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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220714T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220714T170000
DTSTAMP:20220708T021220Z
CREATED:20220708T020257Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220708T021220Z
UID:8248-1657814400-1657818000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:A Special Event for World Orca Day
DESCRIPTION:Register here for this special webinar event. \nDr. Ingrid Visser is the founder of World Orca Day and of the Orca Research Trust\, the only research project dedicated to orcas in the South Pacific. \nJoin Dr. Lori Marino for a fascinating discussion with this one-of-a-kind scientist\, who grew up in New Zealand and\, when she was 16 years old\, sailed around the world with her father and a rescued monkey\, who became her constant companion. \nIngrid earned her Ph.D. with a research project on orcas. Her research today focuses on the cultural aspects of orca behavior\, in particular their feeding methods and socializing. \nWith the benefit of her understanding of orca psychology and behavior\, Dr. Visser campaigns around the world for captive orcas to be transferred from their featureless concrete tanks to sanctuaries with more natural settings or\, where possible\, for them to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. \nIngrid also swims regularly with orcas in the open ocean. And in this World Orca Day conversation\, she will talk about her experiences with orcas around the world\, both captive and free-ranging\, and what she has learned from them and about them. \nJuly 14th at 4:00pm U.S. Eastern Time. \nRegister in advance for this webinar:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4oN6tBkvTRGHF3YECPxxGg \nHost: Dr. Lori Marino\, Founder & President of the Whale Sanctuary Project.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/a-special-event-for-world-orca-day/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220630T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220630T140000
DTSTAMP:20220624T171846Z
CREATED:20220624T140503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220624T171846Z
UID:8232-1656594000-1656597600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Canada's Ban on Whales as Entertainment. Could It Happen in the U.S.?
DESCRIPTION:Following passage of Bill S-203: the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act in Canada in 2019\, the proposed Jane Goodall Bill adds further protections to the earlier bill\, phases out elephant captivity\, and includes new legal protections for captive big cats\, bears\, wolves\, seals\, sea lions\, walruses\, certain monkeys\, and dangerous reptiles\, such as crocodiles and giant pythons. \nCanada is now a world leader in strong legislation in the protection of captive whales and dolphins as well as many other kinds of animals. \nCould anything similar to these bills be enacted in the United States? If not\, what makes legislation like this possible in its neighbor to the north? \nIn this webinar three experts will discuss how the “Ending the Captivity of Whales & Dolphins” was accomplished\, how the Jane Goodall Act is faring as it works its way through Parliament\, what other legal gains are still needed\, and whether legislation of this caliber could happen in the United States. \nJune 30th at 1:00pm U.S. Eastern Time. \nRegister in advance for this webinar:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_emMoy-WgTm-iyzzKI3qLuQ \nHost: Dr. Lori Marino\, Founder & President of the Whale Sanctuary Project. \nGuests:\nDr. Naomi Rose is the marine mammal scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington\, DC\, where she works on several campaigns and coalitions addressing problems associated with cetacean live capture\, trade and captivity\, both in the U.S. and abroad. \nMarty McKendry is a lawyer and parliamentary advisor to Senators Pierre Dalphond and Marty Klyne\, the sponsor of the Jane Goodall Act. He previously worked with the Honourable Murray Sinclair to draft and introduce the original version of the bill and with the Honourable Wilfred Moore to draft and advance the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act. \nCamille Labchuk\, Executive Director\, Animal Justice Canada\, is one of Canada’s leading animal rights lawyers. Her work includes documenting the commercial seal kill on Canada’s East Coast\, exposing cruelty in farming\, protecting the free speech rights of animal advocates\, and campaigns against trophy hunting\, circuses\, zoos\, aquariums\, shark finning\, puppy mills\, and more.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/canadas-banning-of-dolphin-whale-entertainment-could-it-happen-here/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220516T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220516T170000
DTSTAMP:20220509T185130Z
CREATED:20220508T173536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220509T185130Z
UID:8161-1652716800-1652720400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:“Captive” - a Conversation with Animal Photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur
DESCRIPTION:Monday May 16th at 4–5pm ET \nRegister in advance for this webinar:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_saDDMYd2Se2NAtCeDowYSA \nA picture\, we all know\, is worth a thousand words. And at a time when marine parks and aquariums are coming under increasing scrutiny\, the work of award-winning photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur reveals deeper truths than mere words ever can about what life is like for the animals at these facilities. \nIn this live webinar\, Dr. Lori Marino will explore with Jo-Anne what some of her photographs reveal about the lives of dolphins and whales at captive facilities. \nThe images are powerful and haunting. They challenge many of the preconceptions that people have about life in captivity and compel us to ask ourselves what it is that we are actually seeing when we watch a dolphin performing tricks or a beluga whale swimming in circles in a tank? \nJo-Anne has documented the lives of captive animals in more than 60 countries\, and the remarkable images in her book Captive expose the reality of what we impose on animals when we put them on display for our entertainment. \nHer work as a photojournalist has led her to the creation of the non-profit We Animals Media\, a growing network of award-winning photographers and videographers that extends throughout the world\, documenting stories of animals who are used for food\, fashion\, entertainment and experimentation. This globally accessible resource is made available for free to anyone working to inspire compassion\, conversation and change.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/captive-a-conversation-with-animal-photojournalist-jo-anne-mcarthur/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220224T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220224T160000
DTSTAMP:20220217T004153Z
CREATED:20220217T003148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220217T004153Z
UID:7936-1645718400-1645718400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Who Are Beluga Whales?
