS COMBAT SOLDIERS ONCEAGAIN

In Russia, contract bidding is open with the defenseministry for five dolphins at 1.75 million ruble ($24,000).Specifically, “Three male, two female, 2.3 to 2.7 meters,between 3 and 5 yrs old, with no visible damage on their

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 12

skin, no missing teeth, physical activity and with two tofour breaths per minute.” According to Russian state media,the purchase order requires the wild dolphins to be captured“in the presence of marine mammal specialists andtransported humanely, in bathtubs filled with seawater.”Russia is no stranger to the military use of dolphins. Notonly are they capable of detecting sunken ships and evenabandoned torpedoes, Russia’s dark dolphin past includesusing them to attach explosive devices on enemy vessels.Ever wonder how the dolphins feel about this?

h t t p : / / w w w . m i l i t a r y . c o m / d a i l y -news/2016/03/10/russian-military-seeks-five-combat-dolphins.html

HEY VANCOUVER: WHOSE BREACH OFCONTRACT?

The Vancouver Aquarium has filed a lawsuit againsta filmmaker, Gary Charbonneau, for using allegedunauthorized footage for his documentary, “VancouverAquarium Uncovered”, a film exposing the treatment ofdolphins and beluga whales at the facility. The aquariumhas not claimed actual misstatements or outright lies in thefilm, and their claims of copyright infringement were notproven in court. Charbonneau stated that the facility agreedto allow him to film the animals, then imposed restrictionstwo weeks later. They also failed to provide appropriatesettings for staff interviews as agreed. "We've been tryingto have a dialogue with them for quite a long time. They'vebeen invited to streaming panels, they've been invited onthe radio with me. I've invited them to a public paneldiscussion and they're not replying to me at all,"Charbonneau said in a telephone interview.

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/b-c/filmmaker-says-vancouver-aquarium-failed-to-honour-contract-for-documentary-1.2196264#sthash.qLXZ8p8d.p72pvFZW.dpuf

BAHAMAS DOLPHIN DRAMASAn ownership battle over eight dolphins valued at more

than $2 million, is the latest woe of the ill-fated BlackbeardCay’s dolphin facility. In Florida’s 11th circuit court forMiami Dade County, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Isaacsruled the Bahamas government violated its own rules bygranting approvals for the facility, which includedimporting the eight dolphins. The dolphins were to bereturned to Honduras, but export permits were blockedwhen Blackbeard Cay’s operators claimed they owned thedolphins. In a show of “no enforcement” by the governmentof the Bahamas, Blackbeard’s Cay has continued operatingas though Justice Isaac’s ruling never happened.Meanwhile, a petition by cetacean advocate SamDuncombe and the organization reEarth notes this illegalfacility has “deplorable conditions: the dolphin pens are

only 7 feet deep at mid-tide, there is no shade and there isno protection in case of hurricanes.” While the facility wasordered to close with the dolphins moving to a morehumane location, the government has delayed, scramblingto open yet another dolphin facility. Sign the petition tohelp these dolphins at:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/703/523/691/oppose-new-dolphin-swim-facilities-in-the-bahamas/. More on thissaga at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/may/07/blackbeards-cay-fearing-dolphin-row-destruction/

ECONOMIC WOES, GOOD FOR WHALES?The Baltic Dry Index is the leading global indicator of

commerce between Europe and North America, reflectingthe international economy as sales are filled and productsshipped out as ordered. The BDI reflects cargo shipments,which have been in “free fall” for several months. At itsapex, the BDI reached 11,793. In February, 2016, the BDIread 290, an all-time low. What does this have to do withwhales? It means there are almost no cargo vessels cuttingthrough the Atlantic Ocean in either direction. It means lessacoustic barrage from vessels’ massive engines. It meansa quieter ocean! While this is really bad news for the globaleconomy, this is really good news for whales. Whales areacoustically stressed from a number of sources, includingmilitary sonar, seismic mapping and oil and gas airgunexploration, and that constant din of oversized motorsplowing across the ocean. Container ships are huge. Someare as large as 23 stories high and 1300 feet long, withengines that can weigh 2,300 tons! That’s a lot of ship, anda lot of noise! Not only that, fewer vessels also translatesto a possible reduction in ship strikes. While no one wantsthe global economy in the dumps, it may be safe to saycetaceans are happy with the lack of shipping. Let’s hopefor peace in the oceans, peace and quiet.

