Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Happy International Women's day!!

To all the incredible female scientists and conservationists that inspire me and make me push and succeed in a male dominated field everyday!!

Look at this gorgeous, powerful female soaring through her land
She says "Happy International Women's day for all creatures great and small"

Monday, 27 February 2017

Kelly Slater and the whole story

As a young social media absorbing women I read the article about Kelly Slater (champion surfer) suggesting a culling of sharks near Reunion with sadness as he is known to be outspoken about shark conservation.
However, reading a post by Captain Paul Watson (Captain of Sea Shepherd) about the meaning behind Kelly Slaters words really hit me as it makes me realise that a lot of news only covered the emotionally triggering part of the story (which is how you get people attention) but a lot of people did and do not stop to read the full story.

Kelly Slater was reacting to the death of a young surfer at Reunion which is a place where shark attacks are frequent, when talking to Captain Paul Watson he stated that he didn't think culling sharks was the solution but that he (Kelly Slater) would like to work with conservationists, scientists and surfers to try to find a solution to the number of shark attacks.

The two articles I read are below, one against Kelly and one for him:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/24/surf-champion-kelly-slater-calls-for-daily-shark-cull-on-reunion
- The Guardian article on Kelly's Statement on shark culling

https://www.facebook.com/captpaulwatson/posts/10154791031245932:0
- Captain Paul Watsons statement and conversation about Kelly Slater's statement.

A spotted Eagle Ray on dive in the Galapagos

Vaquita

The Vaquita which is the most endangered porpoise is a tiny porpoise that keeps being caught in bycatch due to a... Chinese delicacy.
Because apparently dried (endangered) Totoaba fish's swim bladders are a delicacy and are sold for thousands to wealthy diners as they have supposed medicinal qualities.
Seeing as the swim bladder is a sac of gas needed for buoyancy, I might as well sell my kidney and fill it with air, as that would probably be more nutritious.

Population declined by 90% from 2011 in order to meet the demand for totoaba.
There are 30 porpoise left in the wild population.

This is with the protection of the Mexican navy and many conservation groups trying to ban gillnets and take them out of the ocean, but the Totoaba fishermen put thousands in the protected area.

They are trying to start a captive breeding program for these tiny porpoises but as they give birth to live young every two years, it will be difficult. But hopefully with awareness and support this path can help to save the Vaquita.

!!

Original Article:https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/27/science/vaquitas-dolphins-mexico-extinction.html?_r=0

Thursday, 23 February 2017

Begin Again

You may be wondering why out of the blue and with such a sad post I start my blog again after 2.5 years. Well, its always been simmering in my mind. Ideas and posts have been brewing. My mind is always bubbling away but now it has definitely come back to the boil.
Maybe its because I got accepted into a Marine Biology course at university or maybe its because I feel more settled on my path; whatever it is I am as determined if not more determined to make sure that sharks are heard.

So heres to boiling passions.

Guess what the type of shark is?

In memory of Rob Stewart

I wrote the post below a few days after Rob Steward passed away peacefully below the ocean waves. He was someone I had always wanted to meet and someone who had a serious impact on my life as his documentary made me realise many things about the marine world and human civilisation but I think the most important thing was that he never gave up hope and in his book and other documentaries he truly believed that we as humans could and would change for the better of our world. His optimism was amazing considering what he faced documenting the slaughter of his favourite animal, but he never wavered he was beyond brave and now its up to us to continue his legacy and making sure that marine animals voices are heard no matter what.

Here is the post:

"My favourite conservationist and idol was found peacefully at the bottom of the ocean on Friday after more than 50 hours of searching. 
He was in the middle of making his second film Sharkwater: Extinction. To me, Rob Stewart was someone I aspired to be like, his first film Sharkwater (exposing the shark finning industry) was the first film I watched when it dawned on me that I wanted to be a marine biologist so I could study and save sharks. From then on my world became shark focused and I would wake up with a renewed passion to save and learn more about these beautiful creatures. 
His death is a great loss to the world of conservation and we must now fulfil what he was unable to do and bring awareness of the underwater world filled with magic and wonder. We must realise that without the oceans our planet will not survive. Without Rob Stewart’s film I may not have realised my passion and for that I am forever grateful. 
He took chances and now it’s up to us to keep on taking chances in this uncertain world and use our voices for those who are misunderstood.
Rest easy, ocean warrior."


Tuesday, 7 October 2014

People Climate March!!!

SO…. I though because its a new school year and there are many things during the summer that I     would love to talk about i decided I would start with an event that happened quite recently and then go onto what happened in the summer and how my ideas of the world around me have changed.

The People Climate March - 21st of September 2014 London, England.

Woke up and was sitting down at the breakfast table with my mother when she tells me that she is going to the climate march and therefore it would be good that I as a younger generation support what is happening in todays world that I feel passionate about.
Out we went on the tube to Temple with my dog and we arrived in a crowd of signs, horns and people smiling at each other, talking to each other without normal social boundaries. It was incredible sight to be greeted by as exiting the tube.

We stood with my dog and my family and friends waiting for the march to start, I wiggled through the thronging crowd and managed to obtain a "for the love of…" signs, I wrote in "oceans" because I really believe that without the oceans and the species within the ocean the world would not survive.
Finally the march started and the smiling and laughing continued as the thousands of feet marched through the streets of London.

People chatted with each other, strangers turned into friends through their combined love of the environment and making the climates voice heard!

As they say words speak louder then words:









Sunday, 13 October 2013

Different views



I absolutely love sharks, the way they move, and the way they gaze at you, seeing you for who you are. Being around sharks makes me remember that humans are animals and without them we are simply clusters of stardust in the ever-growing universe.

I go to a school filled with amazing people. Atlantic college, which is a united world college, brings students from all over the world to work in one campus and to share their views and ideas to other cultures. Talking to people here about animals and the way they are seen is incredibly gratifying but also a wake up call. People are genuinely not aware of the cruel fate happens to sharks everyday, let alone the thousands of other animals falling under humans continuous need to control and consume.

I have talked to many Chinese and Asian teenagers about the issues of shark finning and also other topics such as whaling in Japan. Most of them either don’t understand why I am so concerned that sharks are killed in this way or didn’t realize that it was happening. They just saw the soup as a good thing as it showed status. Or they ate the whale meat because it was compulsory to eat it at school. The few that did know about the cruelty behind the slaughter of these marine creatures didn’t think it was right and stopped consuming it or they would say it was disrespectful not to eat it, as both countries are very much about respect, especially to your elders.

Maybe people are just too different to come to together to make a change? I think that anyone who says that humans cant find harmony and understanding are crazy, being surrounded by so many different views has made me realize that harmony can be reached. Yes, some days it is tested and arguments can be had but not a day goes by at my school where I don’t see something that makes me smile. Being here has made me realize that I can’t just give up on humanity; I can’t let myself believe that the world would be a better place without us. We may not be the healthiest species for the planet but we deserve to be on this planet, to make a difference. 

What we have to realise is that the hardest step is deciding to make a difference and then making it happen.