#cetacean rescue

[local-hellhound-steals-spaghetti]

Please share all you can about Toa the orca calf, I think his story is very important. I don’t know too much but it seems like a case of activists being but in charge rather than actual experts.

Yeah it was a mess from start to finish. Toa was found stranded on the rocks, with witnesses saying the waves had thrown him up there. Already he would have been distressed and had been on his side on a hard surface for a few hours at least.

They got him back in the water and then videos of these interactions started to surface:

No PPE, giving Toa belly rubs and ignoring any formal rescue protocols (if you're trying to refloat a whale, you're not letting them turn upside down)

The sun was going down and DOC wanted people out of the water. Ingrid was on her way and giving instructions to her team. The decision was made to put Toa on a trailer overnight - it's unclear if that was her decision or not but it's clear that, despite not having any rehab facilities in New Zealand, people were determined to rehab this calf and release it back into the wild at any cost.

So they cobbled together a "sea pen" on a boat ramp in a dirty harbour. This is where Toa would eventually die in a few weeks time. Whale Rescue was already selling the story of a miraculous rescue and the plan to "reunite" Toa with his pod. And lying openly that orca calves had been successfully released in the wild before:

He wasn't injured, they said. He was fine. They just had to find his pod now.

When asked reasonable question about where the PPE was for volunteers, Whale Rescue immediately became defensive:

The call for PPE went ignored for about a day while people were in close contact with a sick orca. And the call went out for more "volunteers" aka anyone with a wetsuit. This sparked immediate concerns from the Advisory Group.

Photos like this started showing up - 6 people crowding Toa in a circle, no where for him to go if he wanted a break from people:

The excuse was that Toa needed help swimming. Yet he was swimming okay and avoiding the fences without any obvious issue. And so the habituation began... Despite continuing advice from the Technical Advisory Group - including Loro Parque and SeaWorld, who both have extensive calf raising experience.

"There is no need to have people 24/7 in the water when the animal is able to float and swim alone."

Finally PPE was being used but the habituation and intense contact with Toa continued. Ingrid gave it the okay and other inexperienced members of the public continued to encourage it.

Whale Rescue continued to affirm to the public that they are merely "duplicating natural behaviour" for Toa

And the cultish and unquestioning worship of Ingrid Visser allowed this to continue - note the amount of people in the water for Toa's "massage." They only started wearing PPE when people started questioning it.

If you're wondering what I mean by cultish behaviour see the comment thread below:

They actually believe that Ingrid was communicating with Toa. Because that's what she told them she was doing. And they believed it without question.

When Toa was moved into the freshwater pool due to storms, it got even worse.

This photo was quickly deleted but look how absolutely foul the water is:

There didn't appear to be any sort of filtration or pump system.

At this point volunteers and Ingrid were being fed by donated food from the local pubs, Ingrid was sleeping on site in a donated campervan and the entire community were rallying around trying to "help." Note how close they're all set up to the pool.

Putting him in the pool also made Toa a lot more accessible. Concerns were raised about the stress to the calf and an exclusion zone was agreed upon. Buuut it was immediately disregarded.

7 people! In that tiny pool! And the photos of the complete flouting of the rules continued to surface.

The comments find it all very amusing!

Roll up, roll up! Come and see the dying baby orca calf!

And then, as we near the end of this animal's torment, Ingrid brags to the press about how she's now TRAINING the animal she intends to release into the wild. Because we definitely want to be training cooperative care and making life saving feeding and hydrating procedures all about Choice.

Remember when Ingrid Visser didn't like the "exploitation" of orcas in captivity? Remember when she said that training "tricks", even husbandry behaviours, is cruel and bad? I do!

It makes me seriously wonder if she just wanted to be an orca trainer all her life.

But anyway, Toa's getting bouts of colic (gee, maybe changing the formula without permission wasn't a good idea!) and DOC is starting to get concerned about him. At this point, people are still denying that SeaWorld and Loro Parque are involved and any mention of a facility getting involved is immediately shut down.

This is what was being said in the Advisory Group:

At this point both SeaWorld and Loro Parque have provided formulas, advice ect. Ingrid Visser was claiming she knew these things all along and that the formulas were from her hand picked experts.

So these are what the comments were:

Whale Rescue thought it was appropriate to reply to comments of concern like this:

The cult of Visser continues to fuel the anti human care sentiment.

DOC starts to report concerns with Toa's health and Whale Rescue decides to double down that everything is completely Fine. Don't listen to DOC, keep giving us money.

The donations are getting up to 20k.

Because of Whale Rescue casting dispersions, anti DOC (Department of Conservation - who put in about 10k into the rescue efforts) sentiments grow.

