Cetacean Lovers V.1

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Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby SmokeyKitty » Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:22 pm

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Image belongs to me. Whales in photo are Southern Resident Orcas - K-26 Lobo in front, L-87 Onyx behind him.

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This is a new chat/thread where you can come to discuss anything to do with cetaceans!

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[url=http://www.chickensmoothie.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=3152945&p=101162373#p101162367][img]https://s15.postimg.org/4uswigyl7/Cetacean+lovers button for forum.png[/img][/url]


Not sure what exactly a cetacean is? Simple! A cetacean is any marine mammal belonging to the order Cetacea, which consists of all whales, dolphins, and porpoises. That means anything from the Blue Whale
(largest animal & cetacean), all the way down to the Vaquita Porpoise(smallest cetacean) is a cetacean!
In this thread, you are welcome to chat about anything and everything related to cetaceans; whether it is some art you created, cetaceans in captivity, or even a trip you went on where you saw some wild cetaceans! You can start out by saying what your favorite cetacean is, or talk about your favorite experience with cetaceans. (:

However, there are some rules you should read before posting.




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1. All CS rules apply.

2. Be respectful of others. If someone posts something you disagree with, you may discuss/debate it but that does not mean you can bash or insult someone.
(for example, I personally know how heated a discussion about captivity can get, so please try to keep an open mind and be respectful)

3. Please do not spam the thread.

4. If you see a discussion may be getting heated, simply report it to a mod. Please do not get involved yourself.

5. Finally, please, please, please do not post photos that are not your own! As a photographer myself, I can not stress enough how annoying it can get when you see your photo posted repeatedly without proper credit. If you want to post a photo that does not belong to you, please at least post a link to the photographer's website or social media. Give them the credit they deserve!




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Who are the Southern Resident Killer Whales?
Informational Cetacean Species Profiles
Organizations To Support
'Adopt' a Cetacean!
Responsible Whale Watching
What To Do If You Find A Beached Cetacean

(Please feel free to post or PM me more informational/helpful links and resources you may have!)
Last edited by SmokeyKitty on Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:53 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby SmokeyKitty » Fri Aug 12, 2016 7:23 pm

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(Image belongs to me - photo is of J-27 Blackberry)

This month I would like to shine a spotlight on a special population of Orca that are in dire need of help, despite the fact that these whales are the single most well-studied and popular group in the world.

The Southern Resident Killer Whales are a small population of Orcas that reside almost year-round in the north eastern Pacific Ocean. They are an extended family that is comprised of 3 different pods: J, K, and L. They are often seen in the waters of the Salish Sea, which include the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, and Puget Sound, as well as the connecting channels and waters around the San Juan Islands in Washington state and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia. However, they have been sighted as far north as southeastern Alaska and as far south as central California.

In the late 1800's, it is believed that the Southern Residents once stood at around 200 individuals. Today, they sit at a mere 83 individuals. Calves have a mortality rate of about 50% before they turn 1 year old, while the majority of calves that do survive their first year turn out to be males.
(J-50 Scarlet is the only surviving female calf that has been born in the last 12ish months, though the sex of two L pod calves remain unknown)

One of the factors that significantly contributed to their current endangered status and caused a massive ripple effect was the scramble to capture these whales for marine parks in the mid to late 1960's and early 1970's.

From 1964 to 1976, a total of 45 Southern Residents were captured for the purpose of being put on public display in marine parks such as SeaWorld; while some died during the captures. These early captures took an unfortunately heavy toll on the Southern Resident population as a whole, as all of the whales captured during this time were young whales - often 4 years or younger. Because of the young age of the whales captured, almost an entire generation of whales were lost that could have produced calves and contributed significantly to the population.

While capturing whales in Washington State was prohibited in 1976, the Southern Residents are still struggling to survive today. Some of the most serious threats they face include noise pollution and chemical contamination. These whales are among the most heavily contaminated in the world due to the high levels of toxins that accumulate within their bodies, including insecticides like DDT, PBDE's (most often used as flame retardant), and PCB's. Many of the areas they frequent are also extremely popular shipping channels while other areas are well-known Navy testing sites. The sonar used by the navy has been shown to severely impact these whales' ability to use their own sonar to track and forage for food, which is already the biggest challenge they face.

Resident Orcas are just one eco-type of many, though they are an eco-type only found in the Pacific Ocean. Resident's are known to only prey on salmon, most notably the Chinook salmon, which happens to also be endangered like the Southern Residents. This is largely due to habitat degradation and overfishing - though farmed fish have also proven to be extremely detrimental to the survival of wild salmon.

