David Attenborough; The Early Years.

Unlike my usual ramblings, I am just posting a link to BBC iPlayer which has recently uploaded some of David Attenborough's earliest documentaries from around 1965! The format is black and white and is lies somewhere between his most recent series Africa and Human Planet. In this first episode, we are introduced to some birds from the area of the Zambezi as well as the native peoples of the Litunga. It's really really interesting, particularly almost 50 years on, so everyone should watch this!
Click Here to watch on iPlayer: Adventure; Zambezi Lord of the Land

Pussy Riot Members Masha and Nadya Finally Released. (Russia)

I wrote a blog post about a month and a half ago about Russian punk movement, "Pussy Riot", having watched the documentary 'Pussy Riot; A Punk Prayer'. The documentary had a significant effect on me and I continued to follow developments in their imprisonment for the following month and a bit.I woke up on Monday morning and checked my twitter account to discover that Masha had been released and was giving various interviews whilst Nadya was due to be released within the next half an hour.

Having gone on hunger strike in a protest against conditions in her prison, Nadya Tolokonnikova was 'transferred' to a different prison, however, she never made it to the next prison and disappeared in transit for around two weeks. There was much speculation that she was in a Siberian Gulag, the IK 50 prison in Nizhny Ingash, however, having travelled 3000 miles to find her, her husband discovered she was not there. What was scariest about her disappearance was that it felt so possible to me that she could have been dead- killed by the Russian government- in a bid to silence her protest and prevent a further uprising. Would they have done such a thing?

Well evidently not, as Putin has issued their release just two months before the end of the girls' two year sentence. Masha, nevertheless, denounced her release by a Kremlin-backed amnesty as a mere "publicity stunt". Putin is also looking to release many members of the Arctic 30, Greenpeace activists imprisoned for 'piracy', and Masha believes Putin is attempting to improve his country's image with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia so close around the corner.

Whilst the release of these Pussy Riot members is a great victory, there is a bitter undertone which demonstrates the unimproved state of their country despite their two years imprisonment. On her release, Tolokonnikova stated: "I am calling for a boycott [of the Olympics] for honesty. I'm calling [European countries] not to give in for fear of disrupting oil and gas deliveries from Russia[...] I don't consider this time spent in prison wasted. I have acquired a unique experience and it will be much easier for me to engage in human rights activities than before. I have matured and learned about the state from within. I have seen this small totalitarian machine as it is from the inside."

'Black Fish'- Killer Whales in Seaworld (USA)

About a month ago now, I became aware of a documentary film by Gabriela Cowperthwaite called Blackfish. The film revealed the shocking truths concealed by Sea World, regarding the deaths of three people at the hands of Tilikum, the "notoriously aggressive" orca.

I have discussed, previously, my thoughts regarding keeping such huge sea mammals and fish in captivity; essentially there is absolutely no way we can satisfy their needs or replicate their natural environment. What is, perhaps, worse about Sea World, as opposed to the whale sharks in Kaiyukan Aquarium, is that the killer whales are forced to perform and participate in arduous training purely for our entertainment. Sea World boast many bold claims regarding the positive side of keeping Killer Whales in captivity, one of which being that they are able to live longer than in the wild; a claim which is simply not true. Not only this, but the killer whales at Sea World are actually taken from their mothers in the wild. This scene in the documentary is particularly distressing as the family of these baby whales look on, crying out, as their new young are hoisted out of the ocean.

Sea World describes its collection of killer whales a 'family' which, as the documentary outlines, is outrageous. Killer Whales have been shown, like humans, to develop intensely powerful familial connections. The whales at Sea World were taken from all over the world- bought and sold as though we have any right to ownership of them- they are essentially different races and have no connection with each other whatsoever.

This is particularly evident when addressing whale-on-whale aggression in Sea World's tanks which was amplified by the excessively confined spaces they occupy. This aggression and even killing of fellow whales, is said to be unheard of in the wild. When a new killer whale in Sea World begins its training, the trainers use an 'accomplished' whale to demonstrate and carry out commands alongside the new whale. The new whale, unsurprisingly, is unable to perform to the same standard, yet when they do not perform the task correctly, the 'accomplished' whale is also not rewarded. This puts the accomplished whale into an intensely frustrating double bind scenario which, of course, results in severe aggression and bullying of the new whale. In one horrific scene, the film shows the death of 'Corki', a female whale who was rammed against the side of the tank by a dominant female, fracturing her jaw and severing an artery in her head. She bled to death in the tank.

Some of Sea World's antics- not okay.