And, only a few days later, Toa dies. I reached the end of my image limit but I still have plenty more screenshots I can share.

I recommend you check out the documents released by DOC to see the sources of these screenshots - the other screenshots were taken from news reports, Facebook groups and posts as well as videos:

#Toa #Toa the orca #cetacean welfare #orca #killer whale #Ingrid Visser #New Zealand #whale rescue #cetacean rehab #cetacean rescue

[orcinus-veterinarius]

do you genuinely support seaworld? because if you do, then that is genuinely disapointing to me as i loved your content. dolphins (esp bottlenoses) are incredibly intelligent creatures with their own languages and cultures, can experience emotion in the same ways we do, and display self awareness on nearly the same level as us. there's no situation in which they should be kept in and bred in captivity, and dolphins that cannot live in the wild deserve to go to sanctuaries that are able to provide actual proper living space, respect, and care for them. they are real, living creatures, with their own personalities and identities. they shouldnt be abused and exploited for profit. it's inherently cruel, even if you personally dont view them as their own people as some (like me) do.

I'm sorry that you're disappointed. I thought I had been clear about my opinions on here but yes, I do support SeaWorld, just like I support every other AZA-accredited zoo and aquarium. I support their veterinarians and veterinary staff, people I've actually met or who have worked closely with many of my colleagues and mentors. I support their rescue teams, which have responded to over 40,000 individual marine animals in distress, and are currently one of only half a dozen facilities equipped to handle the Florida manatee unusual mortality event. I support their husbandry and training staff, folks who've made a career out of caring for animals and, like the trainers I currently work with, tirelessly advocating for their needs. I support their contributions to marine research, both through the parks and the independent Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. I support the connection to the marine world that they provide children (and adults) like myself years ago, gifting them with a lifelong love for the ocean and its life.

At the moment, I'm completing a residential internship program with the medical team at a small marine park (not SeaWorld, but similar in many ways) as a complement to my ongoing education as a DVM student. I see and work with dolphins every day. You’re right, they are extremely intelligent. Each one is an individual, with his or her own distinct personality, likes and dislikes, best friends (human and dolphin), and favorite activities. Perhaps they are “people” in their own way, although from a scientific perspective I can’t anthropomorphize them to that extent. Their trainers are more intimately familiar with the dolphins’ moods and needs than the vast majority of people are with their own pets (speaking as a 7-year veteran of general practice and emergency vet hospitals), and every second of their work day revolves around the animals, be it enrichment, training, husbandry, diet prep, habitat maintenance or, yes, public presentations. Each dolphin has a specialized care plan, made for them by their own full-time veterinarian, to ensure they are always in peak body condition. They receive a full routine medical work-up (complete with bloodwork, fecal, urine, gastric, and chuff cytology) multiple time a year, far beyond what any domestic animal receives. Their diet consists of a wide variety of human-grade seafood, with each individual fish (hundreds of pounds a day) hand-checked by a trainer to ensure it has no defects. They are never, ever forced to participate in a session and usually happily do so, because exercising their minds and bodies is enriching for them. If not, no big deal, they will still get all the food they need. 

About half of our dolphins are rescues, deemed non-releasable by the federal government (not the team who rehabbed them, or even the “higher ups” in aquarium/marine park management). These dolphins stranded when they were babies, too young to have learned what they needed from their mothers, or suffering from disabilites or chronic health conditions that would make survival in the wild impossible. Without “captivity,” they would be dead. Instead, I get to see them thrive every day, bonding with their trainers, playing with their dolphin friends, exploring their enrichment, and inspiring everyone who meets them. I’m sorry but no, I will never say these dolphins should be put to death or left to suffer an excrutiating fate in the wild. Not when I’ve seen the life they get to live instead.

An accredited “dolphin sanctaury” like you suggest, run by people with the proper training, resources, and (extensive) funding to care for these complex animals, does not exist. And if one did, it would be no different than any other accredited facility (many of which are “sea pen” habitats, which have their own pros and cons versus a traditional “tank” habitat) that is already open. There would still be training for husbandry, exercise, and enrichment. There would still be hand-fed diets. There would still be (nearly constant!) breeding behavior, just without any babies. And there would still be barriers keeping them from leaving although fun fact, the US Navy uses trained dolphins in open ocean missions and they always return to their human caregivers. The only thing missing would be the educational, inspirational experience aquariums give the public. 

But don’t take my word for it. Last year, the Cetacean Welfare Study was published, the result of years of work by 43 different AZA and/or AMMPA-accredited institutes. It’s a collection of studies, the first of their kind, surveying the factors affecting welfare in managed cetaceans (mainly bottlenose dolphins but also Pacific white-sided dolphins and beluga whales), and oftentimes, it’s not what the general public might think. Both SeaWorld and my park were part of it.

