News

August, 2008

• 20 August

  Seaquarium activists push to free Lolita the Whale

  

  (From miaminewtimes.com)- The 38-year-old killer whale has sparked controversy since she was first sold to Seaquarium for $6,000 in 1970 after being snatched from her family pod in Puget Sound — a practice now effectively banned there. Lolita”s defenders decry not only confining such an intelligent marine mammal, but also …
• 20 August

  Turtles threatened by development and harmful fishing, warns UN agency

  

  (From un.org)- Marine turtle populations in the Indian Ocean region and South-East Asia are under threat from coastal tourism, and commercial and illegal fishing practices, the United Nations environment agency reported today ahead of a meeting in Bali to sign a conservation agreement. Although the most common threat to marine …
• 20 August

  Otter Killed In Illegal Fishing Trap

  

  (From iar.org.uk)- An otter has been killed in the River Tamar, after it was caught in an illegal fishing trap. A spokesperson from the Environment Agency explained that the otter had swum into the trap but had been unable to escape. As a result, it is believed to have drowned.The …
• 20 August

  Environmentalists Worry About Fay’s Effect On Sea Turtle Eggs

  

  (From gainesville.com) West Palm Beach, Florida – Environmental officials hope turtle nests were safe from Tropical Storm Fay. Officials say the nests, which are buried under layers of sand, may still be there, but they won”t know Fay”s effect on them for days. Each nest is marked with a stake …
• 20 August

  Mexico Starts Campaign To Save Endangered Porpoise

  (From ap.google.com) Ensenada, Mexico Mexico is investing 163 million pesos (US$16 million) to save a highly endangered type of porpoise from fishing nets in the upper Gulf of California. Scientists say they believe the population of the vaquita marina — Spanish for “little sea cow” — has dwindled to 150 …
• 20 August

  Oil Spill Plan Delayed

  

  (From thenational.ae) – Work on a plan for dealing with oil spills and marine pollution off the coast of the Emirates is not progressing as fast as initially announced, a top government official has said. Since the beginning of the year, there has been a spill almost every month.
• 20 August

  Peru’s Spectacular Seabirds Seeking Sanctuary

  

  (From birdlife.org)- Peru’s seabirds, especially the spectacular aggregations at its guano islands, are world famous. However, a new BirdLife report indicates that many of the sites and species are under increased threat and urgently need better protection. Paramount is the need to take action now to preserve the Peruvian guano …
• 20 August

  Sydney Pours Heart Out For Stray Whale

  (From thewest.com.au)- Time is running out for the abandoned humpback whale calf stranded in Sydney’s Pittwater. Wildlife authorities are debating whether to euthanase the 4.5-metre mammal rather than allow it to suffer a slow, painful death. The baby whale, believed to be about two to three weeks old, was first …
• 20 August

  Prohibition of Whale-Hunting Along Chile’s Coast Awaits Senate Vote

  

  (From santiagotimes.cl) – Chile’s Chamber of Deputies voted unanimously last Thursday to declare the country’s coastline a whale sanctuary. The vote is a major step in protecting whales from hunting in Chilean waters – 200 miles from the coast, along the entire length of the country.
• 20 August

  Shipwrecks On Coral Reefs Harbor Unwanted Species

  

  (From sciencedaily.com) – Shipwrecks on coral reefs may increase invasion of unwanted species, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey study. These unwanted species can completely overtake the reef and eliminate all the native coral, dramatically decreasing the diversity of marine organisms on the reef.
• 20 August

  Tiny Endangered Turtles Ship Out To Sea

  

  (From pnj.com) Gulf of Mexico- More than 100 2-day-old turtles were released into the Gulf from Opal Beach this morning. The turtles, called Kemp’s Ridley turtles, are the most critically endangered species of sea turtle. The turtles have an estimated survival rate of one in 10,000 and there are only …
• 20 August

  Saving Whale Sharks Off Kenya’s Coast

  

  (From fsrn.org) Kenia – The whale shark is the biggest fish species in the ocean. Up to 18 meters long, this vegetarian is found across the world”s tropical waters, from Belize to northern Australia. Their huge dorsal fins, which make for highly prized culinary delicacies, fetch high prices on South-East …