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There are many ways that you can help this special population of Orca - whether it's doing volunteer work, protesting or petitioning lawmakers, or simply changing your day-to-day habits.

1. Avoid eating salmon, or make sure the seafood you eat has been sustainably caught/farmed.
(Salmon Confidential - Save Our Wild Salmon - Southern Resident Killer Whale Chinook Salmon Initiative)


2. Support legislation that works in favor of the whales, such as the removal of dams to promote healthy salmon runs.

3. Sign petitions protesting the construction of oil pipelines or drilling that would destroy pristine lands and harm all wildlife. Oil spills are one of the most notorious killers of wildlife and the effects linger for decades after. One example are the AT1 Transient Orcas that reside mainly in Prince William Sound, Alaska. In the early to mid 1980's, this genetically distinct group of Killer Whales numbered just 22 individuals, but were still able to reproduce successfully. However, in 1989 their fate was sealed when a supertanker called Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, dumping an estimated 11 million gallons of crude oil into the sound. On the day the spill occurred, the whales were sighted swimming through the oily waters, and likely fed on seals caught in the oil. As a result, the AT1's have lost a total of 15 whales since 1989. Today, they are simply existing with a mere 7 individuals with no calves sighted since 1984, and not enough pod members to maintain any kind of genetic diversity. The AT1 Transients are considered to be functionally extinct and will soon be nothing more than a memory. Meanwhile, overturning a few rocks here and there along the shores of the sound where the spill occurred reveal spots of oil that still remain more than 27 years later.

4. Support responsible whale watch organizations/companies, or watch whales on land with help from The Whale Trail.

5. Always comply with laws and regulations put in place for the protection of all sea life, which includes keeping a respectable distance as well as shutting your engine off when marine life is close to your vessel.

6. Report those who violate state or federal laws regarding the harassment or disturbance of marine mammals.
(NOAA - Marine Mammal Protection Act)


7. Never dispose of your old fishing gear at sea. Many whales, turtles, and even fish die as a result of becoming entangled in old fishing lines/nets. Please always find a way to re-use or properly dispose of your fishing gear so that it does not cause any harm to marine life.

8. Engage in 'citizen science' by alerting researchers at the Orca Network or the Salish Sea Hydrophone Network when you spot the orcas so researchers can track their travel.

9. Reduce your water usage and be mindful of how much water you use. Use low-flow faucets and shower heads, fix leaky faucets, wash only full loads of laundry/dishes, don't run water too long, etc.

10. Use natural products that do not contain harmful chemicals/ingredients. These chemicals can be washed into the ocean and cause harm to all sea life.

11. Avoid using any pesticides or chemical fertilizers in your yard, as these can also end up in the ocean.

12. Donate to organizations dedicated to helping the Southern Residents, such as The Whale Museum, the Center for Whale Research, and Orca Network.

13. 'Adopt' a Southern Resident Orca through The Whale Museum!

14. Spread the word and tell people about the plight of these whales, and let them know what they can do to help!


Things that may not directly affect these whales but are still harmful:

1. Sunscreen. Most sunscreen contains harmful ingredients that may protect you, but hurt the ocean. Some of the ingredients have been known to contribute significantly to coral bleaching, which ends up killing large coral reefs.

2. Take-out and/or leftovers from the restaurant. Restaurants are notorious for using things like plastic and styrofoam containers, which can take up to thousands of years to break down and often contain toxic chemicals. Instead, try to frequent restaurants that use recyclable containers, or bring your own re-usable containers to package your food in.

3. Maintain your vehicle properly. If your car is leaking anti-freeze or oil, not only can it poison a dog or a cat that may happen to ingest it - it can be washed out into the ocean and poison marine life. Many countries have places where you can dispose of old fluids, do not just dump it into storm drains!

4. Clean up after yourself when visiting the beach. During high-tide a lot of garbage gets washed into the ocean which can release toxins, or cause physical harm to marine life whether they mistake it for food, or they become entangled in it.

5. Recycle as much as possible. You may not realize it, but many places have recycle centers for just about anything! From vehicle fluids, to various types of plastic and glass, even batteries and light bulbs. A quick google search will usually bring up recycle centers in your area.