Thanks for hearing me out. I don’t expect you to suddenly agree with me, but I hope you’ll try to understand. If you want to hear more of what I’ve said on this topic, please look at my #seaworld and #cetaceans tag.

#I stand with seaworld #seaworld #aquarium #aquariums #marine parks #pro cap #dolphin #dolphins #bottlenose dolphin #animal training #dolphin training #animal rescue #zoos #support zoos and aquariums #aza #cetaceans #cetacean welfare study #marine mammals #vetblr #vet student #anonymous #answered asks

[whaleexpertsanonymous]

Thank goodness SeaWorld was excluded from this list of best aquariums in the world, which included… MOSKVARIUM!???

(Worth noting, while healthy mammals are no longer captured for display, it’s still common practice for all aquariums to obtain fish and herptiles from the wild.)

#none of georgia or shedd’s cetaceans are rescues btw #all of theirs were born in human care or are older individuals from the wild collection days #and they regularly exchange animals with seaworld #they’re all partners #but hey this is what happens when we get all our information from blackfish #seaworld #moskvarium #aquariums

[franki-lew-yo]

In case anyone's wondering, I'm pro-captivity in theory and mostly in practice. Every zoo or sanctuary has the ability to be bad at their job, but ordinarily I trust AZA for telling me what places are trustworthy with animals and what ones aren't.

Still, I'm side-eyeing any standard zoo that has these particular animals, given that I'm not certain every* zoo/aquarium is equipped to take care of these speciess' specific needs:

Great Apes (chimps, bonobos, orangutans and gorillas. idk about Gibbons)

Dolphins and orcas

Hippos

Whales (belugas, narwhals, ect)

Rhinos

Elephants

Polar bears

Cassowarries

Emperor and Adele penguins

Whale sharks

Basking sharks

Tigers

this isn't to say these animals can never be held in healthy, happy man made environments. I just think there's a big different between taking care of a small herd of cows vs a rescued elephant, let alone several rescued elephants. Elephants are traumatized+ill and need to best treatment after years of abuse in shows. They need socialization and LOTS OF lots of space, even more than cows or other grazing animals that are mostly independent and just need a vet to come up to them every now and then.

And then you have animals that need a really good upkeep of what they'd have in the wild to not be miserable, like any animal from the poles or cetaceans, who need so much space, cold air and food and it's abuse to keep them in anything lacking in these areas.

#franki's features #captivity #cetaceans #zoos #animal captivity #rescue animals #ramble

[ams-marine-bio]

People who say they're anti-aquarium really don't know shit about aquariums

#THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE UK BC THAT'S WHAT I KNOW #like. UK aquariums don't keep any cetaceans anymore bc we know there is not enough space for them. #larger animals are only kept if they were captive-bred or rescues #and small species can be kept in home aquariums so like. are you against that too??????

[dduane]

Now I'm starting to wonder what small vessel(s) might have injured an orca in those waters around, oh, late last year or so...

Bearing in mind what we already know about the intelligence and (possible) linguistic abilities of cetaceans in general—and bearing in mind the way orcas will get together in pairs or groups to attack sharks—it wouldn't surprise me in the least if "word" had somehow started to get around...

#Orcinus orca

[krakensdottir]

Why you can’t just ‘release’ dolphins

In case anyone who follows me was wondering about the captive cetacean stuff, I thought I’d type up a little thing about why they’re so difficult to return to the wild compared to many other animals.

Because animals differ widely in how easily they can be reintroduced to their habitat. It depends on how many life skills they need to learn, whether they have a complex social structure they also need to learn about first, how dangerous their habitat is, and how much they’ve already been accustomed to humans. Wildlife rescuers take in animals as babies and release them as adults on a regular basis, by taking pains to make sure they don’t bond with their caregivers. But this doesn’t work with all species.

Cetaceans are really complicated for two reasons: they’re predators, so they have to be able to hunt, and they’re extremely social, so they have to learn to navigate a pod structure. If they’re interrupted early in their socialization process, they actually fail to develop these skills. It’s why there’s a cutoff point around the age of 3, below which a stranded dolphin cannot be released. Like, legally. It’s not aquariums deciding this, it’s a national policy. A bottlenose dolphin that strands as a calf is not eligible for release, ever. It will not grow up into a wild dolphin at that point. It’s like the reverse of a feral cat.

(There are exceptions to this rule, typically involving less social cetacean species like harbor porpoises. They can be rescued as calves and later released, because the life skills they have to learn are less complicated. But bottlenoses and most other oceanic dolphins, orcas, pilot whales etc., cannot be released alone, and wild pods often don’t accept them. Hence the policy.)

