Marine mammals

December 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1993:

The Japanese whaler Nisshin Maru sailed from

Yokosuka November 12 on a five-month “research” mission.

The vessel killed 330 whales last year, also for

“research”––but most of the whales’ meat was sold. Just two

days earlier, Swedish authorities intercepted 3.5 tons of whale

meat in an illegal air cargo shipment from Norway to South

Korea, apparently for resale to Japan. Norway killed 226

whales this year, including 157 under a self-assigned 160-

whale commercial quota, of which 56% were females and 69%

of those were pregnant. “These animals are larger than the

males and therefore produce more meat per catch,” explained

Chris Stroud of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

“That the Norwegians seem to be killing the elements responsi-

ble for the recovery of the population does not seem to be a

consideration. Their only thought is to maximize commercial

advantage.”

Free the dolphins and orcas? Free Willy inspires movement––but Watson has doubts, takes heat

December 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, December 1993:

SANTA MONICA, California––Paul Watson,

Ric O’Barry, Peter Wallerstein, and Steve Hindi all agree

on one thing: Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium shouldn’t have

captured three Pacific whitesided dolphins off San Diego

circa November 27. All were bitterly disappointed when the

Shedd capture crew eluded nautical and aerial surveillance

by the Whale Rescue Team to bring in the dolphins by the

dead of night. A Shedd holding pen at the Kettenburg

Marine wharf was dry and empty late Saturday; the anxious

dolphins were there and shrieking on Sunday morning, and

were still shrieking Sunday night, according to Hindi as

ANIMAL PEOPLE went to press.

Marine mammals

October 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, October 1993:

The Dolphin Alliance, of

Melbourne Beach, Florida, announced

September 22 that Bogie and Bacall, the

Ocean Reef Club dolphins, will be going

home to the Indian River Lagoon as soon

as they complete rehabilitation with former

“Flipper” trainer Ric O’Barry, who heads

the closely allied Dolphin Project.

Publicity surrounding the 1988 capture of

Bogie and Bacall influenced the National

Marine Fisheries Service to ban further dol-

phin captures for the benefit of facilities

not open to the public. When the Ocean

Reef Club was sold recently, it lost the

grandfather clause enabling it to keep

Bogie and Bacall.

Marine Mammals

September 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 1993:

The hit film Free Willy gave new

impetus to the ongoing campaign to persuade

Sea World in San Diego to return an orca named

Corky to her native habitat off British Columbia.

Her mother and several siblings remain with the

pod from which she was captured 24 years ago.

Sea World contends Corky could no longer sur-

vive in the wild. Free Willy has also started a

campaign on behalf of Keiko, the star of the

film, who resides at the El Nuevo Reino

Aventura amusement park in Mexico City. Free

Willy producers Lauren Shuler-Donner and

Richard Donner are reportedly ready to buy

Keiko and move him to a better facility, perhaps

even a fenced inlet off Cape Cod, using

$200,000 contributed by Warner Brothers, the

film’s distributor. Captured off Iceland in 1982,

and kept at Marineland in Niagara Falls before

being sold to his present keepers, Keiko hasn’t

drawn interest from major aquariums because of

a purportedly debilitating skin condition.

Animal Spectacles

September 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 1993:

The Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, pledged to end mule-diving exhibitions

on its famed Steel Pier on August 15. Models in bathing suits rode full-sized horses through 40-foot jumps into a tank of sea water at the Steel Pier from 1929 until 1978, when the pier was closed. Reopened this year, the Steel Pier featured Tim Rivers’ World’s Only Diving Mules, a riderless touring act from Citra, Florida, but met heavy protest when Rivers’ mule, two miniature horses, and a dog all appeared reluctant to jump from a 30-foot height.

Marine Mammals

July 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 1993:

The U.S. Navy on May 27 flew five dolphins

from a base on San Diego Bay to the Disney World Epcot

Center “Living Seas” pavillion in Orlando, Florida––with-

out getting prior permission from the National Marine

Fisheries Service, and in apparent contravention of lan-

guage in the current appropriation for the Navy dolphin pro-

gram, which provides “no less than $500,000 only to devel-

op training procedures which will allow mammals which are

no longer required for this project to be released back into

their natural habitat. The confreres prohibit the release of

these mammals to any alternative captive environment.”

The dolphins were moved from San Diego––on a five-year-

loan to Disney/Epcot––to make room for between 40 and 55

dolphins who are being relocated from a base in Hawaii.

Disney/Epcot plans to use the dolphins for captive breeding.

Performing Animals

July 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 1993:

Anti-cruelty laws in most states do apply to ani-

mals at state and county fairs, carnivals, and circus,

reminds Vermont Volunteer Services for Animals humane

officer Sue Skaskiw. If you see cruelty, including live ani-

mals being offered as prizes, report it.

Christopher Ponte, 22, of Wappingers Falls,

New York, climbed a four-foot-high plastic fence at the

Fishkill Mall in nearby Fishkill on June 6 to get into an

enclosure with 10 elephants belonging to the Clyde Beatty-

Cole Brothers Circus. He was crushed to death when one of

the elephants turned, pinning him against a truck.

At least two pig-racing concessions are on the

county fair circuit this summer––Triple W Racing Pigs, run

by Wanda, Rachel, and Gene Webber of Shelby, North

Carolina, and Bob Hale Pig Racing Stables of Sikeston,

Missouri.

Performing Animals

June 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 1993:

The Louisiana state senate on

May 12 passed a bill to make attending an

illegal dogfight a crime, 33-0, but reduced

the offense from a felony to a misdemeanor,

and cut the maximum penalty from three

years in jail and a fine of $3,000 to one year

in jail and a fine of $1,000. A bill to ban

cockfighting meanwhile remained stalled in

a legislative committee headed by cock-

fighting fan Rep. Raymond Lalonde.

CHILDREN AND ANIMALS

April 1, 1993 Dylan Forest Leave a comment

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 1993:

1,000 selected elementary

schools are now evaluating Best

Friends, a curriculum guide developed

by the American Kennel Club. The

guide “introduces elementary school

students to the world of purebred dogs

and teaches responsible dog owner-

ship,” according to a press release.

Included are lesson plans in the areas of

reading, writing, math, art, and oral

presentation. After the trial period, the

guide will be offered––free––to all

schools. For details, call 212-696-8336.

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