Sunday, September 21, 2008
Back in the day, before Bridget Bardo. And no they were not the "Good" old days.
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Wade G. Burck
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A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
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10 comments:
Wade,
This article is heartbreaking. It is so close to home and so long ago, yet so close in time as well. Seal Poaching still happens up here by angry fishermen, and some of the Native American tribes are allowed to go out and hunt whales. Such beautiful creatures don't deserve to be hunted down and eaten.
Amy
Amy,
Don't misunderstand. I was addressing the machine gunning of sea lions(any animal for that matter) because they were eating salmon. There is nothing wrong with hunting "any" animal as long as it is done in a legislated, humane, by the law, manner. If a whale could be killed instantly, I would applaud that invention even if it meant the loss of the traditional historic whale hunts. And no I do not approve of the natives being able to hunt them, and not anybody else with a legal permit. That is a "reverse discrimination" that is becoming all to common in a politically correct world.
Wade
Wade,
Looking further into it since I have tried not to listen to it, it looks like the Makah tribe was stopped in 2006, but has since filed an appeal to continue hunting the North Pacific Grey Whales. What disgusts me, is they claim it as their heritage and their culture, yet they used shotguns to hunt them with instead of the traditional harpoon. September 2007 5 Makah tribesman killed a whale without a permit and are facing charges, which have been advised at 2 years probation and 100 hrs community service and the other two face up to 60 days in prison.
I personally think they deserve longer.
Wade,
on a happier note, I don't know if you heard about this, but in March they found a White Orca.
http://www.king5.com/animals/news/stories/NW_030708ANB_white_orca_KS.30591678.html
thats the news link.
Whaling and whales are central to Makah culture. The conduct of a whale hunt requires rituals and ceremonies which are deeply spiritual. They are the subject and inspiration of Makah songs, dances, designs, and basketry. For the Makah Tribe, whale hunting imposes a purpose and a discipline which benefits their entire community. It is so important to the Makah, that in 1855 when the Makah ceded thousands of acres of land to the government of the United States, they explicitly reserved their right to whale within the Treaty of Neah Bay.
Whales gave oil, meat, bone, sinew and gut for storage containers: useful products, though gained at a high cost in time and goods. To get ready for the hunt, whalers went off by themselves to pray, fast and bathe ceremonially. Each man had his own place, followed his own ritual, and sought his own power. Weeks or months went into this special preparation beginning in winter and whalers devoted their whole lives to spiritual readiness.
"What disgusts me, is they claim it as their heritage and their culture, yet they used shotguns to hunt them with instead of the traditional harpoon."
There were, however, certain regulations set forth by the International Whaling Commission which deviated from the traditional methods of Makah whalers in the past. Whereas the traditional hunt involves using only harpoon strikes and a final strike with a special "killing lance", the new method required a quicker and thus, more humane kill. Working with a veterinarian, the Makah used both a traditional harpooner and a rifleman. The rifleman uses a specially designed large caliber rifle which, soon after the harpoon hits its mark, delivers the fatal blow. None of the spiritual, physical, and mental preparations needed to harvest a whale are interrupted by the substitution and implementation of this technique.
Margaret,
"For the Makah Tribe, whale hunting imposes a purpose and a discipline which benefits their entire community." Shooting out of season and without a permit, sure speaks to the discipline they have gained.
"The conduct of a whale hunt requires rituals and ceremonies which are deeply spiritual. They are the subject and inspiration of Makah songs, dances, designs, and basketry.". I also think now that guns are the accepted means, this smoke and mirrors isn't as valid as it was in the 1800's.
Wade
Amy,
A white animal is nothing to be excited about. It often points to a species becoming much smaller in numbers, headed for extinction as the gene pool becomes smaller and smaller.
Wade
Wade,
I did not know that about white animals. Does this also go for "champagne" colored animals. Or is this whale "champagne" as well?
I would hate to see the extinction of this beautiful creature. I have seen them many times in the wild, but never on purpose. I hate whale watching tour boats that smother the pod every day when they go out. They cause too much stress on the animals. Some tours are a little bit more responsible as far as keeping their distance, but most get right next to them.
Amy
Amy,
Environmental change will change any animal over time from what we once knew it to be. Loss of habitat thus reducing the number of individuals will lead to a lack of genetic diversity and change. That is why hunting is a useful tool in managing that loss of habitat, and what is killed and when, and whale watching pays for a lot of the management of what is left of the worlds oceans and sea's.
Wade
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