They also bond to humans, like, hard. If a cetacean was captured or rescued as a youngster, or born in human care, it’s pretty much impossible to de-socialize them to humans. Every effort was made to do exactly that with Keiko, the whale who played Willy, and he just would not do it. Teaching him to hunt, trying to get him to interact with wild whales... he played along to some extent, but he wouldn’t take the final step of breaking ties with humans. He kept seeking them out. And since that wasn’t according to plan, he wasn’t allowed to return to human care. Wasn’t an option, it would’ve looked bad. Instead, when he refused to integrate, he was confined to a netted cove, where he died. This is on top of multiple cases of attempted releases, mostly of bottlenose dolphins, that resulted in the animals either starving, stranding, or coming up to humans in the wild and begging them for food and attention. (Including one in the 90s that was conducted by notorious anti-captivity advocate Ric O’Barry. The project failed miserably, one animal was killed in the attempt, but he didn’t learn his lesson and is still on his bullshit today.)

We’ve seen it again and again. Animals trained to go out to sea, who are reluctant to leave their pen and then reluctant to leave the escort boat. Animals that escape sea pens and come back, literally jump right back in as soon as the novelty of freedom wears off. On a few occasions, wild cetaceans have even tamed themselves. That’s how people used to end up with ‘pet’ dolphins back in the day when it wasn’t yet illegal.

Now, there have been successful cetacean releases. All of those cases involved adult animals which had only been captive a short time, usually after being rescued. They re-adjust just fine. But if the animal has adapted to living with humans, it won’t un-learn those behaviors. It is functionally no longer a wild animal. Ironically, considering their presence in captivity is more controversial than any other animal group, cetaceans are among the very hardest to ‘return to the wild’. And part of the reason seems to be that they don’t want to. Contrary to all expectations, they often choose easy meals and safety over freedom. A lot of wild animals will do this, given the chance, but dolphins are really stubborn about it. Releasing a captive cetacean involves convincing it that it WANTS to be free. And sometimes that seems to be the hardest part.

So yeah, we’ve tried it several times. We know what works and what doesn’t. It’s not a hypothetical, we have a very good idea what will happen if we try to release all captive whales and dolphins (most of which, by now, were born in captivity, since Western facilities haven’t captured wild animals in decades). We know that the odds of success are dismal, and animals will almost certainly die in the attempt. Hence the big clash between people who have practical experience with cetaceans, or in-depth knowledge of their care, and animal rights activists (and the public they’ve been misleading for years now). It doesn’t even matter at this point if you think they should be released. That’s not relevant. It doesn’t work, it’s dangerous, and it flies in the face of all welfare concerns. It shouldn’t even still be on the table at this point. I don’t know how many more times we’ll have to watch it go wrong before we accept that.

#that's not even going into the practical issues with sea pens and 'soft captivity' #the funding issues ALONE are insane #but that's its own rant and this post is long enough

[ivy-and-ivory]

I absolutely adore your Batman and Jason Todd fics!!! I was wondering if you had any fic recs? ♥️

Thank you Anon!! I’m so glad you enjoy my writing :D

There’s so much incredible Jason & Bruce fic out there and I’m more than happy to share some recs! I’m unfortunately not the best about remembering to keep track of fics I enjoy, so this is by no means a definitive/comprehensive list of my favorites, but I scrolled through my bookmarks and found a few fics that will hopefully satisfy your Jason & Bruce cravings :)

Stargazer by LemonadeGarden @lemonadegarden (47,656 words, Multi-chap, Complete)

Author’s Summary:

“Jason Todd is seriously injured during patrol one night, and is forced to stay at the manor to recuperate until his injuries are healed. To pass the time, he makes a list of things he never got to do before he died. Except there's one small problem: most of them involve Bruce, and Jason doesn't really think Bruce cares all that much about him anymore. This is a story about how wrong he is, but I made it sad anyway.”

Truly what can I even say about this fic. This is the story that made me fall in love with Jason Todd, and Bruce & Jason reconciliation fics, and Bruce & Jason destination/road trip fics, and basically everything I care most about in this fandom. I’d been a Superbat fan for a while before I started getting into the Batfam side of things, and around the time I read this I was only just starting to read stories about the Robins. This was the gateway fic. This was the one that caught me and made it stick. Formative, definitive, one of my all time faves.

this kind of weather by r_astra @heyy-its-skip (46,456 words, Multi-chap, WIP)

Author’s Summary:

“Jason’s at school when his mom dies, and that’s the only reason any of it happens. If he’d been home, if he’d been with her, he would’ve been in the wind before anyone else even knew. Even if they looked, no one ever would’ve found him. He’d have taken to the sewers if that’s what it took, man-eating crocodile guy and all.”