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(links may be titled the same, but contain slightly different information)

Who are the Southern Residents?
(my post^^ - has not been updated since last year)
NOAA - Killer Whale Species Profile
NOAA - Support Salmon Restoration Efforts
NOAA - Clean up Existing Contaminated Sites
Buy 'Into Great Silence' by late researcher Eva Saulitis
Exxon Valdez Spill
MarineBio.org - 101+ Ways to Make a Difference
Coral Reef Safe Sunscreen
Nat Geo - 10 Things You Can Do To Save The Ocean
SaveTheSea.org - 10 Things You Can Do To Help The Ocean
HuffPost - 8 Ways You Are Harming The Ocean & Don't Even Know It
LiveScience - 7 Everyday Toxic Things You Shouldn't Toss in the Trash
Ocean Conservancy - Top 10 Items Found in the Ocean



(Please keep in mind that since the Southern Residents reside in the waters off British Columbia/Washington, it is easier to list websites, petitions, and groups that are specifically focused in the Pacific Northwest. However, please do not let this stop you from doing your own research and doing whatever you can to help in your area - no matter if you live a hundred feet from the ocean or a hundred miles!)
Last edited by SmokeyKitty on Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby SmokeyKitty » Wed Aug 17, 2016 12:34 pm

bump?
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby oceanmando » Sat Aug 20, 2016 1:05 am

My love of cetaceans started in 2008 when I went to SeaWorld as a young girl. Since then I have dreamed of working with these amazing and intelligent animals and they have inspired me to be more mindful of my impact on the earth and to appreciate nature. :)
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby Light Bringer » Mon Aug 22, 2016 11:52 pm

Just gonna mark this. (Orca are the best)














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LIGHTS OFF
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby Nettle_Magpie » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:25 pm

I love cetaceans; I think they should all be awarded personhood as they definitely have at least equal (if not more) intelligence than us. Then it would be so much more difficult for laws about helping them to be circumvented by those who profit from their suffering (Nonhuman rights project) . I saw my first dolphins and porpoises in the wild yesterday and it really reminded me how beautiful and special they are (it was probably bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises)!
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby SmokeyKitty » Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:50 pm

THIS IS URGENT

Today, this article published by the Kitsap Sun stated that a 42-year old Southern Resident female known as J-14 Samish has gone missing and is likely deceased. However, the bad news does not stop there.

J-28 Polaris is believed to be living out her final days, as she is extremely thin and emaciated. What is even worse is that her seven month old calf, J-54, is not yet weaned and could very well die along with his mother.

These whales desperately need help, but at the speed at which things are going, it could be too late before they receive the help they need.

Please click this link and sign the petitions that are still open, and click here to find out how to urge lawmakers to breach the four lower Snake River dams so that we can save the salmon and, in turn, save the Southern Residents who require these fish to survive.

Please do not ignore this issue; these whales need help and they need it now.
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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby Suhø » Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:36 am

Marking, I swear Sea World needs to let their killer whales go to sea pens or something. They have already lost so much since the backlash from Blackfish.


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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby oceanmando » Thu Sep 01, 2016 12:00 pm

Teruma wrote:Marking, I swear Sea World needs to let their killer whales go to sea pens or something. They have already lost so much since the backlash from Blackfish.


Well, that's a bit hard since there are actually no sea-pens built for killer whales currently, and it would cost $1,000,000s to create and keep going. And, there are other problems as well.

Where would it be? SeaWorld whales are mostly Icelandic, but Corky is Northern Resident, Kayla and Orkid are 50% of each, Malia and Tekoa are both part transient, and Morgan is Norwegian. And we're talking 30+ whales. How could they all fit together? And even if they built a seapen in Iceland where most of the whales are from, it isn't exactly the most hospital place. They would need a huge staff to care for all the whales, something a sea pen in extreme conditions just simply couldn't hold. And what about foreign pollutants, pathogens, and bacteria that would be introduced to the whales? Most of them were born and raised in a clean and filtered environment. They just aren't used to the ocean. And who would pay for it? With the whales moved, less people would go to SeaWorld and they couldn't possibly pay for the upkeep of such a huge sea pen. Also you need to take how the whales get along together into account. Keto is an extremely dominant whale and most likely wouldn't get along with equally dominant females such as Kasatka or Katina. With such a large sea pen and so many whales to watch over, breeding would be much harder to control and inbreeding could be a huge problem.
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in all of our lives
when we stop wondering
and begin to believe

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

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Re: Cetacean Lovers V.1

Postby SmokeyKitty » Sat Oct 29, 2016 6:23 pm

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Earlier today, on October 28, 2016, the Center for Whale Research announced some rather horrifying news.

