Humanity Counts

For each of the following animal welfare issues, there is a link located in the Blogs section on the right. Click there to learn more about the problems that our world's marine mammals face today and how you can help.

Suffering Cetaceans

Across the globe, dolphins, whales and porpoises face a number of threats; including death in fishing nets, prey depletion due to over fishing, pollution, harmful noise pollution, collision with vessels, habitat loss and deliberate hunting. Thousands of cetaceans are killed accidentally and purposefully each year.Whales and dolphins are captured all over the world for marine parks and aquariums.Despite the 1986 whaling moratorium, whaling continues, specifically in Japan, Iceland, and Norway.Military sonars and industrial exploration is creating extremely harmful noise pollutions and disrupting the cetaceans natural habits.The biggest killer-Fishing Nets.There is so much against these beautiful mammals, and so many ways you can help.

Plight of the Polar Bear

The polar bear has been called the 'poster child' and 'a canary in a coal mine' for global warming. Unfortunately, there is more against them then that. Polar bears are rapidly losing their habitats due to rising temperatures, enviromental contaminants, development, and the unsustainable hunting that threatens many of their populations. They are the top predator in the arctic and although their populations are hard to estimate, it is known that they are dropping severely. The World Conservation Union's Polar Bear Specialist Group has estimated that the polar bear populations will have dropped by 30% in the next 35-50 years.

Disappearing Sharks

Around 100 million sharks are killed each year for shark fin soup and traditional cures. The shark population has decreased by 90%. Sharks are caught on long lines and finned alive. Finning is the process of removing a shark's fins, most of the times sharks are still alive. Shark meat is considered to be low value, so only the fins are saved and the bodies are dumped overboard. Without their fins to swim, the still living finned sharks sink to the bottom of the oceans where they drown and are eaten alive by other fish. We need these creatures to survive. 66% of Earth is covered in water 80% of life is found in the oceans. Oceanic plankton supply us with 70% of the oxygen we breath. If there are no sharks to prey, the plankton feeders could grow out of control and consume more plankton than necessary, taking away what we depend on for survival.

Canadian Seal Hunt

Over one and a quarter million baby seals, all under 3 months of age, have been slaughtered in Canada's annual commercial seal hunt. 42% of those baby seals are skinned alive. The quota for the 2008 seal hunt is 275,000, meaning that 115,500 baby seals will suffer horrific and painfully agonizing deaths. There is an international boycott against Canada's seafood, such as shrimp, lobster, and salmon. The boycott is the most effective weapon against the government supported hunt.