Ohhhhh this fic. Bio-parent Bruce AUs don’t always do it for me, but the fics that get it right get it RIGHT, and this is one of them. Possibly my favorite Jason joins the batfam late fic ever. I’m obsessed with the Jason characterization in this one. Like actually obsessed. Like he is rotating in my brain like a rotisserie chicken at all times constantly 24/7 obsessed. Cannot recommend enough.

Growing Like A Breeze by whaleofatime @cetaceans-pls (6,114 words, Oneshot, Complete)

Author’s Summary:

“April 27th isn't anyone's favourite date, but it's somehow worse than usual today when Bruce gets his car stolen. It's nice of Red Hood to come to his rescue. Nicer even that Jason keeps him company afterwards.”

If you’ve read my fics I think it should be a given that any Jason & Bruce fic tagged “Inexplicable Road Trip” is absolutely going to do it for me. But god, Bruce’s psyche in this one. The man has twisted himself up in more tangles than the Gordian knot. Really fantastic exploration of Bruce & Jason’s relationship and trying to move forward past the destructiveness of grief and blame. I will be thinking about the bumper stickers on Bruce's Hyundai Elantra forever.

through space and time by sparkycap @sparkysomething (6,334 words, Oneshot, Complete)

Author's Summary:

"When an Outlaws mission gets Jason sent back twelve years in the past, he finds himself in a familiar position: stealing something stupid and getting caught by a Batman who wants to give him a second chance. It’s a refreshing change from how encounters with his present-day Batman usually go."

I am a simple woman. Give me a fic where Bruce interacts with Jason without really knowing the significance of who he's interacting with and I will go feral, every time. Absolutely brutal interaction between a well-meaning Bruce and a hurting Jason in this one. Don't want to spoil anything, but there's one line of dialogue in particular that just. Ugh. Fuck me all the way up.

Clearly Calm and Keeping Terrorized by Batbirdies @batbirdies (258,290 words, Multi-Chap, Complete)

Author's Summary:

"Jason made a deal with Bruce, no killing, and there would be no more conflict between them. At least on patrol. Jason reasoned it would be easier to accomplish his goals without constantly fighting Batman along the way. It didn’t change anything, not really. Not until he found an old gift he never knew about and Bruce asked him to dogsit Titus while he and Damian were out of town. Not until the Lazarus Pit started bothering him again. AKA: My take on a Jason rejoins the family fic."

I am once again reccing a Bruce & Jason reconciliation fic (are you perhaps noticing a trend?) This one will break your heart and put it back together again. It's part of a series but can stand alone (though I've read the two works that precede it and highly recommend them as well). 250k+ words about a father and son and the rest of their family trying to figure out how to heal. Genuinely there is so much love in this fic. And trauma! Can't forget the trauma. But also so much love.

Code of Silence by JHSC @jhscdood (9,376 words, Multi-Chap, Complete)

Author's Summary:

"Willis Todd doesn’t die in prison. That doesn’t change much, until it does."

This one is less Jason & Bruce-centric than the others on this list (though Bruce still features, especially in the other works in the series) but it absolutely fits the bill for Jason & his dad content so I'm reccing it anyway. This fic utterly transformed the way I view Willis Todd. Incredibly thoughtful, emotional exploration of trauma and recovery and trying to heal. The whole series is gold.

Good Intentions and the Highest Hopes by rotasha (16,863 words, Multi-Chap, Complete)

Author's Summary:

"Bruce offers each of his children the chance to go on vacation with him, and they get to choose the destination. Jason chooses the one place he thinks Bruce will enjoy the least, out of spite. That’s how the two of them end up going to Disney World."

Another one that perfectly checks all my favorite Bruce & Jason fic boxes. Reconciliation fic? Check. Set in highly specific non-Gotham destination? Check. Bruce not quite knowing how to connect to Jason but trying his best anyway and Jason finally deciding to let him? Check, check, check. Jason's kind of an asshole in this one; I adore him eternally. And I love Bruce so so much in this.