http://geopolitics.co/2016/01/20/international-shipping-shuts-down-baltic-dry-index-freefalling/

WHALES IN THE ELECTION CYCLECSI takes no formal position nor does it endorse any

candidate for political office. However, cetacean advocatesremain keenly interested in candidates’ positions towardwhales, which unfortunately is rarely disclosed. Despitethe general sore lack of attention to the environment inmedia coverage, one can look at a candidate’s history. Oneremembers Wikileaks documents revealing that while shewas Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton sided with Japanclaiming its right to hunt for whales in the Southern Ocean,unimpeded by Sea Shepherd. There was no mention of theillegality of hunts either in a marine sanctuary, or underthe long-standing International Whaling Commission treatyof 1983. There was no acknowledgement of the nature ofJapan’s “scientific research” whaling as “bogus” and

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 13

invalid, a position held by consensus throughout theinternational, scientific and environmental community.However, Clinton did propose $5 billion for green energyjobs that would create jobs and decrease nuclear power.On the other hand, Donald Trump says “good developmentenhances the environment.” Trump touts that he would cutthe EPA, because “what they do is a disgrace. Every weekthey come out with new regulations. They’re making itimpossible...”

(http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2015/10/18/donald-trump-talks-taxes-trade-11-and-why-takes-personal-shots-at-political/)

Meanwhile, Marco Rubio was rated 95% by the Leagueof Conservation Voters for his voting record onenvironmental issues. Gov. John Kasich has said thatprotecting the environment is not at odds with economicgrowth and prosperity, and that we can’t ignore the qualityof the environment we leave our children. Ted Cruz votedagainst the National Endowment for the Oceans whichwould promote protection and conservation of our ocean,coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. CSI will be watchingand hoping for positive news for whales as the campaignscontinue. Learn more at http://www.ontheissues.org/Environment.htm

PACIFIC OCEAN DIE-OFFSIn January, 2016, 81 “disoriented” short-finned pilot

whales beached on a shoreline of Tamil Nadu in India. 45of the whales died.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/dozens-w h a l e s - d i e - m a s s - s t r a n d i n g - i n d i a - b e a c h -160113061302998.html

In addition, 29 sperm whales have been found onbeaches in northern Europe, including France, Germany,the UK and Netherlands. Using tissue samples, it will takemonths to determine possible causes, or if the beachingsare related.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sperm-whales-

beaches-north-sea_us_56b4bf10e4b01d80b245f063In November, 2015, the remote, often inaccessible bays

of Patagonia, Chile, saw one of the largest mass whalestranding events in history. 337 dead whales, most likelyendangered sei whales, were accidentally discoveredduring an aerial survey, their bodies too far decomposedfor onsite identification. Sei whales are among the largestbaleen whales, second only to the blue whale.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/whales-beached-chile_us_565e7419e4b08e945fed5f8f

FAR MORE THAN WHALES ARE IN TROUBLEThere were so many they couldn’t be counted.

Thousands of the small white seabirds known as thecommon murre were found in piles several feet deep. AtWhittier Beach alone, 8,000 dead murres were found, aghastly scene repeated all along Alaska’s coastline. Thebirds were either dead or emaciated and dying, and fewwere rescued. While testing and results come in, there isspeculation that prey food such as herring, capelin (smelt),and juvenile pollock have been depleted by global warming.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e0587ee6cc0043c392e3cd28f7b2129e/starvation-suspected-massive-die-alaska-seabirds

In recent seasons, sea lions in record numbers,dehydrated and malnourished, have inundated rescuecenters. Scoters are down 75%, western grebes have almostcompletely disappeared. For several years California’sbrown pelicans have abandoned their mating grounds inthe Catalina Islands refusing to reproduce, presumablybecause there isn’t enough food.

http://www.malibutimes.com/news/article_f909e69a-fca3-11e3-b2ee-001a4bcf887a.html

In 2014 millions of sea stars, aka starfish, died from avirus that killed them and turned their bodies into an oozing“goo”. Twenty species of sea stars from Baja California toAlaska lost 80-90% of their numbers, a catastrophicallyrapid decline. Some are blaming the sea star wastingsyndrome on climate change and warmer waters that haveallowed pathogens to attack.