DESCRIPTION:Three top scientists will be presenting their latest discoveries about beluga whale societies\, communication and culture (the knowledge they pass on from generation to generation). \nOne of the big questions they’ve been probing is: Do these highly intelligent whales have different dialects depending on where they come from? We already know that this is true for orcas and sperm whales. And now we’re beginning to get the answers regarding belugas. \nAnother big question: How important is friendship among beluga whales? We know the importance of family among whales and many other kinds of animals. But friendships outside of one’s own extended family? Is that something we’re observing among belugas? And if so\, what does it mean? \nAnd how might we learn more about all this from beluga whales who come to the sanctuary and begin a new life there together in a natural environment?  Hear from these beluga experts and ask them anything you want to know about beluga whales. \nRegister in advance for this webinar:\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tYJKEFUxTemT9HXX5ABFNA \nHosted by Dr. Lori Marino of the Whale Sanctuary Project. Her guests are: \nGreg O’Corry Crowe\, Ph.D.\, Professor at Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.\nGreg is a National Geographic Explorer known for his groundbreaking research on social learning\, culture and resilience in beluga whales. He has studied kinship patterns and migratory culture in several beluga communities in the Arctic. His work also includes studies of Steller sea lions\, ice seals\, bottlenose dolphins and polar bears. \nValeria Vergara\, Ph.D.\, Senior Research Scientist and Co-Director of the Cetacean Conservation Research Program\, Raincoast Conservation Foundation.\nValeria has conducted groundbreaking studies of beluga whale communication both in captivity and in the wild. She is well-known for her discovery of contact calls between beluga whale mothers and calves and between adults\, and for illuminating the impacts of underwater noise on beluga communication. \nJaclyn Aubin\, M.S.\, Doctoral student\, Dept of Biological Sciences\, University of Windsor.\nJaclyn is a doctoral student studying acoustic communication in beluga whales. Through her work\, she hopes to use patterns of beluga contact call production to inform our understanding of social structure in St. Lawrence belugas\, with the ultimate goal of helping to protect this endangered population.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/who-are-beluga-whales/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211215T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211215T170000
DTSTAMP:20211208T021524Z
CREATED:20211208T014621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211208T021524Z
UID:7878-1639584000-1639587600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Ask Us Anything!
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday December 15th: 4:00pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\nJoin Dr. Lori Marino\, President and Founder\, and Charles Vinick\, Executive Director\, for a year-end chat about the Whale Sanctuary Project: major accomplishments of this year and what we’re looking to achieve next year. \nLori and Charles will talk about work at the sanctuary site and about developments in the world of public opinion. Just a few weeks ago\, for example\, we heard the very good news that the world’s largest travel company\, Expedia\, will no longer offer vacations that involve the use of whales and dolphins as entertainment. \nDecisions like this demonstrate just how far the movement to end the captivity of whales and dolphins has progressed in recent years. And developments like this bring added urgency to the need to create the first such sanctuary in North America for these highly intelligent and emotionally sensitive beings. \nWe’ll talk about all of this and more\, and Lori and Charles look forward to answering your questions. \nRegister for the webinar here. \nYou can bring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Wednesday\, December 15th\, at 4:00pm Eastern Time.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/ask-us-anything/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211117T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211117T201500
DTSTAMP:20211111T190057Z
CREATED:20211111T145828Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211111T190057Z
UID:7783-1637175600-1637180100@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Dolphin Assisted Therapy\, Autism and Pseudoscience
DESCRIPTION:Wednesday November 17th: 7:00pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\nDolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) is a type of dolphin swim program that is purported to be an effective treatment for autism and other conditions. Offered worldwide\, these programs typically involve the participant touching\, swimming with\, or being towed around by captive dolphins while engaged in more traditional tasks. Parents of autistic children and others are charged thousands of dollars and led to believe that they are engaging in real therapy. There is no oversight or accreditation for DAT.\n\nSeveral peer-reviewed scientific papers have shown that DAT rests upon weak methodological grounds and there is currently no evidence that DAT has any long-term therapeutic impact. Yet\, it continues to be marketed to desperate parents and people seeking relief for their problems. \nIn this webinar we will describe the standard DAT protocol and discuss why it is a pseudoscience – a practice mistakenly considered scientific. And we’ll discuss the considerable risks to participants of injury and disease transmission associated with swimming with captive dolphins\, as well as the exploitive and abusive practices that force dolphins into DAT performances. \nWe’ll also highlight some of the faulty assumptions that may follow when one pursues an experience that’s touted as a “therapy” and we’ll offer some important questions to ask providers. \nHost: Dr. Lori Marino\, neuroscientist and President of Whale Sanctuary Project.\nSpecial Guest: Dr. David Celiberti\, behavior analyst and Executive Director\, Association for Science in Autism Treatment. \nRegister for the webinar here. \nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Wednesday\, November 17th\, at 7 pm Eastern Time.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/dolphin-assisted-therapy-autism-and-pseudoscience/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20211021T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20211021T170000
DTSTAMP:20211015T200011Z
CREATED:20211012T182137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211015T200011Z
UID:7660-1634832000-1634835600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Poop\, Snot and Blow: Noninvasive Health Assessment in Cetacean Sanctuaries
