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.

Shark finning in Cayman islands

Although i live in London and was born in Costa Rica I still call Cayman my home as it was were I grew up the most.
But I am ashamed that Cayman which is quite forward thinking would bring shark finning to it's shores.
Although it isn't incredibly recent, as evidence of shark finning has been found in cayman before, it has now raised the notice of researchers assessing the shark populations in the Caribbean.
I just cant believe I am writing this, I have dived with the Cayman sharks and it really didn't seem a very big issue if at all an issue.
The only good thing that this has brought it now more people in the islands are aware of the plight of the sharks, hopefully this will encourage the ban of shark finning rather then encourage people to fin.

Here is the link to the news page in the CaymanCompass:

http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2013/07/17/Fishing-threat-to-Cayman-s-sharks/

Toronto

Just thought I would give a brief update regarding shark fins in Toronto, they are not illegal although they have almost been and so they are quite a touchy subject.
Therefore when I went to have chinese food in china town I was surprised by the shark fin soup on the menu. My friend who is Chinese asked the waiter where they get there shark fin soup and if its real. He pointed across the street and said "market".
Which means they still are selling them openly.
We tried to find the market but nobody we asked seemed to know where it is or gave us brief directions down the road.
We decided to head home rather then be glared at for asking or get caught somewhere when the rain came.
It saddens me that even in a place where so much pressure and education was focused on the ban of shark finning has shark fins.

Shark facts

Some random facts about sharks:

-There are over 350 species of sharks, many are yet to be discovered

- sharks don't need to eat very much as they use very little energy to swim, and with a large meal they can store some of it before it is digested an not have to eat another meal for approximately 3 months

- sharks are at the top of the food chain, as are humans.

- Sharks don't sleep they rest, lots of research is continuing in this area and the sleep patterns of sharks is not known.

- Sharks have been in the sea for longer the 450 million years, long before the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

- Sharks never get cancer due to something in their cartilage, which is being studied to try to find a treatment drug for cancer.

- Sharks attack men more then women

- 90% of shark attacks are not fatal

- More people die from vending machines falling on them and be stings then shark attacks.

- Sharks must keep swimming to stay afloat in the water.

There are many many more incredible facts about sharks :) when I find some more I will write them up :)

Law in Mexico

This is the law in Mexico off the shark savers website.

Shark fins

I don't know if many people read this blog or if its often visited but I wanted to let anyone who does that I saw some drying shark fins today.

I am travelling in Mexico doing volunteer work with animals. As I was exploring the markets I wandered into a food section where I was looking in wonder at the quantity of bright fruits and vegetables. However, I moved into the sea food section and as I looked down I noticed some cardboard sheets that were underneath a counter. I actually stepped back when I realized that they were drying shark fins.



And the most shocking thing was the size of the fins
They were so small



I knew that a lot of Central American countries shark finned but this was the first time I had probably seen them just displayed for anyone to see.

I don't exactly know what I am going to do. Whether I go back to the market in the next few days and ask about it or whether its better to spread the awareness I don't know quite yet to do but I will keep this blog updated.

Unanswered ( A poem)

Unanswered

   I slowly descend to the sandy bottom of the dying coral reef. Seven years ago I came her last, and all I saw was pinks, yellows and oranges. Not a single thought of death in those colours.   

    And now as I sink down and swim carefully through the broken reef, my heart aches with sadness and I cry salty tears into my mask. Only a thin piece of glass stopping them mingling with the ocean waters around me.

                 

  A few fish dart out and away again, huge movements in this watery silence.

  Will mankind ever realise how much we are hurting the planet, our home shared with so many wonderful creatures. How can or could we live with ourselves if the planets downfall occurs because of us? And what will the future generations think of us? Will they shake their heads in shame or say, as we do, that it’s not our job; it’s the next generations.

   I have witnessed heart braking changes in my home underwater and in twenty years from now my home could be no longer here, if we don’t act now.

   So please help now. Not tomorrow or the next day. What we do together now will stop our fragile web from dissolving.

   Please… 

Random

I start my GCSE's (public exams needed for university applications in the UK) tomorrow and thought I would put up some good advice from the ocean and general sayings about the ocean.

(Made by Jim Abernathy)

Dear All...