http://kuow.org/post/scientists-close-what-s-killing-sea-stars

Officials in Alaska are reporting walruses that are sickand emaciated and baby seals coming ashore because theyare too weak to swim for any length of time. “The mostrecent discovery was a rainbow trout brought to the cityoffice… I’ve attached photos of the very sick fish… thebloody entrails were exiting out and it was also bleedingthrough the mouth. There were the beginnings of lesionson the skin… We are very much aware of the possibilityof radiation from Fukushima affecting the ocean life butwe realize there are other possibilities.” (Jane Mitchell,Kivalina City Council)

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 14

http://enenews.com/local-official-alarm-very-sick-animals-washing-ashore-alaska-fish-bleeding-face-bloody-entrails-coming-body-concerned-fukushima-radiation-affecting-ocean-life

There may be fewer reports of the die-offs in 2016,simply because the populations that crashed one or twoyears ago have not recovered enough to be consideredequally serious mass mortality events again in 2016.

When the food is depleted, populations crash, whetherthat’s birds, sea lions, or whales. Stressing the difficultiesof surveying those elusive whale populations who areoccasionally spotted as they surface to breathe, many arecautious as we witness species die-offs in the Pacific. Thecauses could be many. Species-disruption by globalwarming, radiation from Fukushima, even overfishing andbycatch. Military sonar and other acoustic pollution hasthe potential to affect fish and marine mammals, even drivewhales up on the beach, while scientists predict that by2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Theoceans are full of hypoxic dead zones where no life existsat all, not predator, prey or even vegetation. Never beforehave the many problems in our oceans been so glaringlyobviously the result of human activity. Yet we wonder whypopulations of marine organisms are disappearing?

Will the human species ever be forthright enough tosquarely take the blame, face the issues affecting ourinterrelated species, and turn things around? It is imperativethat today each and every person, from every nation andrace, begin to work for the survival of all life on earth.

KRILL AND YOUCSI and NY4Whales reminds all that “People can live

without krill. The oceans can’t.” Share a fun video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqoYH2GTY3o

&ebc=ANyPxKqy6tZiwTcyT8pc7YSnlYZZJOLsiO3t1Ne h f f H 2 b y p j q B 6 j H p 4 3 F P N C c R c 3 o B d 6 K P P k -Xv1UV_AVJLnMK9-N9QzmLH-Zwat, then sign thepetition against CVS’s sale of krill products athttp://action.sumofus.org/a/cvs-antarctic-krill/

Listening to Humpback Whales withCornell Bioacoustics Researcher Katy

Payne and Composer Barry Sharp,Culebra, Puerto Rico

By Paul Knapp, Jr.

I met Katy Payne about 24 years ago, and we've stayedin touch as she continues acoustic research with elephantsand whales. And I listen to Humpback whales in theCaribbean each winter, currently from a 4 meter Avoninflatable boat. The opportunity finally arose this year to

listen together on Culebra Island, Puerto Rico. She andcomposer Barry Sharp flew into the little airport on Feb 14for 3 full days of listening. We knew that more time wasbetter but Barry had to return to PhD classes at Cornell. Hewas interested in Humpback whale song, and Katy saidshe'd help on the condition he came out to hear live singing,and saw the whole picture. We had wind, wind, and couldhardly go out to even try to hear singing, but on their finalday I wrote in my log book. Feb 17 2016:

Cornell bioacoustics researcher Katy Payne and PaulKnapp Jr. at Flamenco beach, Culebra Puerto Rico,