There are so many more I could add but I'm going to leave it at that for now! Hope some of these are new to you & that you enjoy them! And thanks again for reading my work :D

#thanks for the ask! #reminder to self to go back and leave comments on the ones I haven't yet #batman #bruce wayne #jason todd #fic recs #batman fic recs #ivy rambles #ivy answers

[chaifootsteps]

God, I fucking hate the morons that go "Here come the dummies making comments about animal abuse!!! It's called conservation, sweaty <3" because they're so fucking obnoxiously uneducated, it's not even funny. Like you said, REAL conservation sites will not let you feed the animals, for one thing, and I also literally volunteer at a raptors rescue center in which TONS of our birds had to be rescued from horrible fucking "owl cafe" type locations in which the birds are neglected and treated like decorations rather than living fucking creatures. These people have LITERALLY NO IDEA how bad these places are for the animals, and yet they pretend like they do, they're literally telling on themselves by showing how fucking stupid they are. In an ACTUAL conservation center like mine, we do have flight shows and we have SOME birds that we allow customers to pet and hold (ones that have been with us for years and that we know have the temperament for it, as well as it having to happen with a staff member present and not for long periods of time) but after that, they get put back into their own enclosures. Repeat, ENCLOSURES, that are large, and with space for them to move and fly as they please. Not one fucking stick that they're goddamn chained to for people to gawk at. These people are tone-deaf, brainless idiots if they genuinely believe those cafes are suitable environments for wild animals. To all Vivzie stans that are defending her support of these places, from the bottom of my heart, fuck you, you horrific, awful, animal abuse enablers. That is what you are, no matter how much you yell and cry that it's not. Fuck you.

It's absolutely maddening. The smug "um, it's called conservation sweaty, it's being rehabilitated in a sanctuary" remarks on the false killer whale burned me the most because cetaceans are my thing in the way birds are yours and there are very few real sanctuaries for cetaceans.

One is the Umba Lumba Center in West Bali, which rehabilitates and releases show dolphins and cares for those who can't. The beluga whale sanctuary in Iceland is another. They're trying to set up one in Nova Scotia, and the Baltimore Aquarium has (ostensibly) been trying ever since 2016.

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, where Viv visisted, is not one of these. Okinawa Churaumi keeps Taiji dolphins.

#Anonymous #vivziepop #vivziepop critical #actual blog post

[calling4glaives]

It's here! The date and prompts for NyxWeek2023!

Thanks so much for everyone who voted and proposed prompts. We really appreciate your help. Thanks to you, we have a date - June 4-10, and a collection of great prompts. We've organized the highest-voted prompts so that each day has a theme, three prompts, and a color palette, except for the final day which is a free day.

The rules will be the same as last time: write, draw, etc using at least one prompt (or palette!) for the day, and try to post it on the day with the tags #NyxWeek2023, the appropriate day and the prompt, and we'll reblog or retweet as we can, with a summary post for each day and the whole week at the end. If you post late, that's perfectly fine. What we want is more context for Nyx, so whatever time we get it is great!

For easy reference, here are the prompts for each day:

Day 1 (June 4): Danger: Rescue, Captivity, Blades Day 2 (June 5): Power: Magic, Shapeshifter, Storm Day 3 (June 6): Duty: Right Thing, Royal AU, Ring Day 4 (June 7): Companionship: Comrades, Soulmate AU, Home Day 5 (June 8): Ends: Fear, Galahd, Sunset Day 6 (June 9): Hope: Comfort, Hero, Dreams Day 7 (June 10): Free Day. And the hex codes and color names (just for fun) under the cut:

Day 1

#FCF7A5 Calamansi (Yellow) #E3894A Jasper Orange #772037 Claret (Red) #1E257E St. Patrick’s Blue

Day 2

#1C0D0F Licorice (Brown) #2895B3 Cyan Cornflower Blue #5651EA Majorelle Blue #131643 Cetacean Blue

Day 3

#908157 Dark Tan #5C3C49 Eggplant #232740 Yankees Blue #2E3B29 Black Leather Jacket (Green)

Day 4

#6F8D61 Russian Green #9E796C Burnished Brown (Light Pink) #111B21 Eerie Black (Dark Green) #76525E Deep Taupe (Dark Pink)

Day 5

#7AB398 Green Sheen #DED3B3 Desert Sand #1B3937 Medium Jungle Green #1C113D Dark Purple

Day 6

#2E241C Raisin Black (Brown) #646E80 AuroMetalSaurus (Silver) #9E3A24 Deep Dumpling (Red/Orange) #C2A16A Camel (Gold)

Fun fact: each of these was taken from concept art or official art related to Nyx. You'll see each one when we post the day's prompts.

Good luck to everyone! We look forward to seeing what you create!

#NyxWeek2023 #prompts #kingsglaive #ffxv #Nyx Ulric

[derangedhyena-delphinidae]

Saw this (new) reply on an older post that was recently reblogged and just wanted to note: In This House, I Believe no marine parks should have marine mammals because they not only seem incapable of housing them decently, they seem incapable of growing out of the cetacean version of this:

(img source) Captive marine mammals in general are also a no-go unless it's for a rescue/non-releasable situation or for some actual conservation purpose. This is why we need sanctuaries, but apparently human corruption largely wants to fuck that up too, so that's cool. SeaWorld making increasingly loud excuses for itself, for decades, need not apply to being decent in any way.

