Monday, 24 January 2011

Documentary: The Cove

Image from flickfreakdiaries
When I wrote Movie: Documentary -- The Cove, I haven't yet watched this movie, The Cove, and I thought dolphin therapy is a nice thing to do because dolphins can cure human beings, and if more people like dolphins, then no one would want to hurt them. In fact, I was wrong, and so was Richard O'Barry, the world's top dolphin trainer who captured and trained the world-famous dolphin Kathy, who acted in the TV series called Flipper.
Richard (Ric) O'Barry
Image from wikimedia

At the beginning of the 1960s, Richard O'Barry captured 5 dolphins himself and trained them such that the dolphins could perform for the TV series Flipper. At the beginning, it all seemed very happy as he would show the TV series Flipper to one of the dolphins named Kathy, said O'Barry,

"and she could tell the difference between herself and Suzy, who was another Flipper dolphin that was used. I knew then they were self-aware, and when you become conscious of this nonhuman intelligence, you realize after a while they don't really belong in captivity. But I didn't do anything about it. 
One day, it all ended."[1]

According to O'Barry, Kathy committed suicide in his arms.

"That's a very strong word, suicide. But you have to understand dolphins and other whales are not automatic air breathers, like we are. Every breath they take is a conscious effort. And so they can end their life whenever life becomes too unbearable by not taking the next breath.

Image from Divine Light Within
And it's in that context I use the word suicide. She did that. She swam into my arms and looked me right in the eye and... took a breath... and didn't take another one. I just let her go, and she sank straight down on her belly to the bottom of the tank. 


The next day, I was in the Bimini jail for trying to free a dolphin at the Lerner Marine Laboratory. That's how I reacted to it. I was going to free every captive dolphin I could.
  
I spent ten years building that industry up. And I spent the last 35 years trying to tear it down.
  
When I started out, there were only three dolphinariums. Today it's become a multi-billion-dollar industry. In all of these captures, we helped create the largest slaughter of dolphins on the planet."[1]


And this is what this movie is all about. Trying to free captivated dolphins and stop the world's killing of dolphins.
Image from sfgate.com
I would love to tell more details of this movie, but you are highly recommended to watch this documentary and judge the killing of dolphins by yourself, even though it is a very bloody one. I strongly believe that despite the horror you will see, it is crucial for the world to know what happen and how it happen, such that everyone in this world can understand the danger and stress faced by this highly intelligent "smiling" animal of the sea and join hands to protect them. I love dolphins and I don't hurt them, but I am too small and weak to make a difference in this matter. What I can do is educate the people around me and hopefully you can educate the people around you. Say if the entire Facebook population supports the protection of dolphins, whales, sharks and tunas, then the world will too smile!

Image from malibumag
I have included the entire The Cove movie here and in the English Playground's YouTube channel, and I have also added extra video clips to add onto the learning and conservation under Save the Dolphin NOW!!! playlist. However, please buy the DVD if you like the movie. 



And there are many more things you can do the help save the dolphins:
You can:

  1. volunteer to help in educating friends and families.
  2. join The Cove on Twitter and Facebook
  3. learn more from The Cove Blog
  4. donate to Save Japan Dolphins -- Save Japan Dolphins/Earth Island Institute is a top rated 4-star charity with Charity Navigator Rating service. 
  5. donate to Oceanic Preservation Society 
  6. join Twitter and follow Richard O'Barry to show support by messaging him words of encouragement.
  7. take the pledge not to buy a ticket to a dolphin show
  8. tell zoos and aquariums to stop aiding the dolphin killing
  9. sign the petition and letter to world leaders to end the slaughter (Facebook signature)
  10. tell a friend about this pledge campaign 
Lastly, a song for you all to listen to, the best song of the century. I hope some day, human can coexist with all sea animals. 

イルカを殺さないでください！Please STOP killing Dolphins!


Vocabulary:
unbearable -- (adj) too painful or unpleasant for you to continue to experience
slaughter -- (n) [S or U] the killing of many people cruelly and unfairly, especially in a war, [U] the killing of animals for meat


Resources:
Movie: Documentary -- The Cove @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/06/movie-documentary-cove.html


The Cove @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cove_(film)

The Cove @ IMDb
Imagine by John Lennon @ YouTube
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