Feb. 15, 2016

Wind down a little so we listened 1/2 mile W of Ferrydock. No singing. Then went between Luis Pena & Culebra& past Carlos Rosario to that NW spot I like. Used seaanchor. Started hearing singing almost immediately of 1-2whales, several miles away. As we drifted to NW thesinging got better. Harmonizing of at least 2 whales. Thenanother in there too. V beautiful. Katy had us looking tosee a spout. Barry recorded some w/ his iPhone? Meeventually w/ Sony D50. Though it was windy for Barry,& pistol shrimp & connectors for me. Pretty beautifulwonderful special singing we enjoyed. Waves gettinglarger so Katy came back from front of boat & sat next tome. And Barry sat down from standing, to lower our centerof gravity. Soon we were getting near white breaking wateron S of Alcarraza so we had to quickly pull in hydrophone& sea anchor & w/ started engine get going away frompotential problem!!! Look behind us! (above this log entryI wrote some wave-comments we expressed today: Big,huge, XTRA bouncy, V rough & choppy). Everyone helda cable or connector to protect from spray of waves untilwe got back into protection of NW corner of Culebra. Welistened again v briefly w/ out sea anchor to still hear thewhales but quite distantly. Then pulled everything in & putaway & headed back. Happy satisfied exhilarated by

Whales Alive! • Spring 2016 • Published by Cetacean Society International • Page 15

everything especially the beautiful singing. Dinghy Dockfor nachos w/ vegetables & cheese. (after Katy went tohostel to put on dry clothes).

Listening to humpback singing with Cornell bioacousticsresearcher Katy Payne and composer Barry Sharp, Culebra

Puerto Rico, Feb. 17, 2016

Upcoming EventsCompiled by Paul Knapp, Jr.

There are so many whale watching and listening trips andfestivals all the time, and many species traveling in a neverending cycle of migration.

March Blue Whale migration, Pico Island, AzoresPortugal http://www.cwazores.com/blue-whale-migration.aspx

Spring Summer Blue Whale migration, San Diego,http://www.sandiego.org/members/tours-sightseeing/newport-landing-whale-watching/events/blue-whale-migration-spring-summer-2016.aspx

June 9-12: Mystic Sea Music Festival, Mystic,Connecticut http://www.mysticseaport.org/event/sea-music-festival/

June 26: Walk for Whales, 5 mile sponsored walks fromnine locations in UK, sponsored by WDC and SEA LIFEhttp://uk.whales.org/events/walk-for-whales-2016

Sep. 30 to Oct. 2: Hermanus Whale Festival, SouthAfrica Southern Right whales.http://satourismonline.com/

Oct. 1: 8th Annual Right Whale Festival, JacksonvilleBeach, Florida. http://sea2shore.org/focal-species/north-atlantic-right-whale-conservation-program/right-whale-festival/

Nov. 3-6: Sitka Alaska WhaleFest.http://sitkawhalefest.org/

Yes, I care about cetaceans and want to add my voice to support your work on their behalf. Please enroll me as a member of CSI.

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Note: Your membership dues or donations constitute US tax deductible contributions as provided by law. Please use thePAYPAL option at http://www.csiwhalesalive.org/csi_membership.html or mail a check or money order payable to CETACEANSOCIETY INTERNATIONAL to: CSI Membership, 65 Redding Road-0953, Georgetown, CT 06829-0953 USA.

Cetacean Society International65 Redding Rd-0953Georgetown, CT 06829-0953U.S.A.

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Whale Adoptions at Cetacean Society InternationalCSI takes adopting a whale to a new and exciting level. While other adoption programs last one year and you

receive a photo of the whale you adopt, CSI adoptions are for your lifetime and you receive as part of the adoption kit,a specially-produced DVD that highlights the most exciting encounters with your adopted whale over several decadeson the water.

Salt has been seen every year since 1976 and it iswidely believed that nearly one million whale watchershave witnessed her amazing close approaches and othercommon whale behaviors such as feeding with her mouthwide open, flippering, lobtailing and breaching out of thewater, sometimes with a calf by her side. The DVD ofSalt includes 22 minutes of close to boat footage withseveral calves from past years. The adoption kit includesthe DVD, an information sheet with family tree and anAdoption Certificate.

Colt is a large male humpback whale born in 1981.As a calf and an adult, whenever a boat slowed downwhen in his vicinity, Colt would swim as quickly as hecould to swim under and around the boat, for as long ashe liked. He seemed to enjoy the screams of delight as hesurfaced to breathe on one side then the other. He oftenmade loud noises when exhaling, but his movements tostay close to the boats made him world famous. Theadoption kit includes the DVD, an information sheet withfamily tree and an Adoption Certificate.

You can order Adoption Kits on theCSI website:

http://csiwhalesalive.org/csi_adoption.html