Why Must The World Be So Cruel?

About 1,000 dolphins are now dying annually in Taiji, Japan. That is still too many, but think about the millions of sharks that are still being killed each year. The death toll for them hasn't decreased at all, and it's because people don't care. Also, there are thousands of dogs each and every year being abused, killed, and  spending their whole lives in shelters (I praise everyone who rescues dogs and doesn't buy!). The world is filled with too much cruelty, and I don't understand it. Why do some people have to be so inhumane, so heartless? Why can't everyone just leave the poor animals alone and let them live their lives? They have just as much of a right to live here as us humans do. To be honest, I think when it comes to most situations, the "humans" shouldn't even be classified as humans. But then again, I guess that's what makes us humans. The power and ability to rule everything, both bigger and smaller than us. If we can effortlessly slaughter the largest animal on the planet (the blue whale, of course) nearly to extinction, then we can do anything. But without weapons, we are nothing. If we weren't intelligent enough to create weapons as we do, we would have died off long ago. We're smart, but that's about our only advantage. We are tiny and insignificant without weapons. Sometimes, I feel ashamed to be human.

Carcharodontosaurus

This post isn't about a shark, but did anybody know that there was a dinosaur named for one? The name of Carcharodontosaurus actually means "shark-toothed lizard". It lived in Africa in the Cretaceous period about 110-90 million years ago. Believe it or not, it was actually larger than Tyrannosaurus Rex, despite having a smaller and lighter head (Gigantosaurus and Spinosaurus were also larger than T-rex).

Here is an interesting Wikipedia pic comparing five carnivorous theropods (two-legged dinos). Click to zoom in.

Summer Swimming Lessons

As you know, I really want to dive with sharks and dolphins someday. Unfortunately, I am not a very strong swimmer and I have to be in order to dive. The good news is that my family and I moved recently, and my parents are going to try to find a good place for my brother and I to take swimming lessons over the summer. I really want to take them. If I take swimming lessons, I'll be able to hopefully take snorkeling and diving lessons someday. I'm not sure how long it will take for me to become a good enough swimmer to take snorkeling/diving lessons, but hopefully not long. I will update my blogs once I start the lessons.

This post is also on my blog, They Need A Voice

How I Think the World will Really End

Everybody has heard of the Mayan calender and the big deal about 12/21/12. I believe that all that is a bunch of bologna. The Mayans lived in ancient times. It is impossible for them to have had any way of knowing how and when the world would end. Sure, their calender ends, but according to the NASA website, nothing bad is going to happen. I'm going to believe the modern technology of NASA over some five thousand-year-old calender. I know the world is going to end someday when my generation and many others are dead, and I have an idea about how it will end. I think we are going to destroy ourselves. How the world may end, however, could be related to the oceans and other ecosystems that we depend on for survival. As you know, humans are destroying the ocean and its inhabitants. Eventually, we will completely wipe out the important species of the world, including our ocean dwellers. Only invasive species will be left, destroying everything else. The plankton will be gone due to the overpopulation of fish, and we will slowly run out of oxygen and suffocate. Doesn't sound very pretty, does it? And that's if people don't start caring and striving to make a difference. I honestly don't want the world to end that way, but it is possible if we don't make some important changes. We need future generations to be aware of these problems. Most adults and seniors can't really do anything right now. We need children. More children like me to make sure that destruction of the oceans doesn't happen. Kids need to be educated. I need more people to join me in my fight. I really hope that future generations won't have to see the world end that way, but we can't just sit here and whine and feel sorry for ourselves. We must get up and do something to save the most beautiful, complex ecosystem on our majestic planet.

This post is also on my blog, They Need A Voice

200 Petitions

I have been waiting a long time to add this post and now I've finally accomplished a goal. I have signed a total of 203 petitions on the Care2 petition site to help animals all around the world! My goal was 200, and I told myself that I would post it on my blogs once I reached that goal. I am very happy about this. Next goal, 300!

There are thousands of petitions available for you to sign at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/

This post is also on my blog, They Need A Voice

Website

I just found a cool website I'd like to share. Here it is:

mantarayofhope.com

Devil's Teeth

Devil's Teeth is a pretty cool book that many young marine life enthusiasts might enjoy. I've posted my review of the book below!

