Thriving Oceans

Well, like the masses I ended Earth Day not quite as in touch with the planet as I should have been unless plopped in front of the television is eco-living. To my defense I did tune in to ‘Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures:  Call of the Killer Whale’ and was left in awe as usual after indirectly witnessing the complexities of marine mammal communities.

In this instance, human-orca parallels are easy to draw as the interconnectedness amongst individuals is undeniable, social structure is a necessity, communication is key, and culture is unmistakable. There are resident orcas, transient orcas, and offshore orcas that have developed specialized skills to fill a niche and capitalize on available prey.  Even more interesting is the fact that marine biologists believe the residents and transients have been genetically isolated from each other  for the last 10,000 years.

And as the information continued to flow throughout the program, I was reminded why I forego any invitation to attend an amusement park showcasing orcas.  Every documentary I have seen shows nothing less than incredible intelligence as members of a pod utilize teamwork to raise their young and ensure the survival of the group. Plus, most ironically, these are the same characteristics that trainers pass along to cheering crowds as if morality dictates 5 tons of sophisticated ocean-going genius must be confined within concrete walls and rollercoaster backdrops solely for our entertainment.  Yes, I see the Victorian era pseudoscience logic (i.e. money), but shouldn’t we officially abandon a thought process that exterminated the great auk?

After poking around the web, I found a few bits of herring (PBS, Wikipedia, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Humane Society) that indicate the captive population is just about 50 and the capturing of wild orcas has declined in favor of captive breeding programs and artificial insemination. But, the argument still stands and is reminiscent of a Twilight Zone episode,  People Are Alike All Over , in which Roddy McDowall as Captain Conrad lands on Mars and the welcoming inhabitants eventually put him on public display.  Just because the most basic of needs are met does not replace freedom…ask Captain Conrad who was confined to an unnatural environment forced to live in a life of deprivation and most certainly suffering a lower than expected lifespan.  Does that ring the captive orca bell?

As a note: Since 1961 there has been 133 orcas captured and acquired by aquariums.To the best estimate, as of November 1997, 102 of the 133 captured killer whales in marine parks and aquariums worldwide have died.  One escaped.  30 are still alive, and a further 18 captive-bred are also alive. (PBS FrontLine, Nov. 1997)

Apparently there is no need to worry about the high cost of pharmaceuticals and pesticides as our waterways are full of them and free by the glass full.  In just a matter of days multiple reports have been released describing the poor quality of our waters and identifying yet another threat to the long-term sustainability of endangered species and our fisheries.

On the eve of  Earth Day, the National Marine Fisheries Service has found commonly used agricultural pesticides are endangering Pacific salmon and steelhead populations.  According to the Associated Press, “Researchers have found that even extremely diluted concentrations of drugs harm fish, frogs and other aquatic species. Also, researchers report that human cells fail to grow normally in the laboratory when exposed to trace concentrations of certain drugs.”

And that’s not all as the AP is also reporting, ” U.S. manufacturers, including major drugmakers, have legally released at least 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals into waterways that often provide drinking water.”

If only I was done with contaminated water as a Washington Post article from last week described the EPA is getting onto the ‘pesticide in our water bandwagon’ by ordering manufactures to test 67 chemical components for endocrine disruptive properties.

“Researchers have raised concerns that chemicals released into the environment are interfering with animals’ hormone systems, citing problems such as male fish in the Potomac River that are growing eggs. The chemicals, known as endocrine disruptors, may interfere with the hormones that humans and animals produce or secrete.”

EPA to test effects of chemicals in pesticides

US biologists say 3 pesticides harm salmon

Tons of released drugs taint US water

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the Kittlitz’s murrelet as critically endangered species as a result of plummeting population numbers. According to the IUCN, “Threats include habitat loss and degradation (due to oceanic regime shifts and glacial retreat, possibly as a consequence of global warming); habitat degradation and repeated disturbance of birds due to recreational and commercial tour boat traffic; mortality in gillnet fisheries (documented in Prince William Sound; anecdotal accounts from elsewhere); mortality from petroleum contamination (7-15% of the Prince William Sound population died as result of the ExxonValdez oil spill).”

Attempts to afford protection were thwarted as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game rejected a March 5 petition by the Center for Biological Diversity to list the seabird under Alaska’s Endangered Species Act.  The reason cited for denying protection is a lack of data.

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/144287