A NEW report that has crossed my desk indicates that climate change is having an ever-increasing negative impact on the world’s oceans and therefore sea life.
It says that warming and rising oceans are having an impact on many factors, including shifting and disappearing sea ice and the erosion of important nesting beaches.
Specifically mentioned are the North Atlantic right whale, which is one of the most endangered animals on the planet, mainly because the warming seas are affecting their main food source, plankton; sea turtles (note those disappearing beaches); the Adelie penguin of Antarctica; and coral reefs (again, mainly ocean warming).*
Moving away from climate change to another perennial issue, that of captive cetaceans. Conservationists are claiming a victory in a federal court ruling in the United States of America that has stopped the importation of 18 wild caught Beluga whales from Russia for the Georgia State Aquarium.
The Belugas were to have been used for public shows. The court said in its ruling that the aquarium did not meet the requirements of the Marine Mammals Protection Act concerning the impact of wild caught whales on natural populations. *
That’s definitely one for the whales, and here’s one for the dolphins. A report from the Born Free Foundation gives what it considers five good reasons why dolphins should not be kept in captivity.
They say dolphins are intelligent, as intelligent as the great apes and human toddlers and that keeping them in captivity causes them great suffering.
They are social beings and far ranging predators who in the wild live in complex communities where they can explore, hunt, communicate, grieve and make choices, none of that is possible in captivity.
They are also psychologically and emotionally sensitive, and finally, captivity does not support education about or conservation of the species.
And now a total change of scene. We had friends over for sundowners the other day, both members of Birdlife Trogans, the local group of Birdlife South Africa, so they know their birds.
Anyway, our mini-bird bath in The Hide, our red enamel plate usually full of olive or collared sunbirds and the occasional Natal robin or bulbul, did not disappoint.
While we were sitting in the lounge into the water leapt a pair of birds, leading to much debate. Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa was called for and consulted and the general consensus of opinion (among the experts that is) was that we were watching a pair of orange breasted waxbills.
They thoroughly enjoyed their ablutions and put on quite a show, much appreciated by all of us. I must add that orange breasted waxbills are a new tick for The Hide as well.
It’s important to note, however, just how much joy something as simple as an enamel plate kept full of water can bring.
It’s something that one can have in a large garden as part of a much bigger birdy corner, or just a corner of your balcony if that’s all the space you have. Anyway, enjoy the birds, cheers!
*Care2Causes
