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Disentanglement
teams on around-the-clock watch to FREE WHALES
caught in nets but URGENTLY require two more
specialized whale disentanglement kits to save
lives. BABIES ARE BEING BORN NOW.
Please, help today! | |
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A
truly terrifying statistic is that every year,
more than 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises
die after getting entangled in fishing nets, with
devastating effects on the different species. Some
drown immediately, while those who survive
their initial entanglement endure many painful
months, ultimately bleeding out from deep
wounds or dying of starvation because
their ability to dive and feed is
impaired.
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The
situation is even more critical now because
peak calving season has begun along
the South African
coastline. | |
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The
risk to whales is particularly high in South
African waters which are part of humpback whales’
yearly migratory route and where southern right
and Bryde’s whales go to mate and give birth – in
areas where, to make matters worse, illegal
fishing is rife. Once whales get entangled in
fishing nets, they can’t dive as deep or as easily
which means they catch less food and slowly but
steadily become weaker, with fatal consequences.
When this happens to mother whales, they
struggle to nurse their calves while dragging
the fishing gear they are entangled in -
simultaneously while weakening from injuries they
may have sustained. | |
The
great whales of our seas barely escaped being
hunted to extinction. We cannot let fishing gear
entanglements push them over the edge. We can
have a positive impact - we can save lives -
but we need your continued
support. | |
| As the
international fishing industry grows, the problem
is getting worse. Fortunately, there are brave and
dedicated expert teams that put their lives on the
line to help free entangled whales. Our partner,
the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), responds
anywhere along the entire South African coastline
to free whales from life-threatening
entanglements. | |
These
highly trained teams are on 24-hour standby -
as soon as they get a report of an entangled
whale, they take to the
seas. | |
Vladimir, it is a
dangerous job, requiring skill and rigorous
training. NSRI volunteer teams must get close to
these stressed, giant wild animals - often in wild
open seas. Using specially designed knives and
hooks at the end of long poles, and working lines
and kedging buoys, they free the whales from
ropes and nets, while being careful to not cause
them further injury.
Freeing whales
requires specialized equipment. For this reason,
NSRI reached out to ASI for support in funding the
purchase of a whale disentanglement kit and
the training of 10 new disentanglement
experts. | |
Thanks
to your donations, we were able to fund this
urgent need…
but the scale of the problem
has increased. | |
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During
peak calving season for whales along the
South African coastline - which, again, is
right now -
even more newborn calves and their mothers are
at risk of becoming entangled in relentless
fishing gear. If we can raise another $2,000
(£1,500), we can fund the purchase of two
additional whale disentanglement kits for the
NSRI. $2,000 does not seem like a lot to make
a major contribution to the well-being of
whales.
Disentanglement procedures
are filmed to give researchers valuable
information about the identity of the animal, the
damage caused by the entanglement, and the size
and species of the whale. The teams also recover
the nets, buoys and ropes causing the entanglement
so that skin samples can be extracted to record
DNA information in the research
database. | |
We
must continue to help better equip the NSRI’s
expert whale disentanglement teams so we can save
more whale lives. Please, will you help
today? | |
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Climate
change, habitat loss, pollution, loss of food
sources, toxic substances, sonar testing and
incidental by-catch are just some of the dangers
these majestic animals still face. Global warming
and changes in food availability mean these whales
are spending longer periods in waters around
Southern Africa.
Migrating whales can
be seen along the country’s coastline from June up
until as late as December each year. We MUST
make sure the whale disentanglement teams at the
stations along the country’s coastline are fully
equipped to respond rapidly to all
whale-entanglement
reports. | |
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Help
us support the National Sea Rescue Institute and
its whale disentanglement efforts to help ensure
the whales along the South African coastline may
continue to live well-protected and free, and
capable of sustaining their
young. | |
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Saving
animals and the planet,
Campaigner
Animal
Survival International | |
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Image credits: Banner:
RobTarrPhotography_CatersNews; image 1:
KevinRhysClark_CATERSNEWS; image 2: NSRI; image 3:
NSRISimonstown_IOL; image 4:
DaveHurwitz_SAWDN | | |
| Please
share this appeal with your colleagues, friends
and family. | |
Add us to your address
book
Animal Survival
International UK
9 Bonhill
Street
London, London EC2A 4DJ
United
Kingdom
Animal Survival
International US
4957 Cross Pointe
Drive
Oldsmar, FL
34677
USA
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