DESCRIPTION:Authentic cetacean sanctuaries are places where the autonomy of the whales is a priority. Therefore\, studies of their psychology\, physiology and behavior\, while necessary for responsible care-giving\, should be as non-invasive and non-intrusive as possible. Developing methods that do not disturb the whales is an important aspect of sanctuary work\, and it can drive innovation in cetacean research in the wild. \nIn this webinar we explore three cutting-edge health assessment techniques that are already employed in the wild and that will be beneficial to sanctuary whales. And we’ll also discuss how procedures developed at the sanctuary can be used to improve health assessments in the wild. \n\nThursday October 21st: 4:00pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\n\nParticipants:\nJoining Dr. Lori Marino\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, will be: \nJeff Foster\, who has worked with marine mammals for 45 years and is the Animal Transfer and Rehab Coordinator for the Whale Sanctuary Project. He has developed several techniques used to successfully rehabilitate and conserve cetaceans in the wild. Jeff will discuss his work in collaboration with other experts refining ways to take respiratory samples (blow) from free-ranging orcas in the Salish Sea. \nDr. Deborah Giles\, Science and Research Director of Wild Orca\, one of the world’s leading experts on the Southern Resident Killer Whale population in Washington state. She collaborates with University of Washington Center for Conservation Biology\, collecting and analyzing the feces of the free-ranging southern resident orcas. The samples reveal DNA\, stress\, reproductive and nutritional hormones\, as well as toxicants. (Collecting her samples requires the invaluable help of her famous poop-sniffing dog Eba!) \nDr. Iain Kerr\, CEO of Ocean Alliance (founded by Dr. Roger Payne in 1971)\, an innovator of non-invasive assessment techniques like SnotBot®\, a drone-based method of collecting health data non-invasively from free-ranging whales. The blow samples that SnotBot® collects contain DNA\, stress and pregnancy hormones\, microbiomes\, and possibly other indicators of the animal’s health. Iain has run over 40 expeditions in 20 countries and has been recognized as a Visionary Leader by the Annenberg Foundation. \nRegister for the webinar here. \nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday October 21st\, 2021\, at 4 pm Eastern Time.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/poop-snot-and-blow-noninvasive-health-assessment-in-cetacean-sanctuaries/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210930T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210930T171500
DTSTAMP:20210917T174816Z
CREATED:20210917T165958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210917T174816Z
UID:7603-1633017600-1633022100@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Cetacean Sanctuaries: Centers for the Study of Natural Communication
DESCRIPTION:Whale and dolphin communication has been studied in captivity and in the wild. Sanctuaries will provide a more natural setting than aquariums\, along with a potentially more accessible and convenient way of studying communication among whales than in the wild. Therefore\, sanctuaries are places that can catalyze ways to validate and explore innovative methods of studying whale communication. \nIn this webinar we explore the various ways whale communication can be studied in sanctuaries with pioneers who are taking the study of whale and dolphin communication to the next level. \n\nThursday September 30th: 4:00 – 5:15 pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\n\nParticipants\nDr. Valeria Vergara has conducted groundbreaking studies of beluga whale communication both in captivity and in the wild and is well-known for her discovery of contact calls between beluga whale mothers and calves and between adults\, and for illuminating the impacts of underwater noise on beluga communication. \nAza Raskin is co-founder and executive director of the Earth Species Project\, a nonprofit organization devoted to decoding nonhuman communication and creating better interspecies understanding. He is also co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology. \nDr. Brenda McCowan is a biological anthropologist interested in vocal and social complexity in primates and cetaceans as a means to enhance their welfare and conservation. She and her colleagues use information theory (among other tools) to assess the diversity\, complexity\, and development of communicative repertoires across a wide range of species. \nDr. David Gruber is the founder and lead of Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative)\, an interdisciplinary project aimed at decoding sperm whale communication using advanced AI and non-invasive robotics. \nDr. James Crutchfield is a physicist whose interests are in the areas of complex systems and pattern discovery and how these can be applied to understanding nonhuman communication systems. \nRegister for the webinar here. \nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday September 30th\, 2021\, at 4 pm Eastern Time.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/cetacean-sanctuaries-as-centers-for-the-study-of-natural-communication/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Cetacean-Sanctuaries-Centers-Promo-640.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210715T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210715T170000
DTSTAMP:20210711T162004Z
CREATED:20210707T142348Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210711T162004Z
UID:7258-1626363000-1626368400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Big Brains in Small Spaces
DESCRIPTION:The Impact of Confinement on the Brains of Cetaceans and Elephants\nElephants and cetaceans (whales\, dolphins and porpoises) are socially complex and wide-ranging animals\, but these characteristics are incompatible with physical and mental welfare in the confined\, impoverished\, artificial environments of zoos and marine parks. \n\nThursday July 15th at 3:30pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\nIn this symposium\, we explore the potential harms of confinement in zoos and aquariums on the brains of elephants and cetaceans. We discuss the general brain mechanisms that come into play in all animals who are forced to live in chronically stressful\, impoverished and highly artificial environments. We describe the physical and mental abnormalities many elephants and cetaceans exhibit while living in zoos and marine parks. We also discuss the problematic ethics of keeping cetaceans and elephants captive in light of such harm. And we explore how sanctuaries can play a role in restoring the health and wellbeing of these animals. \nThis 90-minute live webinar will begin with four short\, pre-recorded videos on the following topics: \n\nNeurocaptivity: The impoverishment of the brain;\nNeuropsychiatric consequences of impoverished environments;\nConsequences of impoverished environments for the physical health of captive elephants and cetaceans;\nAutonomy and captive environments.\n\nThese will be followed by a live conversation and Q&A with webinar attendees. \nHosted by Lori Marino\, PhD\, neuroscientist and President of the Whale Sanctuary Project. \nGuests:\nBob Jacobs\, PhD\, Professor of Psychology\, Colorado College;\nL Syd Johnson\, PhD\, Associate Professor\, Center for Bioethics and Humanities\, Upstate Medical University;\nHeather Rally\, DVM\, Supervising Veterinarian\, Foundation to Support Animal Protection.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/big-brains-in-small-spaces/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210610T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210610T170000
DTSTAMP:20210602T011220Z
CREATED:20210602T005757Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210602T011220Z
UID:7195-1623340800-1623344400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:What Is an Authentic Sanctuary?