Ive been terrible in keeping this blog updated and for that I apologise i've been piled with exam preparations and school work as I work my way towards the final few weeks before the start of my GCSE exams. The pressure is pretty high due to the fact that this these marks are what all the universities look at... and considering i would love to be a wildlife veterinarian, I need really good grades. Especially in maths and sciences. YIKES math is just one subject that never sticks in my mind :) but hey I keep trying, which hopefully will make life in math easier later :)

Anyway... back to sharks. There is now much more awareness of the plight of the sharks, in China as well as in the rest of the world.

I promise to update more soon.

:)

SHARKS GET CITES PROTECTION!!

CITES

Sharks and rays have been in the spotlight this week especially at the meeting in Bangkok concerning the extra protection of sharks and rays by CITES.

It is amazing news! People are starting to become more aware at how amazing sharks are and how important they are in the oceans ecosystem and the world as a whole.

Is China starting to move?

On BBC they were saying that traders are starting to see the want for shark fins is dropping!

Hopefully more people will realise.

Here is a video giving more detail about the loss in business regarding shark fins.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21681746

Royals on our side?

Prince William of England has spoken out for the endangered species of the world and he mentions sharks and rays!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma4s74Dpso4&feature=youtu.be

Manta Rays need our HELP!!

Manta Rays started being targeting heavily for their gills maybe a year ago and are still being seriously threatened.
 The gills are being used as an antitoxin in the Chinese medicine industry.
It is devastating the Manta population and the most backwards thing about it is that Manta Rays bring in thousands of dollars in the scuba diving tourism industry and their gills barely anything for the fishermen who catch them.

How could anyone want to hurt these beautiful creatures?

Manta rays feeding - (BBC- news)

Manta rays laid out, dead.  (Sharksavers)

Younger generation getting wider view on sharks

My aunt who lives in Toronto is always letting me know if something about sharks pops up.
She recently said that there had been a few children's programmes about sharks and they had been given a positive reputation in the shows.

In Myth-Busters a popular show on discovery channel did a show on shark myths and towards the end one of the main people on the show had a message regarding how humans kill and treat sharks.

The other show was for younger kids but as people say you need to share your ideas with the younger generation because they haven't formed concrete opinions like adults have. It is called Wild Kratts and they had an episode about sharks and shark fin soup.

Year of the Ocean.. 2013?

So since I last wrote I have read a few articles regarding sharks and life in the ocean. The one that stood out was the article on Richard Branson's decision to help the oceans.

Richard Branson (head of the company Virgin) who is a very powerful and influential person has claimed 2013 to be the year  of the OCEAN!

Here is a part of his blog :) its a great blog to read and he is a great person to help raise awareness for the oceans.

http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog/2013-will-be-the-year-of-the-ocean

Summer 2013

I am super excited for my summer. This year I have decided that, because I loved working to build a turtle nursery, patrolling the beach and learning about the different turtles last year, I have decided that I really want to broaden my knowledge of turtles and what is threatening them so that I can spread awareness of how human activity is affecting not only the top predators such as sharks and tuna but also ocean reptiles and peaceful animals such as the giant manta ray.

The way I have decided to do this is by applying to a course in Mexico known as "Projects abroad".  Its a company which sends volunteers to work all around the world, working on what they want to focus on to make the world a better place. I decided to apply for 2 weeks in Mexico so that I could work with turtles along the pacific coast and also because I would love to improve my spanish at the same time.

Another good thing about it is that I need to raise funds to go and so I have to fundraise and do challenges, which is great practice for DORSAL. Also the challenge i am doing at the moment is 100miles in 60 days, running, I have asked family and friends to sponsor me if they would like to. Its great!  I am not a big runner but now having this goal I have to get out and run everyday which helps not only my focus in school but makes me so much happier. I would never admit it to my parents who have told me since i was little that exercise can make you a happier more alive person...Its awesome :) Now it has become one of the things I look forward to do everyday.

So that is was I have planned. Hopefully with this greater awareness I can educate people on the ocean as a whole and how it is so important, not only to the creatures in the ocean but also for land animals including humans.

If I can persuade you to do anything, other then raise awareness of the oceans plight,  it would be to run or do some sort of exercise everyday. It just makes you smile and laugh more :)

Olive Ridley turtle

Will people respond?

Recently in the London newspaper known as the Metro published shocking photos of sharks fins and a few paragraphs on what was happening and what was being done.

Below is a link on shark finning, it is pretty horrific yet in a widely read newspaper, which fingers crossed means lots of people have read the article.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/01/02/shocking-images-from-hong-kong-show-the-sharks-slaughtered-every-year-for-soup-3335911/