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15 minute televison broadcast about KIVA
15 minute televison broadcast about KIVA When You Come to Visit ~ The Dolphins
In the islands, we are blessed with so many natural beauties and underwater wonders. One joy is our proximity to he spinner dolphins. We love watching them leap into the air, playfully spin and then disappear into the deep. Their aerial displays are extraordinary. However, the dolphins are potentially being threatened by the tremendous fascination that humans have for them. They come close to shore during their most vulnerable times. Dolphins are nocturnal and they rest and sleep in shallow waters. They also come close to shore to birth, nurse and mate. When we are not aware, our thrill in chasing them can be a serious harassment.
The Pacific Whale Foundation of Maui urges us to gently enter the ocean and simply rest with them. The dolphins adore conscious human interactions. They are players, so if they are in the mood, they will approach us. If we are still and receptive, they may even caress us. If they accept us into the pod, we are to swim with our arms beside our bodies and glide smoothly among them. If they do not approach, we can still enjoy the underwater sound of their whistles and clicks. They are intelligent and loving beings. If they have a member of the pod that is drowning, they lovingly carry the member on their backs to the surface, so that they may breathe from their blow spout until their strength is regained.
If you are interested in supporting the dolphin cause, the Foundation offers an “Adopt a Dolphin” program that supports further research. For more information, click Pacific Whale Foundation.
Humpback whales spend the summer in Alaska, where they feed and store enough energy to last the rest of the year. They do not feed during the seven months that they are in Hawaiian waters. November to May, they migrate to Hawaii to mate, calve and nurse their young. They attain speeds of up to 20 mph and travel 3500 miles between feeding and breeding areas in 30-39 days or less.
While in Hawaiian waters, they communicate with other populations as far away as the coast of Norway with the highest and lowest frequencies that humans can hear. A single song lasts 6-18 minutes and can be heard, while you swim underwater. We enjoy watching them frolic as they breach, tail and head slap the ocean’s surface. They gestate for a year. After mating in Hawaii, they travel to Alaska and then return to Hawaii to calve. When they give birth, the female comes very close to shore and then rests and nurses. Their newborn weighs 1.5 tons and is about 16 feet in length. The adult female is about 45 feet, while the male is 43. They weigh about 80,000 pounds. Humpbacks remain on the endangered species list, but this is presently being challenged.
When boating, the Pacific Whale Foundation asks that we travel slowly to avoid collisions that seriously harm the whales and calves by slashing them with the propeller. In fact, it is against the law to approach a pod closer than 100 feet. We are conscious of pollution and the use of home chemicals that find their way into the ocean. The pesticides used in farming also pose a threat to our ocean’s habitat. One of the most serious threats to both whales and dolphins is the Navy’s careless use of sonar, which with a few fundamental precautions, the harm could be avoided. Sonar destroys their hearing, causes hemorrhaging and confusion as evidenced in whales beaching in worldwide areas. Ignored by our Administration, the Navy continues to break environmental laws that protect the world’s whale populations. Like all, whales also face the immediate issues of global warming.
If you are ready to help and are interested in supporting the protection of paradise and its ocean life or marine research, conservation, education, or even adopt a whale, you may do so at http://www.pacificwhale.org. If you are interested in supporting the Natural Resources Defense Council’s action to enforce common sense precautions in sonar use, there is more information at http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/marine/sonar.asp. This organization also supports a wide range of legislation to protect our health and environment, our forests and natural resources, all animals, fish and birds on the Endangered Species List as well as their habitats.
And of course, the only truly significant change that can occur is within you. Self-discovery is the end of the delusion of ignorance and its illusory malady, suffering.
When You Come to Visit ~ The Whales
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