Susan Casey, a journalist, becomes intrigued by white sharks and the Farallon Islands some thirty miles from San Francisco. After fighting through restrictions and barriers, she manages to get onto the island and observe a group of scientists studying predation by great white sharks within the so-called red triangle. Her description of the islands' flora and fauna are very good. Detailed descriptions of shark attacks also give the story some excitement. She doesn't provide much scientific detail about the research she observed; however, she's a journalist, not a biologist. She's a story-teller and does a good job.

If your a shark junkie who enjoys scientific detail about the behavior and biology of sharks, you'll most certainly be disappointed. On the other hand, if you enjoy tales of natural adventures and the hardships endured along the way, you'll be entertained.

Enjoy,

K

Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month

April 4th was World Stray Animals Day, and April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Many probably think of it as a month dedicated to pets such as dogs, cats, horses, etc but I see it as a month to ALL animals, including dolphins and sharks. These creatures face just as much cruelty as dogs, cats, and horses, maybe even more in some cases. So why should this month not be dedicated to them too? I think it should. Who agrees?

This post is also on my blog, They Need A Voice

Asia's Getting on my Nerves

Like the title says, Asia is beginning to get on my nerves. Japan kills the dolphins in Taiji and is a whaling country. China is the cause for all of the sharks and large rays that are killed each year. Lastly, Korea as well as China beats dogs to death (in public) to release blood into the meat in the belief that if an animal suffers horrible pain before death that the meat will be tastier and of higher quality.

These things make me very mad and sad, but I know that not all people in these countries are like that and most are good people. But the ones who do do these things are bad people, although they may not know it.

This post can also be seen on my blog, They Need A Voice

Mantas and Mobulas

 

Beautiful aren't they? These creatures are called mobula rays, a 3-10 foot cousin to the 25-foot manta ray. They are known for leaping out of the water like dolphins. To see them in action, go to this address:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63ZtKgbQWZM

Sharks are not the only victims. The mobula and manta rays are also being killed for Chinese demand. Sharkfin and dried seafood traders are trying to get additional products to boost their profit. The rays' gill rakers are being traded to be used in a traditional and "unofficial" medicine tonic in China. To meet this demand, artisanal fisheries are turning into commercial fisheries. Manta and mobula ray populations can not take this pressure.  Like sharks, these creatures mature slowly in 15-20 years and have very few young, only one pup at up to six year intervals. These rays are more vulnerable than sharks and other rays and in just a few short years, regional populations have been wiped out. These animals are pulled from the sea with fishing nets or spears in the Philippines and Indonesia just to be slaughtered and have their gills cut out. More than 2,000 mantas are killed each year in Indonesia alone. That may not seem like a very big number but with animals as rare as mantas, it's a huge number. This cannot continue. These creatures are so rare and so gentle that it makes me very sad to think that this is happening to them.

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

Credit goes to Manta Ray of Hope / Shark Savers / WildAid

My Petitions (CLOSED)

I have started two petitions. Here are the addresses for them if you would like to sign them:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-the-faroe-islands-pilot-whale-massacre/

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/eat-eggdrops-not-shark-fins/

Shark Fin Soup

You know, I would probably be okay with it if sharkfin soup were used in desperation.

For example, if there were a place in the world where only sharks and chicken broth were available AND children were starving....fine....people must eat. However, as a delicacy for the affluent in five star restaurants...ridiculous to say the least.

Personally, I'll stick with eggdrop soup. We have no shortage of chickens and eggs in the world. Haley should start a petition where participants pledge to "eat eggdrops, not fins".

Sport Fishing

Have you ever seen a picture or video of a shark hanging by its tail with a bloody hook in the corner of it's mouth? Well, that shark was probably killed for sport, which is for pleasure and competition. Competitions will be held for who can catch the biggest shark. I do not understand sport fishing and I believe that it is unnecessary and needless. Enough sharks are already killed for shark fin soup, we don't need anymore to be killed so anglers can break records for shark sizes. If there was no finning, I don't think that sport fishing would be as bad but with the situation that sharks are in right now, anglers should just forget the competition and start thinking about the health of the oceans.