DESCRIPTION:Every year\, thousands of people pay good money to visit facilities that call themselves “sanctuaries” and offer an opportunity to visit with the animals\, maybe have a photo taken with them and\, in the case of elephants\, even ride them. \nBut are these places authentic sanctuaries? \nIn this webinar\, Dr. Lori Marino\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, and Charles Vinick\, Executive Director\, will talk about the four questions you need to ask before visiting any sanctuary. If the answer to any of them is Yes\, then it’s not an authentic sanctuary. \n\nThursday June 10th at 4 pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\nA sanctuary is by definition a place where the wellbeing of the residents is always the priority. And the good news is that there are already hundreds of first-class sanctuaries all over the world: for elephants\, big cats\, bears\, great apes and other animals. And while visitors can usually take a tour\, there are no rides and no close-up experiences\, and everyone stays at a respectful distance from the residents. \nAnd now sanctuaries for whales and dolphins are becoming a reality. And in this webinar\, Lori and Charles will bring us up to date on progress at the whale sanctuary site in Nova Scotia. They’ll also discuss how it can set the gold-standard so that more and more whales and dolphins can be retired from performing at entertainment parks and aquariums around the world. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday June 10th\, 2021\, at 4 pm Eastern Time.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/what-is-an-authentic-sanctuary/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210506T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210506T170000
DTSTAMP:20210429T144717Z
CREATED:20210429T135547Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210429T144717Z
UID:7118-1620316800-1620320400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Whales & Dolphins: Cultures of the Deep
DESCRIPTION:During the 18th and 19th centuries\, sperm whales were hunted down mercilessly with harpoons. But after a period of very prolific hunting\, the success of the whalers dropped dramatically. What happened? \nVery simply\, the whales devised a strategy to thwart the whalers and taught it to other whale populations. \nIn this webinar\, we talk with Dr. Hal Whitehead\, the world’s leading researcher on sperm whales about how these highly intelligent denizens of the deep use cultural transmission to protect each other and pass on their knowledge to future generations. \n\nThursday May 6th\, 2021 at 4 pm Eastern Time\nRegister for the webinar here.\n\nIn a recent paper\, Dr. Whitehead and his co-authors showed that the sperm whales learned defensive behaviors that reduced their risk of being killed during those early hunting expeditions. And the whales who experienced and survived a hunt passed their strategies on to other sperm whale populations. \nThis kind of learning was very rapid. And not too long ago\, it was considered taboo to talk about\, let alone study\, culture in other animals. Culture – the transmission of learned behaviors – was considered unique to humans. \nBut field studies have developed to the point where the evidence for cultural transmission among many nonhuman species has become undeniable. And today\, the study of cultures is accepted as integral to an understanding of cetaceans\, great apes and many other animals. \nOrcas\, sperm whales\, beluga whales\, bottlenose dolphins\, and many other cetaceans possess unique cultural traditions that differentiate groups on the basis of dialect\, social norms\, hunting strategies and other dimensions of their social lives. \nIn this webinar\, Dr. Lori Marino\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, will be talking with Dr. Whitehead about his pioneering work on culture in dolphins and whales that has brought to light how sophisticated and intelligent these aquatic mammals are. They’ll discuss other forms of dolphin and whale culture in communication\, social relationships\, feeding\, and even tool use. \nAnd they’ll talk about how\, because each cetacean group is a unique culture\, when that group is endangered so are all the traditions and wisdom they’ve developed – never to be replaced. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday May 6th\, 2021 at 4 pm Eastern Time.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/whales-dolphins-cultures-of-the-deep/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210415T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210415T170000
DTSTAMP:20210408T142545Z
CREATED:20210407T181653Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210408T142545Z
UID:7099-1618502400-1618506000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Judges Say the Darndest Things!
DESCRIPTION:Great apes\, elephants and cetaceans (whales and dolphins) all demonstrate autonomy – a classic hallmark of personhood. Yet the effort to recognize nonhuman animals as legal persons in courts of law remains an uphill struggle to overcome the inherent biases in how we humans view other animals. \nNone of us are exempt from experiencing bias\, but judges are in the unique position of weighing and deciding upon scientific\, philosophical and legal arguments put forth on behalf of nonhuman animals. \nIn its work to secure legal rights for other animals\, the Nonhuman Rights Project has the unenviable task of not only delivering cogent arguments about the cognitive characteristics of elephants\, great apes and cetaceans\, but also overcoming inherent confirmation biases in our society about the abilities of these animals\, including the “giggle factor” that prevents us from even taking the matter seriously. \nIn this live webinar\, we will explore these issues from a scientific\, philosophical and legal perspective\, focusing on the ways many courtroom judges reflect our society’s biases against animals. We give examples of what judges have said that reveal this mindset. And we discuss ways we can overcome these challenges to attain legal rights for animal clients. \nThis webinar is a joint event between the Whale Sanctuary Project and the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, April 15th at 4:00 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/judges-say-the-darndest-things/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210403T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210403T150000
DTSTAMP:20210329T195325Z
CREATED:20210329T192911Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210329T195325Z
UID:7093-1617458400-1617462000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:World Aquatic Animal Day - Special Event
DESCRIPTION:At this special event from the Lewis & Clark Center for Animal Law\, Dr. Lori Marino will talk about The Whale Sanctuary Project – Creating A New Future for Captive Cetaceans. \nDr. Marino will discuss the growing evidence for poor health and well-being in captive cetaceans and why she founded the Whale Sanctuary Project as an alternative to concrete tanks in entertainment parks. \nShe will also explain the difference between an authentic sanctuary and places that just call themselves sanctuaries. \nAnd then she’ll talk about the beluga and orca sanctuary being created in Nova Scotia and why cetacean sanctuaries are the way of the future. \nRegister here. And you can learn more about the event here.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/world-aquatic-animal-day-special-event/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20210302T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20210302T160000
DTSTAMP:20210223T144050Z
CREATED:20210222T192605Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210223T144050Z
UID:7017-1614697200-1614700800@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:"What I Wish I Could Ask a Whale"
