TalkingpointsforVoicelessPresentation

Feelfreetoexpounduponthefollowingtopics,andaddyourownpersonalinsight,experience andcreativitytotheprogram. Thefollowingaretried,testedandrecommendedtalkingpointsfortheVoicelessprogram: FORLOLITA: Closeknitfamilybondsinthewild Captivelifespansvs.wildlifespans.

FORTILIKUM(TILLY): Thesizefactor:spaceinthewildvs.spaceincaptivity. Swimmingdistances.

FORIMAQ: Echolocation,andacoustics.(Belugashaveincrediblyadvancedsonarsystems) Isolationincaptivity.

FORKATHY: Dolphincaptures/roundups/drives TheCove&dolphinslaughters Stressincaptivity

Factsaboutthespecificcetaceansinthispresentation LOLITA: Lolita,firstcalledTokitae,isafemaleorcainhermidtolate40s.Shewasbornsomewherein therangeofherextendedfamily,theSouthernResidentorcas.Lolitawascapturedandripped fromherfamilyasayoungsteronAugust8,1970inPennCove,WhidbeyIsland.Shewasone ofsevenyoungwhalessoldtomarineparksaroundtheworldfromthisroundupofover80 orcas.

Lolitaprobablystillremembersherfamily,evenafter40+yearsincaptivity,regardlessofher longconfinementshe'sstillamemberofthisclanoforcasthathavebeenseenand documentedintheSalishSeaformonthsofeachyearsincefieldstudiesbeganin1973.For overfourdecadesshehasbeenkeptina35'x80'x20'deepconcretebowltoattractspectators toathemeparkinMiami. MOREONLOLITASCAPTURE: In1970,ApodwasherdedintoacoveinPugetSoundwithspeedboatsandbombslikeM80s, andsurroundedwithnets.Fiveyoungorcasweretakenawaythattime,andthreedrowned duringthecaptureoperation.Ayearlateranotherfamilywastrapped.Thistimetwoorcaswere removed.Oneofthose,athreeyearoldmale,wasnamedHugoandsenttotheMiami Seaquarium.Thebombsandnetsandropesandyellingmenbecamearecurringtraumaand tragedy.Timeaftertimefamilymemberswereforcedintoslingsandontoflatbedtrucks,and weredrivenaway. Netsforcedseparationsofmothersandbabies.Fivewhales,includingfourbabywhales, drownedduringthiscapture.Thefourdrownedcalveshadtheirbelliesslit,werefilledwithrocks, andweightedwithchainsandanchorstokeeptheirdeathsfromcomingtotheattentionofthe public.ThreeofthecarcasseswashedupontheshoreofWhidbeyIslandonNovember18, 1970.Sixyearslater,SeaWorldsettledincourt,agreeingtoneveragaincaptureorcasin WashingtonState,toavoidpubliclytakingtheblame. Lolitawasrecordedtobeabout14feetlongand46yearsoldatcapture,thoughwitnessessay shewasprobablynomorethan12feetlongandonly34yearsold.ShewassenttotheMiami SeaquariuminFlorida,whereshearrivedSeptember24,1970. 40+yearslater,Lolitacontinuesperforminghershowsbyday,andfloatinglistlesslyallnight long.

TILIKUM: Tilikummeasures22.5feet(6.9m)longandweighs12,000pounds(5,400kg).Hispectoralfins are7feet(2.1m)long,hisflukescurlunder,andhis6.5feet(2.0m)talldorsalfiniscollapsed completelytotheside.Heisthelargestorcaincaptivity. Tilikumhasbeenlivinginacementpoolsincehewastakenfromhismotherssideattheyoung ageofapproximately2yearsold.HewascapturedoffthecoastofIcelandinNovemberof1982. Unlikeothercetaceanslivingincaptivity,TilikumsinteractionwithSeaWorldstrainersandwith theotherwhaleskeptthereisverylimitedbecauseofhispronenesstoaggression.

SeaWorld,however,despiteTilikumsobviousaggression,hasthusfarrefusedtohumanely releasehimtoaseapenforrehab,andinsteadcontinuestousehimastheirprimarystudintheir superiorbreedingprogram,notknowingwhetherhisaggressionwillbepassedontohismany offspring.(56%ofSeaWorldsOrcawhalescarryTilikumsgenes.) Tilikumspoolequalslessthanafractionof1%ofhisnaturalhabitat. Heisusedasasplashmachineforshows,andaspermbankinSeaWorldsbreedingprogram.

IMAQ: ImaqisalargeBelugawhalewhowasusedforbreedingpurposesattheVancouverAquarium. HewasthelargestBelugaattheaquariumbutyetwasheldinoneofthesmallesttanks.Hewas notkeptwiththeotherBelugas"forthesafetyoftheothers"accordingtoaVancouverAquarium spokesperson. WhenImaqwasseparatedfromtheotherBelugasatVancouverAquarium,hewasplacedinan old,rathersmallholdingpoolthatwasapproximately10feetdeep.Thistemporaryholdingtank becameImaq'spermanentresidenceuntilhewasmovedtoSeaWorldSanAntonioin2011on loanmerelyforbreedingpurposes,tostrengthenthepopulationofBelugasalreadykeptin captivity.