The documentary challenges the glorified and romanticised image of the Sea World trainer and the intensely desirable relationships they are seen to share with the whales. Interviews with many ex-trainers reveal that in working at Sea World, they became deeply aware of the ethical issues behind keeping whales in captivity, as well as recognising the dangerously unpredictable behaviour this causes in whales. They are often placed in rectangular tanks the width and length of their bodies, and in complete darkness. Is this a punishment? A psychologist in the documentary outlines that the conditions the whales are kept in, of course, lead to severe mental illness. They are essentially institutionalised and their behaviour is not conventional of wild Orca.

There is apparently no record of Killer Whale attacks on humans in the wild. Yet Tilikum has been responsible for the deaths of three humans in 1991, 1999 and 2010. The most recent was Dawn Brancheau, an established Sea World trainer, who was apparently pulled into the water by her pony tail. This was a statement from Sea World, who also stated that if Dawn were alive she would have said it was her fault. They shamelessly placed the blame upon an innocent woman who was not present to defend herself, as opposed to confronting the ethical and psychological issues with containing such intelligent, roaming animals in such limited conditions. Tilikum, now considered too dangerous to participate in shows, is retained alone in a separate tank where he is essentially used as a sperm bank to impregnate younger female whales. Almost able to recognise the futility of his own life, he no longer swims and, instead, floats aimlessly with his just above the surface; an image of complete tragedy.

The brain of the killer whale has been demonstrated to possess a entire part, affecting emotional intelligence, which the human brain simply does not have. We are unable to empathise with Killer Whales because they have no visual characteristics similar to ourselves, yet they are more intelligent than us. I have had a serious problem with the entire concept of Sea World for a prolonged amount of time now and felt Blackfish really supported my issues regarding the park. It is yet another example of humanity's unjust dominance over the wildlife of the world and our capitalist exploitation of nature. 

You can watch Blackfish online in many places as well as "taking action" here.

Pussy Riot; A Punk Prayer (Russia)

Having heard so much about the anonymous Russian feminist group "Pussy Riot" and their continuing protests again Putin and his authoritarian regime, I watched the BBC documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer. The movement is a non-violence, punk, political protest group comprising of around 11 young women, who perform in public places in brightly coloured balaclavas. At the beginning of 2012, three members of the Pussy Riot movement were arrested on charges of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" for performing a protest piece in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Maria 'Masha' Alekhina, Nadezhda 'Nadya' Tolokonnikova, and Yekaterina 'Katya' Samutsevich all then faced the possibility of facing three years inprisonment; a sentence which caused a great deal of controversy. In October Katya was found not guilty of the charges after an appeal, due to the fact that she was seized before she was able to pick up her guitar and join the performance.

What struck me the most as I watched the documentary, was the incongruous expression of calm on the faces of all three women throughout their prosecution. They were faced with the hard truth that their country's justice system was clearly attempting to make an example of their rebelliousness and prove that such opposition will not be tolerated; yet they were collected and composed throughout the entirety of their trial. They held their heads high, often with a slight smile on their faces as they were individually pulled through a sea of camera lenses. This solidarity, combined with Nadya's enigmatic air, is so absolutely intriguing to a Western woman of similar age such as myself. I can relate to these women and yet their lives are so unlike my own; I have never lived in a dictatorship, I have never held such a hatred of my country's leader and, although I have felt oppression of women, I have not felt it as they have. If Great Britain was under leadership of a ruler like Putin, would I too have risen up to make a stand? 

They care so fervently for the beliefs of their movement that they have sacrificed two years of raising their children (both Masha and Nadya have 5-year-old children). The brutal and excessive nature of their punishment serves only to support the accusations Pussy Riot are making as regards to the Russian government and about Putin being a dictator. It seems all too reminiscent of Hitler's totalitarian rule, and his treatment of those who opposed him. This, combined with strict legislation against the LGBT community of Russia instigated by Putin, as well as the aforementioned Arctic 30 detainment, demonstrates the concerning state of political and judicial Russia and is, perhaps, also an indication of the troubling state of things to come...

You can watch the full documentary Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, here and get more further information and specific updates from the Free Pussy Riot website.

Greenpeace "Pirates" of the Arctic Sea. (Russia)

You may or may not have heard about the Arctic 30 (if you haven't by now then what are you seriously doing with your day?), a group of 28 Greenpeace activists and 2 Journalists being detained in Russian prison, facing charges of piracy.

The group were protesting peacefully aboard Greenpeace ship "Arctic Sunrise", attempting to bring further light to the increasing environmental risks of oil drilling in the Arctic Waters. Their two main motives for protest were, unsurprisingly, (a.) the fossil fuel industry's contribution to climate change and thus destruction of the Arctic ecosystem, as well as (b.) the more direct threat of oil spillage and damage to the biodiversity of the Arctic. On their website they state:

The fragile Arctic is under threat from both climate change and oil drilling. As climate change melts the Arctic ice, oil companies are moving in to extract more of the fossil fuels that caused the melt in the first place. But above the Arctic circle, freezing temperatures, a narrow drilling window and a remote location mean that an oil spill would be almost impossible to deal with. It's a catastrophe waiting to happen. Greenpeace is working to halt climate change and to stop this new oil rush at the top of the world.