DESCRIPTION:“In my aboriginal upbringing\, we were always taught that animals are our brothers and sisters. They are living beings like us. They have their own spirits\, they have their own families\, they have their own language. And when I think of it that way\, I see cetaceans as [our] equals.” \n \nThat’s the perspective that Senator Daniel Christmas brought to the Canadian Senate in June 2018 as members were preparing to vote on Senate Bill S-203: The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act. \nDr. Lori Marino\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, had testified at the Senate committee hearings\, and Senator Christmas has since become an enthusiastic supporter of the sanctuary. \nIn the upcoming webinar\, the Senator joins Lori for a conversation about the whale sanctuary and how it will affect captive whales\, and also about how whales feature in the Senator’s aboriginal Mi’kmaq culture. Her questions include: \n\nIn your speech to the Canadian Senate you said you wished it had been possible to hear directly from a beluga whale. What would you have liked to ask them?\nMi’kmaq culture includes the concept that whales are our equals and that a human can “become” a whale or another animal\, and vice versa. In what sense is that the case?\nOne of the Mi’kmaq cultural heroes has a close relationship with a spirit whale who carries him across the ocean. What is their relationship and what is its significance?\n\nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions\, too\, or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Tuesday\, March 2nd at 3:00 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/what-i-wish-i-could-ask-a-whale/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Daniel-Christmas-640.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210130T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20210130T150000
DTSTAMP:20210128T191629Z
CREATED:20210121T183748Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210128T191629Z
UID:6977-1612015200-1612018800@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:The Science of Whales - American Cetacean Society Conference
DESCRIPTION:Dr. Lori Marino will be speaking on the topic of “The Whale Sanctuary Project: Scholar Advocacy in Action at the conference of the American Cetacean Society.” \nThe topic of the conference is “SCIENCE OF WHALES: Understanding the History – Informing Conservation Today.” \nThe American Cetacean Society brings education\, current research\, and critical conservation issues to people who care about cetaceans and the habitats on which they depend. Its National Student Coalition hosts monthly speakers\, provides volunteer opportunities\, and conducts citizen science projects to benefit cetacean education\, conservation and research. \nDr. Marino will talk about the work of the Whale Sanctuary Project in the context of scholar advocacy – how we can transform our relationships with nonhuman animals from exploitation to respect by combining academic scholarship with animal advocacy. \nMany students are still taught that science and advocacy are two separate paths and that a scientist cannot also be an advocate. Along with many other scientists\, Dr. Marino argues that effective advocacy has to be based in science and that scientists have a duty to bring their knowledge to bear on the critically important social issues of our time. \nRegister for the conference here.\nThe conference is on Saturday January 30th.\nAll times are Pacific Standard Time.\nDr. Marino’s address is scheduled at 2:00 pm PT\nFor those wishing to attend the full conference\, it begins with opening remarks at 9:30 am PT. \nHere is the schedule. (Once again\, all times are Pacific Standard Time.)
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/the-science-of-whales-american-cetacean-society-conference/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/ACS-Promo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20201217T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20201217T163000
DTSTAMP:20210715T150914Z
CREATED:20201210T220338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210715T150914Z
UID:6948-1608219000-1608222600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Keiko’s Legacy
DESCRIPTION:How the “Free Willy” whale inspires North America’s first whale sanctuary\nRegister for the webinar here. \nWhat is Keiko the orca’s legacy? \nKeiko\, you will recall\, had been captured in 1979 and taken from his family in the Icelandic ocean to Marineland Canada and was then sold to an amusement park in Mexico City where he was housed in a small\, shallow tank\, insufficient for an adult male orca to thrive. \nIn 1992\, Warner Brothers began filming Keiko for his part in a movie that would tell the story of Jesse\, a foster boy who befriends a captive orca named Willy and helps him escape back to the ocean. \nThe film became a major box office success\, spawning three sequels\, a television series and a video game. \nUnlike the character he was playing\, however\, Keiko himself didn’t get to leave the tank in which he was being housed at the amusement park. (His “stunt double” in the action sequences was an animatronic model.) \nHowever\, that was not the end of the story. After seeing the movies\, tens of thousands of children wrote letters pleading for the return of the real-life whale to the ocean. \nAs a result of this passionate outcry\, Keiko was indeed rescued\, and in 1996 he was brought to a specially built large pool in Oregon\, where he was treated for multiple health conditions. Two years later\, he was flown to a bay on an island off the coast of Iceland\, where he spent four years going on ocean “walks”\, learning to catch his own fish\, and introducing himself to wild orcas\, all with full-time care while preparing for a life in the open ocean. \nSeveral of us on the Whale Sanctuary team today worked together 20 years ago as part of that amazing project. Indeed\, it was led by Charles Vinick\, who is today Executive Director of the Whale Sanctuary Project. It was an invaluable and rewarding experience\, and one that informs much of our work today. \nSo\, what is Keiko’s legacy? Join Charles in an inspiring discussion about Keiko’s reintroduction to the wild and how our sanctuary in Nova Scotia will give other captive whales a chance to get “back to nature.” \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, December 17th at 3:30 pm ET\, 6:30 pm PT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/keikos-legacy/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20201119T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20201119T163000
DTSTAMP:20201111T190116Z
CREATED:20201111T185034Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20201111T190116Z
UID:6854-1605799800-1605803400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Chimpanzees and Dolphins: From Research Subjects to Legal Persons
DESCRIPTION:Mary Lee Jensvold\, PhD\, Primate Communication Scientist and Associate Director\, Fauna Foundation \nLori Marino\, PhD\, Neuroscientist\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project and of The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy. \nChimpanzees and dolphins have been used extensively in research. Ironically for chimpanzees\, it’s because of their close genetic relationship with humans\, and for dolphins it’s because of their seemingly divergent relationship from humans. \nChimpanzees are used in invasive biomedical research as well as cognitive-behavioral studies. Captive dolphins are used primarily in cognition studies. \nDrs. Marino and Jensvold have spent many years as researchers studying these large-brained\, highly social and self-aware mammals. Each of them\, independently\, became scholar-advocates for their research subjects. Each of them used their scientific skills\, expertise and experience to advocate for the protection\, welfare and rights of their subjects. Both of them have come to the conclusion that these animals do not belong in captivity and that since they don’t have the survival skills to enable them to be returned to the wild\, sanctuaries are the only ethical and practical way to give back what has been taken from them. \nIn this webinar Dr. Jensvold and Dr. Marino explore the parallel paths they have taken and discuss such topics as: \n\nHow each of them became a scholar-advocate for the animals they study;\nWhat life is like for chimpanzees and dolphins in captive research;\nHow certain chimpanzees and dolphins made a deep\, personal impression on each of them;\nTheir work to have these animals recognized as legal persons with certain fundamental rights;\nWhy sanctuaries are the ethical alternative to cages and tanks.\n\nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, November 19th at 3:30 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/chimpanzees-and-dolphins-from-research-subjects-to-legal-persons/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Chimp-and-Dolph-Promo-640b.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20201029T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20201029T163000