#grumble

[local-hellhound-steals-spaghetti]

False Killer Whales die on a reef after being prevented from stranding - we need to talk about this

I know that people want to be optimistic or believe that whales aren't intentionally stranding but. I don't think we should be preventing them from stranding - especially uneducated locals who have no education in cetacean rescue.

A stranding of about 40 false killer whales in New Zealand was "prevented" by locals trying to herd the whales back out to sea this afternoon - despite the whales showing obvious signs of distress (thrashing around, vocalising ect.)

"At 4.30pm, locals were in a human chain and following the pod along the beach, working to prevent the whales from stranding on the outgoing tide."

Only for them to restrand at an inaccessible reef.

"Upon accessing the reef, DOC rangers found almost 40% of the pod had perished while others were badly injured, and the difficult decision was made to euthanize the remaining whales to end their suffering."

The whales were looking for a place to strand for a REASON.

I know it's devastating to see them die, but I wonder if they hadn't been prevented from stranding whether they would have had more of a chance at being triaged by professionals and the healthy whales refloated. Rather than the whole pod dying like this.

Instead people decided to interfere with natural behaviour and caused these (likely already sick and dying) animals to have to find another place to strand where they wouldn't be harassed. I wonder if those injuries were caused by the animals being too weak to swim against the tides and being cut up on the reef or dashed against rocks.

There's also people furious with DOC about euthanising the whales and "not allowing the (untrained and unqualified) locals to help" despite it being the obviously most humane option for these very injured and sick whales.

New Zealand whale politics is crazy... It honestly blows my mind at how ignorant some people are about appropriate whale rescue protocols and how euthanasia is needed to prevent ongoing suffering of dying stranded whales.

New Zealand also has no cetacean rehabilitation facilities and therefore no other option but to euthanise whales and dolphins that strand and restrand. It's a tragic and devastating outcome but it also really needs to be talked about:

Should we be preventing dolphins and whales from stranding by harassing them and blocking them from reaching shallow water? And is it fair to cause them stress to prevent stranding if they're potentially already dying/sick/injured?

#cetacean welfare #new zealand #false killer whale #whale stranding #whale rescue #cetacean rescue

[orcinus-veterinarius]

In happier beluga related news, Tyonek the beluga recently celebrated 5 years at SeaWorld San Antonio! In 2017, Tyonek was found stranded as a neonatal calf, in such poor condition that the individuals who found him initially believed he was dead. He was nursed back to health by the dedicated team at the Alaska SeaLife Center (as well as experts from other aquariums who flew in to assist!) and, after being declared non-releasable by NOAA due to his incredibly young age at stranding, moved 4,000 miles south to SeaWorld San Antonio to join their pod of belugas and Pacific white-sided dolphins, which includes several experienced mothers and other youngsters to grow up with.

Tyonek is a member of the endangered Cook Inlet population of beluga whales and serves as a wonderful ambassador for his wild family, as well as providing valuable insights to researchers. He is the first beluga ever to be successfully rescued and rehabilitated!

#belugas #cook inlet belugas #cetaceans #marine mammals #seaworld #alaska sealife center #wildlife rescue #wildlife rehab

[whaleexpertsanonymous]

Because in nature, food is served to the animals on silver platters at 5-star restaurants.

#what do you call hunting all day? if it’s not work?? #oh and btw they absolutely still get their food even if they aren’t up to working #no one is being starved #and this IS their home #seaworld orlando (where the video was taken) no longer has any wild captured cetaceans aside from katina (who’s 47) #and of course baby ridgway… a non-releasable rescue #seaworld #dolphins

[rabbitcruiser]

Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Marine Mammal Rescue Day is celebrated on April 27 annually. It is a holiday initiative by the state of California’s Senate. This day honors the people who have made a positive difference in the lives of marine mammals, such as wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and animal care specialists. It is also a day to consider our individual contributions to climate change that affect marine mammals’ lives. For the west coast, spring is the peak of animal rescue season owing to disease and famine. Action is conducted by marine mammal rescue organizations.

History of Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Toni Atkins, a California State Senator, passed the bill that designates April 27 as Marine Mammal Rescue Day. The celebration began in 2017. Gratitude is also given to the Marine Mammal Stranding Network for its continued dedication to the rescue, rehabilitation, and return of creatures stranded off the coast of California. The Marine Mammal Rescue Day celebration may be fairly recent, but the work of these marine mammal rescues has been in existence for far longer.