Adult female J-28 Polaris has now been declared deceased after going missing on October 19th. News of her death does not come as a surprise, as photos showing how emaciated she was have been circulating for a few months now. Her cause of death is presumed to be septicemia & starvation.

Even more devastating is the news that her calf, 10-month old J-54 Dipper, was last seen covered in rake marks due to his older sister, J-46 Star, trying to keep him afloat in his apparent delirium after the loss of his mother. Researchers believe that if he has not yet perished himself, J-54 will not survive much longer without J-28.

The Southern Residents are literally starving to death, and will soon become nothing more than a cautionary tale for other endangered species unless something is done. Below I have pasted the message I sent President Obama, and plan to sent to lawmakers in Washington state, urging them to breach the Snake River dams.

Please feel free to use this as a template for your own letter, and find the addresses, phone numbers, and email's here - as well as important talking points to mention in your letter. Even if you do not live in the United States, you can still send a message. These whales need as many voices as they can get.

I am writing this message today to try and bring attention to the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, who are in desperate need of help.

The Southern Residents are a population of Orca who reside almost year-round in the waters of the Salish Sea which include the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, and Puget sound, as well as the connecting channels and waters around the San Juan Islands in Washington state, and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia.

In the 1960's and 70's, marine parks dealt a massive blow to this population, as most captive Orca during this time were captured from the Southern Resident population. Approximately 45 Southern Residents were taken alive, while many more died during the capture process. Many of the whales taken were young whales between the ages of 1 to 4 years old, which meant that several generations of whales were removed that could have significantly contributed to population growth.

In 1976, it became illegal to collect Orca in Washington state waters - thanks to Ralph Munro, the former assistant to Washington Governor Dan Evans.

These whales managed to recover somewhat and peaked at 98 individuals by 1995. However, by 2001, their numbers had once again fallen to just 80. This sudden downward trend resulted in the Southern Residents being listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2005.

Unfortunately, in December 2014, the Southern Residents suffered a series of several losses, including the deaths of L-53 Lulu, L-100 Indigo, as well as a calf first seen in September 2014 and designated as L-120.

Probably the most horrific loss, however, came on December 4, 2014 when residents near Courtenay, British Columbia, spotted the body of an adult killer whale that had washed ashore. This whale was later identified as the 18-year old female J-32 Rhapsody. Even more devastating was when the necropsy on J-32 confirmed she had been pregnant with a near full-term female fetus at the time, which would have been an extremely valuable addition to the dwindling population.

Throughout 2014 and 2015, things seemed to be looking up when approximately 7 calves were born within one year - though only one has been identified as a female. But these births were met with extreme caution, and for good reason.

Earlier today, on October 28, 2016, the Center for Whale Research in Washington state announced that a young adult female, known as J-28 Polaris, is dead likely due to septicemia & starvation.

Her 10 month old calf, J-54 Dipper, is also most likely deceased. The last time J-54 was sighted, he was unable to keep himself afloat and was being physically supported by his older sister, who is known as J-46 Star.

J-28 Polaris' death did not come as a surprise, as photos of her circulated around the internet, showing just how emaciated she was in the months leading up to her demise. Without his mother, J-54 Dipper will likely suffer the same fate, if he has not already.
The reason I am writing this message to you today is because the four lower Snake River dams need to come down now.

About 75-80% of the Southern Residents diet consists of Chinook Salmon. The Snake River flows into the Columbia River basin, which once produced more salmon than any other river system in the world. The Snake river produced approximately half of all salmon in the basin, but today, only about 1% of those fish return to the watershed to spawn.

NOAA Fisheries states that “[p]erhaps the single greatest change in food availability for resident killer whales since the late 1800s has been the decline of salmon in the Columbia River basin”.

Breaching the Snake River dams would open up more than 140 miles and 15 million acres of habitat for salmon, and would greatly increase the number of salmon available to the Southern Residents.

If you have taken the time to read this, please do something to tear down the dams so we do not lose this special population of Orca. They are starving to death and they don't stand a chance unless immediate action is taken.


“Extinct is forever. Endangered means there is still time.”



(Please note the bit about wild captures was not to condemn marine parks or put the blame entirely on them, it was simply meant to provide some kind of history or partial history as to why the Southern Residents are struggling today.)
Last edited by SmokeyKitty on Sun Oct 30, 2016 7:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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