KATHY: KathywasoneofthefivedolphinscapturedfromthewildandbroughttoMiamiSeaquariumto starinthehitTVseries,Flipper. RicOBarry,hertrainer(nowrenownedactivist)hadalifealteringexperiencewhenhevisited Kathyagainattheaquariumaftertheshowhadended. Herecallsthatshewasnoticeablyanxious.Eventuallysheswamintohisarmsandceased breathing,sinkingtothebottomofthetank.Unlikehumans,dolphinsarenotautomatic breatherstheycanchoosetostopbreathingatanytimeiflifebecomestoostressfulforthem. RicOBarryisconvincedthatKathydidjustthatinessencecommittingsuicide. However,regardlessofthistragedy,thecaptivedolphinentertainmentindustrycontinuedto boom,leadingtoanevengreaterhorror:Dolphindrivesandslaughters,suchastheannual dolphinkillingsinTaiji. Dolphinariumsthatpurchasedolphinsfromthedolphinkillerswilltellyoutheyare"saving"the dolphinsfromslaughter.Weviewthisasnothingbutpropaganda,aimedatconcealingthefact thattheyarefuellingthedolphinhuntbymakingittremendouslyprofitable.Workingsidebyside, dolphintrainersandfishermenforcethedolphinsintoshallowwater,haulthedolphinsashore andlinethemup.Thetrainerstheninspectthedolphinsonebyone,choosingonlytheonesthat canbeusedindolphinshowsandcaptivedolphinswimprograms.Theyaretypicallylookingfor

young,unblemisheddolphins.They"save"onlytheonesthatcanbecommerciallyexploitedin thedisplayindustry.Theonesthataretooold,tooyoung,havethewronggenderorhavetoo manyblemishesarenotworth"saving"tothem,sotheyletthefishermenkillthem. Wehaveseendolphintrainersassistthefishermeninbringingtherejectstothekillingcoveto havetheirthroatsslit.Theydon'tevenbothertoinspecttheveryyoungbabies,knowingthatthey can'tbeusedindolphinshows.Usingropesandphysicalforce,dolphintrainersseparatethe babiesfromtheirmothers.Theyhaulthemothersclosetotherockybeachtomeasureand inspectthem.Thebabiescryout,buttheyaredoomed.Thedolphintrainersarenotgoingtohelp them.Ifthesedolphintrainersandmarinemammalveterinarianswereinto"saving"dolphins, theywouldbetherewithaprotestsignandvideocameras,justlikeweare.Instead,theytake advantageofthedolphinslaughtertonourishthehugeprofitsmadefromcaptivedolphins. Thegruelingselectionprocessdragsonforseveralhours,andsomedolphinsdiefromeither shock,injuriesorexhaustionduringthistime.Somemakefranticattemptsatstayingatthe surfaceofthewater,buttheirpectoralfinshavebeendislocatedorbroken.Aninjureddolphinis worthnothingtotheaquariumindustry,andthedolphintrainerssimplyhaulthedyingdolphins backintothewateranddumpthem,showingnoemotionwhatsoever. (FromSaveJapanDolphinswebsite)

3Thingsyoucandotohelpendcaptivity: #1DONTbuytheticket toamarinepark,dolphinshow,ordolphinswimprogram.Itsallaboutsupplyanddemand.Our jobistotakeawaythedemandforcaptivecetaceanexhibits.Ifticketsstopselling?Marineparks willceasetoexistandthecetaceanswillonceagainbefree.Thedemandneedstodisappear startingwithYOU. #2Spreadtheword. Inorderforthisarchaicindustrytoactuallychange,everybodyandwemeanabsolutely everyoneneedstoknowaboutitespeciallystudents(youngpeoplearethebiggestsupporters ofmarineparks).So, shareBlueFreedomonyoursocialmediapages, connectwithusonFacebook,Twitter,Instagram,Google+,Pinterest,etc.tostayinformedon callstoaction. Usethehashtag#GenerationBFifyoureinonthismovement. #3StartaBlueFreedomclubatyourschoolorcollege

(seere:sourceHUBonourwebsiteformoreinformationonhowtogetstarted)andstartraising awarenessamongyourclassmates.Ourgenerationisholdingthekeytoendingthiscrueland outdatedindustry. www.bluefreedom.org Blog:www.bluefreedomblog.org Twitter&Instagram:@BlueFreedomOrg facebook.com/BlueFreedomFoundation ________________________________________________________________ BigthankyoutoHowardGarrett,TheOrcaNetwork,CaptiveAmbassadors,RicOBarry,Earth IslandInstitute,TheDolphinProject,forinformationwhichcontributedgreatlytothispaperand project.