DTSTAMP:20201024T184143Z
CREATED:20201023T210638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20201024T184143Z
UID:6835-1603985400-1603989000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:A Deep Dive at the Sanctuary Site
DESCRIPTION:Register for the webinar here. \nWhat’s multibeam sonar? How about an ADCP? Or a benthic survey? Water and sediment sampling (OK\, that’s an easy one!) Spend an hour with Charles and Amanda and you’ll know what the Whale Sanctuary team has been doing in the bay at Port Hilford. (You’ll even sound like an expert\, too!) \nTo ensure that the sanctuary can provide the quality of life that the whales deserve\, we need to know as much as possible about the bay\, the freshwater inlets and ponds nearby\, and of the lands surrounding the bay. \nSome of the things we have to understand are: \n\nthe ranges of water temperature;\nwhether there is runoff from the shore during storms and if it contains any detrimental pollution;\ndetails about currents\, tides and wave action and how these change during storms;\nwhether there are any underwater sounds that might disturb or alter whale behavior;\nand what other kinds of animals live in and around the bay.\n\nIn this webinar\, we’ll take you through some of the equipment the team has been using to gather all of this vital information. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, October 29th at 3:30 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/a-deep-dive-at-the-sanctuary-site/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200924T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200924T163000
DTSTAMP:20200921T174309Z
CREATED:20200916T202226Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200921T174309Z
UID:6576-1600961400-1600965000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Sanctuaries: A Global Movement for Urgent Times
DESCRIPTION:Sanctuaries have always represented the compassionate response to the harms of zoos and circuses. There are permanent sanctuaries for elephants\, primates\, bears\, big cats\, and many others. \nAnd now sanctuaries for cetaceans (dolphins\, whales and porpoises) are joining the movement and becoming the clear alternative to life in the concrete tanks of marine entertainment parks. \nIn this webinar we explore the growing global movement of wildlife sanctuaries with representatives from three taxa: elephants\, great apes and cetaceans. \nParticipants: \n\nLori Marino (host) – President\, the Whale Sanctuary Project \nCatherine Doyle – Director of Science\, Research and Advocacy\, Performing Animal Welfare Society\nMary Lee Jensvold – Primate Communication Scientist and Associate Director\, Fauna Foundation.\n\nTopics they will discuss include: \n\nWhy large\, highly social mammals cannot flourish in zoos and marine parks;\nSanctuaries as places of restoration and restitution;\nThe need for wildlife sanctuaries now more than ever;\nHow authentic sanctuaries can be distinguished from zoos and marine parks\, and why it is important to do so;\nSimilarities and differences among sanctuaries for elephants\, great apes and cetaceans;\nHow the sanctuary and zoo/marine park communities can work together for a better future for wild animals\, and how we can help each other to succeed.\n\nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, September 24th at 3:30 pm EDT\, 12.30 pm PDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/sanctuaries-a-global-movement-for-urgent-times/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200910T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200910T163000
DTSTAMP:20200904T153001Z
CREATED:20200904T145600Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200904T153001Z
UID:6557-1599751800-1599755400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Dolphin Dialogues: A Conversation with Dr. Denise Herzing
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a conversation between pioneering dolphin researcher Dr. Denise Herzing and Whale Sanctuary Project President Dr. Lori Marino as they explore the world of dolphin societies\, communication and personhood. \nThey’ll talk about Denise’s decades-long work with a society of free-ranging dolphins\, what it means to observe dolphin etiquette (!)\, and her ground-breaking studies using machine learning and artificial intelligence to understand dolphin communication. And they’ll explore the question of how close we are to really “decoding” dolphin dialogues. \nFinally\, they’ll discuss whether dolphins have the degree of advanced cognition and autonomy to be recognized as “persons” with certain fundamental legal rights. \nDr. Denise Herzing is Founder and Research Director of the Wild Dolphin Project\, a 32-year study of the Atlantic spotted dolphins inhabiting Bahamian waters. \nJoin us for this deep dive with one of the leading dolphin field researchers in the world. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, September 10th at 3:30 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/dolphin-dialogues-a-conversation-with-dr-denise-herzing/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Dolphin-Dialogues-640.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200903T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200903T213000
DTSTAMP:20200902T145431Z
CREATED:20200901T234404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200902T145431Z
UID:6552-1599166800-1599168600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:How Our Short Film ”Whales Without Walls” Is Making Waves on the Film Festival Circuit
DESCRIPTION:Whales Without Walls was intended to be a brief intro to the work of the Whale Sanctuary Project. But it turned out to be a compelling short film that could be submitted to film festivals to reach an even wider audience with our mission. \nIn January of this year\, the film premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and has since gone on to make waves on the film festival circuit\, highlighting the pressing need for seaside sanctuaries as an alternative to captivity for these intelligent\, socially complex animals who can never thrive in concrete tanks at marine entertainment parks. \nSince its premiere\, the film has gone on to win awards and official selection status at six other film festivals \nThis Thursday\, September 3rd\, as part of their online series “Film Talk\,” the Santa Barbara International Film Festival will feature Charles Vinick\, Executive Director of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, for a discussion about Whales Without Walls and our progress in the creation of the sanctuary itself. \nA Q&A period will follow the discussion. \nThursday\, September 3rd at 9:00pm ET\, 6:00pm PT.\nPlease register at https://sbiff.org/filmtalk/ to attend.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/how-our-short-film-whales-without-walls-is-making-waves-on-the-film-festival-circuit/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/SBIFF_FilmTalk-640.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200827T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200827T163000
DTSTAMP:20200822T132745Z
CREATED:20200822T003733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200822T132745Z
UID:6489-1598542200-1598545800@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:How I Fell in Love with the Cetacean Brain!