In 1975, The Marine Mammal Center (T.M.M.C.), formerly known as The California Marine Mammal Center, a private and non-profit organization based in the United States was founded to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured, ill, or abandoned marine animals. Lloyd Smalley, Pat Arrigoni, and Paul Maxwell created it in Sausalito, California. T.M.M.C. has rescued nearly 23,000 marine mammals since 1975. It also acts as a research and education facility for marine animals such as whales, dolphins, pinnipeds (seals, walruses, and sea lions), otters, manatees, and dugongs.

Many water species require medical assistance due to illness or damage. Polluted waters, marine trash, and illegal fishing gears injure and kill aquatic life in general. The ocean has been polluted and tainted as a result of human acts and inaction. The waters have warmed as a result of climate change, and the patterns in which fish swim have changed. Young marine mammals are frequently unable to travel long distances or dive deep enough to get the food they require. All types of aquatic life are harmed by illegal fishing gear, pollution, and garbage. This is where aquatic mammal rescuers and specialists come in, devoting their time, energy, and resources to safeguard the safety of the marine life that we all should care about.

Marine Mammal Rescue Day timeline

1972

Marine Mammal Protection Act

President Richard Nixon signs the Marine Mammal Protection Act (M.M.P.A.) into law, establishing a national policy.

1975

The Marine Mammal Center

The Marine Mammal Center (T.M.M.C.), a private and non-profit organization based in the United States, is founded.

1992

Foundation for Marine Animal Husbandry

The Foundation for Marine Animal Husbandry, a nonprofit organization in Florida, opens.

2017

Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Toni Atkins, a California State Senator, creates Marine Mammal Rescue Day through a bill.

Marine Mammal Rescue Day FAQs

What are baby whales called?

Baby whales are referred to as ‘calves.’

What are the kinds of marine mammals?

Cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, and marine fissipeds are the four taxonomic groups that make up marine mammals.

Do dolphins lay eggs?

Dolphins are mammals. Thus, they do not lay eggs. Instead, they give live birth to their young.

How to Observe Marine Mammal Rescue Day

Reduce, reuse, recycle: Simple steps to improve your actions to assist in reducing marine body pollution can make a tremendous difference. Reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. Single-use plastic should be avoided and other trash should be disposed of sustainably.

Learn about ocean conservation: Learn as much as you can about ocean conservation. Discover what it entails and how you can help. Know about ocean conservation organizations and consider donating to support their objectives.

Volunteer yourself: Make yourself available to help marine conservation charities. Joining and volunteering with beach cleanup is one of many ways to do so. It may not seem like much but if everyone performed their modest part, we could have a significant influence collectively.

5 Interesting Facts About Marine Mammals

Sea otters have deft hands: Sea otters have deft hands for smashing sea urchins off rocks.

Sleeping with one eye open: Dolphins only sleep with one half of their brain and one eye closed at a time.

Semi-aquatic creatures: Sea lions are semi-aquatic creatures.

Penguin proposal: During mating season, several species of male penguins "propose" to their lady with a pebble.

Elephant relatives: Manatees are related to elephants and have more in common with them than they do with dolphins or whales.

Why Marine Mammal Rescue Day is Important

Human and marine life interaction: Whale watching benefits local economies in a variety of ways. According to studies, people can derive economic benefits from simply knowing that marine mammals are present and healthy even if they are unable to see them.

Marine mammal protection: The Marine Mammal Protection Act protects all 125 species of marine mammals that live in American waters. This makes it illegal to harm a marine mammal in any way that would interfere with its normal behavior.

It promotes a healthy ocean ecosystem: Maintaining the equilibrium of marine ecosystems requires robust marine mammal populations. Reduced numbers of whales, dolphins, or seals can have unpredictably negative consequences for other key species such as fish, birds, and invertebrates.

Source

#Point Arena #Pacific Ocean #Marine Mammal Rescue Day #27 April #travel #MarineMammalRescueDay #animal #wildlife #summer 2017 #vacation #USA #original photography #tourist attraction #landmark #Harbor Seal #flora #fauna #Northern elephant seal #California #california sea lion #Monterey #sea otter #Morro Bay #West Coast #Elephant Seal Vista Point #San Simeon #Pier 39 #San Francisco #cliff #beach

[is-the-whale-video-cute]

Something I stress a lot on this blog is that seeking out contact with wild cetaceans is dangerous and harmful for both people and animals. This recent story is a perfect example of what happens when people do not respect them for the wild animals they are. 

https://amp.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article263114993.html

(CW for images/descriptions of an animal in distress)

I’m grateful this dolphin was rescued before anything worse happened, and I hope she recovers quickly.