Oh I know I know.
This is gonna earn me plenty more irate comments!
Anyway.
I've been remiss in not posting earlier about Shawn the Ecoterrorist's indefatigable efforts in trying to establish some sort of an economic alternative in Lamakera, one of the hot spots of Manta hunting in Indonesia. I was there, and in neighboring Lamalera where they Hunt Sperm Whales in the early eighties, and can attest that those hunts are their ancestral way of life - meaning that any change will, if at all, only eventuate slowly, and only if pursued in a respectful, consensual and culturally sensitive way.
But money talks, and should Shawn's project be embraced by, say, the fleet of Indonesian diving live-aboard vessels, then there is a real chance. Shoestring land-based ecotourism by enlightened travellers methinks not so much, as the economics are probably too feeble, and the logistics may prove to be prohibitive - but who knows, he is there and I am not, and he probably knows best.
Anyway, as always, huge kudos for trying!
And his co-conspirator, the f@$%ing mermaid?
Oh yes, turns out that it was really her!
And still, although that was an exercise in utter foolishness, and although I shall never really fathom the whole phenomenon of why people choose to dress up in fish tails, and why other people love that, I must reluctantly confess that I've become sort of a fan. No NOT of the mermaid thingy - but Hannah Fraser has a genuine wish to make a difference, does so in her own fashion = artistic expression, and probably really does make a real contribution.
Case in point, after her much reviled (and much more admired) Tiger Shark dance, she did launch this petition and was able to have over 8,000 anti-cull signatures hand delivered to both the WA EPA and the Federal Minister - and guess what, she just DID it and didn't brag about it!
Anyway, here is a recent interview I found rather endearing.
So well done and godspeed to both of them!
And before you ask - NO, there will be no f@$%ing mermaid bloody dancing with Bull Sharks in the SRMR anytime soon! :)
3 comments:
Nice piece of tail.
Meh, self promotion is self promotion.
Hannah swims with white sharks and tigers, oh my!
Some dim witted gal with no talent in AU fakes being eaten by a white shark or tiger, oh my!
Seriously, 8K online petition clicks and she's doing good work?
No.
She is creating a conservation space that NO ONE should copy, emulate, covet, or have designs upon...but for the simple fact she and her tribe are out there shilling her particular brand of conservation garbage to anyone with a laptop, screen, or pulse.
What she and others are doing is foolhardy at best.
Do not open Pandora's Box to the world of the Internet and call it anything but what it is, "self promotion."
To do anything else is a grave disservice to conservation, the animals you claim to care about, and to the natural world.
Sorry, but there's really no gray area here.
Love the animals. Respect the animals.
Do not reset interaction protocols with them and invite others to do so as well under some pulled from the arse excuse that you are in fact - saving them.
Oh, and nice tail.
Ha - I KNEW it!
Like I told Cough, Cough I Say, Cough!, that's obviously a mouthful of truth.
But methinks that this is part of an evolution, and that future exploits may be less controversial and possibly, more immediately goal oriented.
We shall see - for now, I'm optimistic.
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