As we at http://www.gaianetwork.net continue prepping the Wii Seeks for a summer helping local San Juan Island groups, and Orca Protection & Rescueto give the Southern Resident Orcas some peace. Our efforts hope to give this endangered species relief from vessel harassment so that they might live, feed, and reproduce. The Southern Residents eat salmon exclusively. The reduction of size and numbers of salmon due to a number of reasons have placed these creatures on the endangered list. Humans are now loving them to death…
Presently in the San Juan’s there seem to be a number of NGO’s and individuals who are concerned about the orcas. Numerous campaigns exist today to raise funds to “save the orcas”. Some are great, and some have issues from my point of view… but they are here none the less. The question is: are they having any success? The governor’s task force recommended a moratorium on whale watching, but locals concerned more with money then the oceans lobbied the moratorium out. I do have great hopes for some individuals who recently came together on Lopez Island, not for the fact they are paid by NGOs, but for the fact they care.
Orcas were here way before we humans arrived. Have we been good neighbors? I don’t think so, but we are certainly cashing in. You can’t go any place in Friday Harbor without seeing an orca represented. They are everywhere and people come from around the world to see them. Local businesses believe that they keep the local economy afloat… I get it.
I have been living here on the boat for a month plus and cannot escape the conclusion that there are too many so called whale lovers, too busy fighting each other over egos, while a mere few are actually saving the whales. We humans all seem too busy hating one another for past indiscretions, then concentrating on the task at hand. It’s the whales stupid!
Among other things, I have come to question what I understand to be the 70+ research permits issued to study these animals. I mean, do we really need so many permits? Can’t groups get together and share information? Co-operation, what a concept!
It is a fairly well known fact that whales are affected by noise. Military exercises often lead to the stranding and death of whales around the world. Underwater explosions, sonar, and experiments with low frequency communications have wreaked havoc in marine mammal populations worldwide. These are known facts that many choose to ignore.
I realize that modern humans, although we pretend to be noble and magnanimous are really selfish apes. We will talk a good game, but almost always revert to watching out for number one… especially when it comes to money. America is built on money, capitalism, and exploiting the wilderness. We grew into the society that was built by butchering native cultures, and exploiting the land. Be it oil, minerals, water; it was there for us to exploit, and we did, BIG TIME!
Well it is time to wake up. Natural resources are running out. Cheap oil and cheap food, although processed beyond recognition are out of control. President Trump has loosened up regulations for even more exploitation to feed “the economy” so we can all have new cars, fancier homes and more and more technology. Let’s face it, having a job is more important then having a healthy planet. Humans continue to put “good life” ahead of a healthy earth. I often point out that there is no “good life” on a dead planet, but few listen.
The future is up to all of us. We have progressed ourselves to the edge of a cliff… Is progress to continue forward to our death? Or do we turn around 180 degrees and continue forward starting to realize we are merely one of the numerous citizens of this planet. I suggest conservation… I’m just saying. Let’s get together for once as a species and save these whales
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