 The group were seized at gunpoint aboard their ship last month and are now being detained by Russian Authorities who claim the arrest was "pure provocation". Since, and particularly yesterday (5th October), there have been worldwide protests outside Russian embassies, calling for the release of the Arctic 30 group which includes 6 Britons.

The Artic Sunrise.

The sentence for piracy in Russia is up to 15 years, and this is the reality the captives could potentially face if they are not freed. It seems an out-of-proportion reaction to dealing with peaceful protesters yet it purely demonstrates the inconvenient truth people are attempting to silence. This Russian state-controlled firm "Gazprom" regards these protesters as mere obstacles in their path to oil and, consequently, money and therefore scapegoat them, seeking any reason to eradicate them.

Vivienne Westwood at the 5th October Protest in London.

However, with protests for their freedom swiftly gaining momentum it seems the Russians will soon be unable to ignore such worldwide outrage and will, hopefully, free these innocent activists... Or could this potentially lead to something more ominous?

So far, 1052494 emails have been sent to Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko (Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United Kingdom) and you can send one too via the Greenpeace website.
Follow @gp_Sunrise on Twitter to get regular updates on developments in the fight to free the Arctic 30 and further information on how you can get involved.

Kaiyukan Aquarium, and "The Cove" (Japan)

I've just returned from a month-long adventure with my boyfriend Harry, travelling around the fascinating, endearing and intensely different country of Japan, and therefore to base my first post around some of my Japanese findings, only seems fitting.

Almost accidentally, we ended up in Osaka in the final week of our trip, due to outrageously expensive trains and buses and (despite our ruthless saving) a distinct lack of funds! Having spent four days in the city of Kyoto with its rich cultural history, we were at a bit of a loss for what to see in the huge metropolitan mass of Osaka. The "Rough Guide to Japan", which basically became our bible on the trip, informed us that Osaka was home to the largest and most incredible Aquarium in Japan. We went along, subconsciously imagining it to be as ethical and 'conservation-friendly' as so many aquariums and zoos in the United Kingdom have now become, but how very optimistic we were...

Kaiyukan Aquarium- looks appealing right?

Whilst the array of marine life was vastly broad (with the addition of a strange selection of land animals) and despite being truly amazing to experience in the flesh, we felt the conditions weren't brilliant. 

The tanks and enclosures seemed very over-crowded and small, with most shaped like a thin, flat corridor in order to maximise the sightings of animals the visitors would receive. Undeniably the most tragic and heart-breaking thing we saw was two whale sharks confined to a 9m deep and circa 25m wide tank.

This shark's dorsal fin is bent, due to consistent pacing in circles in the centre of the tank.

The sheer size of these animals is hard to establish from this photo as there isn't much scope, however this image provides a staggering comparison... It can almost be likened to keeping an elephant in a pig pen.

And THIS in an aquarium! Pure shame on you, Japan...

One shark swam slowly in a circle in the centre of the tank which, over time, had caused its dorsal fin bow to one side, almost seeming to express its sad deflation. The other shark paced around the edge of the tank at the surface, just above the viewing glass which surrounded the tank allowing shrieking visitors to peer in from three different tiers. The aquarium had included some extremely basic information boards about damage to ecosystems around the world, yet there was no mention of conservation or their contribution to this!

Harry going mad for his favourite animal in the aquarium...

With the aquarium's main events being featured as these whale sharks and the four dolphins confined to an even smaller tank, it was very hard to enjoy the aquarium as a whole! Particularly with the knowledge that some 23 000 dolphins and porpoises are slaughtered with harpoons and knives in a cove in Taiji, Wakayama annually in September (it was September 5th!). The number of dolphins killed in this butchery is said to be several times greater than the number of whales killed in the Antarctic.

Are dolphins their friends?

Its a kind of strange, perverse irony that alongside this massacre, as well as Japan's consistent campaign for whaling, the country is scattered with cute cartoon dolphins and whales, which are used as mascots for all manner of things! On the subway, a wide-eyed caricature of a dolphin reminds passengers to be cautious of the doors; in a supermarket, a friendly whale indicates the location of baskets; statues in the streets of Tokyo; hashioki...

'Hashioki'- or, chopstick rests.

Is it really Japan's best kept secret or are the masses purely choosing to ignore it? Japan is an intensely dazzling and truly incredible country with the most forgiving and hospitable people I've ever encountered and their efforts towards world peace are extremely honourable, yet the country's somewhat lacking contribution towards conservation and the environment should not go un-noticed.



For more information on the Taiji annual dolphin hunt, watch The Cove- a documentary by former National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos and sign the petition to help save Japan's dolphins and porpoises!
(Here's a link to the full film)