DESCRIPTION:We all know that dolphins and whales (cetaceans) are highly intelligent\, but what we’ve discovered about cetacean brains in recent decades has rewritten our understanding of how complex intelligence evolves. \nOver 95 million years ago\, a humble small-brained ancestor of both humans and cetaceans began to evolve in separate directions. Over the tens of millions of years that followed\, two different kinds of large complex brain emerged – each of them among the most sophisticated on the planet. \nDr. Lori Marino\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, has been studying cetacean brains for more than 30 years. And every year\, we’ve been learning more and more amazing things about them. \n“Five years ago\,” she says\, “when we used a special imaging technique to study the brain of a dolphin (who had died naturally)\, we were astonished by what we learned.” What she and her colleagues had discovered is that while we humans and most other animals have a single pathway from the inner ear up to the first ‘stopover’ for auditory information coming into the brain\, it turns out that dolphins have two! \nWhat does this mean? Could it mean that they process echolocation echoes in one region of the brain and whistles and other sounds in an altogether region? “We’re still trying to understand how these two kinds of sound information come together.” \nIt’s just one of the endlessly fascinating questions Dr. Marino will be exploring with us in the upcoming seminar “How I Fell in Love with Cetacean Brains.” \nBut be careful: you may fall in love\, too! \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, August 27th at 3:30 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/how-i-fell-in-love-with-cetacean-brain/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200820T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200820T163000
DTSTAMP:20200813T233641Z
CREATED:20200813T233401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200813T233641Z
UID:6314-1597937400-1597941000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Jean-Michel Cousteau and Charles Vinick – a Conversation
DESCRIPTION:For over five decades Jean-Michel Cousteau – explorer\, environmentalist\, educator and film producer – has dedicated himself and his vast experience to communicate to people of all nations and generations his love and concern for our water planet and all its inhabitants.   \nIn this special webinar event Jean-Michel Cousteau and Whale Sanctuary Project Executive Director Charles Vinick will discuss their 40 years of collaboration\, ocean advocacy\, and the protection of whales. They will also talk about what became the biggest whale rescue in history: the return of 97 whales to the ocean after they had been illegally captured in Russia for sale to marine parks. \nJean-Michel\, founder and President of Ocean Futures Society\, is a voice for the ocean and an esteemed advisor for the Whale Sanctuary Project. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, August 20th at 3:30 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/jean-michel-cousteau-and-charles-vinick-a-conversation/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200813T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200813T163000
DTSTAMP:20200806T152129Z
CREATED:20200805T211255Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200806T152129Z
UID:6283-1597332600-1597336200@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Beluga Babble: A Conversation with Dr. Valeria Vergara
DESCRIPTION:Belugas are known for their rich communicative style and the wide variety of sounds they make\, earning them the nickname “canaries of the sea.” \nLori Marino talks with the newest member of the Whale Sanctuary Project team\, Dr. Valeria Vergara\, from Ocean Wise Conservation Association in Vancouver\, about her years-long studies of beluga whale communication. They’ll chat about Valeria’s groundbreaking work on beluga whale mother-calf communication and her findings that beluga calves babble a lot like human babies. \nValeria has also found that belugas possess signature calls that function like individual names. She’ll show us some of her ongoing field research with the belugas of the St. Lawrence Estuary in Canada and how she is trying to understand how sound pollution affects the ability of mothers and calves to stay together in this endangered population. And Lori will ask Valeria about the ways her research might be applied to learning about how captive belugas adapt to a seaside sanctuary. \nJoin us for a fascinating conversation with this leading scientist in beluga whale communication and behavior. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, August 13th at 3:30 pm EDT
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/beluga-babble-a-conversation-with-dr-valeria-vergara/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200730T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200730T163000
DTSTAMP:20200724T231349Z
CREATED:20200724T171926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200724T231349Z
UID:6224-1596123000-1596126600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Reintroducing Keiko to the Wild – the “Free Willy” Whale
DESCRIPTION:Remember Keiko\, the captive whale who became famous from the “Free Willy” films? \nRescued from an entertainment park in Mexico\, Keiko was returned to his native waters of Iceland in 1998. And two members of the Whale Sanctuary Project were key members of Keiko’s team: Jeff Foster\, who was the Director of Field Operations and Research\, and Charles Vinick\, who served as Project Director in Iceland. \nCharles and Jeff will be joining us for a fascinating conversation about what it was like returning the famous whale to his natural habitat\, and how that amazing experience informs their work for the Whale Sanctuary Project. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nBring your questions or send them in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, July 30th at 3:30 pm EDT
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/recalling-keiko-the-free-willy-whale/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/wp-content/uploads/CJKeiko-720-a.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200723T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200723T210000
DTSTAMP:20200717T143314Z
CREATED:20200717T140820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200717T143314Z
UID:6178-1595538000-1595538000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Scholar Advocacy in Marine Mammal Science
