Have the Japanese ceased whaling?

Each year at around this time the team from The Sea Sheperd head into the Southern Ocean to commence battle. Their enemy, the Japanese whaling fleet.

The Sea Sheperd is an international non-profit organisation committed to preserving marine wild life. In 1986, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) enacted a moratorium on all commercial whaling. Since then, three nations, Iceland, Norway, and Japan, have brutally slaughtered over 25,000 whales under the guise of scientific research and for commercial purposes. The IWC does not have the capacity to enforce the moratorium. Sea Shepherd, guided by the United Nations World Charter for Nature, is the only organization whose mission is to enforce these international conservation regulations on the high seas.

The confrontations between The Sea Sheperd fleet and the Japanese has gained much media attention in the past years and even had it's only television series titled "Whale Wars" which has shown in many countries.

However it is now December 1st, at least on the Japanese and Australian side of the International Date Line, but the Japanese whaling fleet remains in port. The latest date the fleet has left in the past is November 19th. It seems they have definitely missed their usual start date to commence whaling which is usually December 20th. If the fleet left today they would not begin whaling until January, and this delay will certainly see no whales killed during the month of December.

Apparently one of the primary reasons for them not departing is that their supply ship the Hiyo Maru No.2 has been sold by its owner the Daito Trading Company to China to be scrapped. Since then the Institute for Cetacean Research, responsible for the whaling, has been unable to charter a replacement. Maybe they are finding it difficult to find a ship owner willing to be associated with their brutal and illegal whaling operation in the Southern Ocean, plus be willing to be targeted by the Sea Shepherd fleet.

The three Sea Shepherd Ships, Steve Irwin, Bob Barker, and Gojira are ready to head to the Southern Ocean – the only thing missing down there are the whalers

Has the time come when whales are free to grace the Southern Ocean without the fear of being harpooned by man

Let's hope so!

Did you save the Tiger?

Arguably one of the world's most beautiful animals is the tiger. Can you recall the last time you saw a tiger, perhaps on television or at your local zoo? Was it the tiger's power, it's grace, it's beauty that won you over? it's no surprise that tigers feature so much in many mythologies. However just as the power of the tiger is honoured, it is also coveted. In some countries in Asia, the tiger, or body parts of the tiger, are still believed to have medicinal parts. The demand for tiger parts leads to a powerful black market to feed this demand.

Please take the time to watch the following video.

Whether you live in Australia, the Americas, Europe or any other part of the world it is easy to sit here in our arm chairs, shake our heads and mutter, "Isn't it shocking. Why don't they do something about it?". However I encourage you to, "Be the change you want to see in the world". - Mahatma Gandhi.

Instead of criticizing individuals and governments in other countries, is it not more empowering for ourselves, and them, to work together and support them in making better decisions for our future, and that of the tiger? We are already responsible for the extinction of tigers on the islands of Bali and Java as well as in the Middle East. If things do not change in 10 years, tigers will be lost from all parts where they once roamed.

Now is your time make a difference. I invite you to take on my 30 minute challenge. In the next 30 minutes complete the following:

1. Support the WWF and choose to do at least one way to aid the WWF's work in saving the the tiger from the list at http://wwf.ca/conservation/species/tigers/what_you_can_do/


2. Google at least one person of power and email them, empowering them to work with the policy makers who can protect the tiger.


3. Post on Facebook or Tweet about the tiger so that others in your communities can also make a difference.


4. Use your creativity to create one more way to help preserve the tiger. It is from small ideas that great movements come.

This week the Tiger Summit happens in St Petersburg, Russia where vital parts of the tiger's future may be decided (http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/11/21/35375614.html). This is now the time for you to also act so that for thousands of years to come tigers will continue to roam the earth.

Be A Celebrity This Christmas

All the celebrities are doing it...

Brad and Angelina have adopted...

Madonna has adopted...

...and now you can too! But why adopt a child when you can adopt an animal...

Not only can you adopt an animal for yourself but it's a great holiday gift idea for someone else. A symbolic adoption is unique, educational and not only are you giving to the individual, but the species too with the proceeds assist the WWF in their work to preserve these great creatures.

WWF has got some great adoption packs which include:
- high-quality wildlife plush.
- reusable gift bag, made from recycled plastic.
- personalized adoption certificate.
- letter that identifies you as the gift-giver.
- details on the work that your gift will help support.

The only challenge is trying to decide which one to adopt. Maybe the...

tiger, the largest of all cats and one of the most threatened species on earth. Only 3,200 remain in the wild, mostly living in isolated pockets spread across increasingly fragmented forests. Sadly, habitat loss and illegal poaching has greatly diminished the tiger population

or the...

orang utan, considered one of the closest relatives to humans. Unfortunately, consumer demand for products containing unsustainably produced palm oil threatens their very existence and the orang-utan is fast losing its natural habitat to the spread of palm oil plantations

or the...

meerkat, the curious little guardians of the African plains are highly social creatures. Meerkats will take turns standing sentry and rear the colony’s young as a group. Meerkats and other plains creatures are however threatened with habitat loss.

if you can't decide your favourite from one of these animals, or the walrus, caribou, grizzly bear, polar bear, blue shark, snow leopard, Asian elephant, panda or one of the many others, then there is only one solution...adopt them all!

For all the information and to adopt today please visit https://wwfstore.donorportal.ca/c-11-wildlife-adoptions.aspx