Michael Bigg

The Cove is a documentary which talks about slaughtering of dolphin in Taiji, Japan. Personally, after I discovered that there were indeed so many massacre of dolphin in a small cove, and recognising how cruel the killing was, I felt so upset as I did not notice such catastrophe before. There are several reasons for hunting practices mentioned in the movie. For example, the geographical location is perfect for the hunting as there are many coves in Taji, which are surrounded by highlands on…

Abstract Anhinga anhinga is a medium sized bird which most do not know about. The purpose of the paper is to give readers an in depth idea of this bird. Most readers living in the southern parts of the United States have seen one in the wild but did not have a clue about this mischievous animal. The bird can go from sun bathing in order to dry off its feathers to diving in order to get some food in seconds. Additionally the bird can stay under the water for minutes without coming up for a…

The Story of Paka Panda Written by Sytun Baldwin Illustrations by Heather Hillard-Bonds Monday morning, Paka looked over the glacier. He licked his paws, yawned and played with ice. The ice surrounding him, where he often played with Patsy the penguin, was as white as sugar. Now, Patsy, mind you, was a character. She was always laughing, joking, and pulling pranks. That’s why Paka loved her so, because she was full of much fun. Skip, skip, hop-hop, waddle, waddle, all the way to…

Marine Mammals Need Distance? Does mankind have a positive effect on marine mammals as a whole? As usual, the direct answer is non. Specifically, mankind continues to have a negative effect on marine mammals such as sea otters, and whales. Mankind's negative effect on marine mammals traces back to the time mankind learns to efficiently kill whales in the 1800's since mankind learns to effectively hunt whales; additionally, in the 1900's mankind begins to hunt sea otters in California. Thankfully…

Orcas in the Wild When most people hear about orcas, their first thought is usually of the captive orcas that are trained to perform in shows, such as those at Sea World. But establishments such as those do not show orcas as they truly are, when they are thriving-- in the wild. With no tank glass withholding them, we can learn and understand so much more about them and their vibrant lives. Orcas are incredibly intelligent and social animals. Orcas, or orcinus orca by their scientific name,…

People have learned to love the black-and-white marine icon that has been rehabilitated from a fearsome killer to the cuddly water panda they’ve become. Groc’s article, “Orca Encounters”, sparked my interest and led me to question just how humane our social and cultural traditions have become. Once killed by fishermen and believed to be a dangerous creature, the orca has grown to become the most viewed performer at SeaWorld shows. Being the largest predator held in captivity, researchers have…

Blackfish The documentary “Blackfish” is mainly about an orca named Tilikum and his life as a performing whale at seaworld. Tilikum was separated from his family when he was at the age of two. While capturing him, the other orcas kept on making sounds to communicate with Tilikum. Shortly he was placed into Sealand, a much more smaller version of seaworld. Tilikum would perform most often, and train the other times. When training he would get raked, when a whale scratches another whale with…

What’s Happening in the Galapagos in April April is an extraordinary month to visit the Galapagos Islands as the conditions conspire to make the journey a trip to remember. The islands that we visit on our safari holidays are in bloom with activity. Turtle and iguana eggs are hatching, wild flowers are starting to blossom, and waved albatrosses are returning from sea in droves to mate. As the rains ease off, the sea is calm and clear; clearing the path for fun days surfing, snorkeling, and…

The film, Blackfish, was a phenomenal movie; it convinced and informed the public, that orca whales in captivity should be free, by the using the art of persuasion. A plethora of persuasive rhetoric was evident throughout the duration of the film. It is clear orcas should stay in the ocean since they are killing more people when captive. In addition, killer whales are better off in the wild since they are cruelly captured and handled by humans. The motion picture used an exceptional variety of…

There has been a sharp rise in whales stranding in recent years, and this problem has been of great concern to all. Sometimes whales swim into shallow water and end up stranding themselves on beaches in many parts of the world. For example, Scientific American reported that fifty-five false killer whales that washed up on a beach in South Africa in 2009. Why do whales beach themselves? Did they feel so sad? This essay will discuss how this problem has emerged. Scientists and marine biologist…