DESCRIPTION:Are you a student or young professional studying marine mammals who also wants to advocate for their protection from exploitation? \nStudents are often told that they can either study marine mammals as scientists or they can become advocates for marine mammals\, but they can’t do both. Scientists\, they are told\, have to be purely “objective” about how they relate to the animals they study. \nCertainly\, the scientific method is objective\, but there is no conflict between being scrupulously objective in following the scientific method and then using the results to advocate for change in the world. Indeed\, it takes advocacy based in science to drive the cultural shift that’s taking place in how we relate to nonhuman animals. \nIn this webinar\, five scholar-advocates for marine mammals explore this issue with you and offer advice on how you\, too\, can be a scientist and an effective advocate for marine mammals both free-ranging and captive. \nRegister for the webinar here.\nYou may also send in questions in advance by email.\nAnd then join us on Thursday\, July 23rd at 9:00 pm EDT.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/scholar-advocacy-in-marine-mammal-science/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200714T210000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200714T220000
DTSTAMP:20200707T171532Z
CREATED:20200706T175118Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200707T171532Z
UID:6149-1594760400-1594764000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Chronic Stress in Captive Orcas – Webinar
DESCRIPTION:Join Drs. Lori Marino\, Naomi Rose and Veronica Slootsky for a discussion of their findings on the impact of chronic stress in captive orcas. \nPeople often assume that orcas in marine parks have a stress-free life with regular veterinary care\, daily nutrition\, and no outside dangers. But years of accumulated evidence has revealed that these whales live shortened lives characterized by high mortality rates from infections\, abnormal behaviors and emotional dysregulation. \nOur three panelists were part of a unique collaboration of six experts across the fields of marine mammal science\, veterinary science\, internal medicine and psychiatry. Together\, they examined the welfare of orcas living in concrete tanks and concluded that living at marine parks is the very opposite of stress-free. Instead\, they found that captive orcas experience five major sources of chronic stress. \nIn this webinar they will discuss those sources of stress\, explain how chronic stress impacts the brain\, behavior and susceptibility to disease\, and suggest a new sanctuary-based paradigm as an alternative to living in concrete tanks. \nFor more information and background\, check out their study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior. \nYou can send in your questions to the panelists ahead of time by email.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/chronic-stress-in-captive-orcas-webinar/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20200709T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20200709T160000
DTSTAMP:20200702T122713Z
CREATED:20200626T172216Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200702T122713Z
UID:6104-1594308600-1594310400@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Carl Safina on the Culture of Whales and Other Animals
DESCRIPTION:3.30 – 4.00 pm Eastern Time\nLive on Facebook \nA conversation with famed biologist Carl Safina about his new book “Becoming Wild – How Animal Cultures Raise Families\, Create Beauty and Achieve Peace.” \nCarl brings us close to the cultures of three non-human animals: sperm whales\, scarlet macaws and chimpanzees. He offers a glimpse into what they do\, why they do it\, and how life is for them. He shows us how they teach and learn\, and how their cultures are similar to ours in some ways and quite different in other ways. \nCarl’s previous book\, Beyond Words – What Animals Think and Feel took us into the world of orcas\, wolves and elephants and their unique personalities as they experience joy\, grief\, jealousy\, anger\, and love. The similarity between human and nonhuman consciousness\, self-awareness\, and empathy calls us to re-evaluate how we interact with our fellow animals. \nCarl is also a member of the board of the Whale Sanctuary Project\, and in this conversation\, we’ll talk with him about whales and other animals\, about some of his remarkable experiences in the wild\, and about what it all tells us about our own species: humans.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/carl-safina-on-the-culture-of-whales/
LOCATION:Facebook Live
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20200630T143000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20200630T153000
DTSTAMP:20200630T175409Z
CREATED:20200625T194825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200630T175409Z
UID:6095-1593527400-1593531000@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Animal Intelligence and the Search for Life Beyond Earth
DESCRIPTION:SORRY\, THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL & CANNOT ACCEPT MORE ATTENDEES.\n2.30 – 3.30 pm Pacific Time \nWhat can animal intelligence tell us about the possibility of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe? And how can the ways we recognize intelligence on our own planet inform how we might interact with extraterrestrial intelligence? \nLori Marino\, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project and a leading expert on the brains of whales and dolphins\, joins a group of astrobiologists to explore how what we know about these animals might give us insight into how intelligent life could evolve in other parts of the cosmos. \nHistorically\, humanity has believed we were the most advanced form of intelligence. Yet research is showing us there are other types of intelligence\, communication systems and even culture. If even bees can count\, what can animals with larger and more complex brains\, such as whales\, teach us? And if intelligence is not unique to humanity\, what are the implications for SETI and astrobiology? \nJoin Nathalie Cabrol\, astrobiologist and Director of the Carl Sagan Center and Lori Marino\, Whale Sanctuary Project founder\, neuroscientist and expert in animal behavior and intelligence for a discussion about how animal intelligence is integral to astrobiology. \nThis special presentation will be moderated by Simon Steel\, Senior Director of Education and STEM Programs at the SETI Institute.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/animal-intelligence-and-the-search-for-life-beyond-earth/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20200625T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20200625T140000
DTSTAMP:20200626T190920Z
CREATED:20200626T180648Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200626T190920Z
UID:6111-1593091800-1593093600@whalesanctuaryproject.org
SUMMARY:Let's Talk about Whale Brains!
DESCRIPTION:What neuroscience teaches us about whale intelligence. Whale Sanctuary Project President Dr. Lori Marino in conversation with Georgina Del Vecho about cognitive complexity\, autonomy and empathy in whales.\nLive on Instagram.
URL:https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/event/lets-talk-about-whale-brains/
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END:VCALENDAR