Author - Christophe Lim

“I paint flowers so they will not die.” — Frida Kahlo

Dear friend,

Frida Kahlo recognised the ephemeral quality of flowers — that they last a very short time, and she tried to preserve their beauty by painting them! There are many things in life that we wish would last a long, long time — a cherished friendship, a well-loved toy, that last bite of our favourite snack, or simply a moment of happiness. How would you make them last? How would you “paint” them?

– Linda Yew

Activity

Lasting beauty

Have you ever wished that some things would last longer? Jot them down in the flowers below! Then, think of fun, creative ways to make their beauty last that little bit longer! Jot down your ideas in the watering cans.

More and more people now understand that animals don’t just exist for human entertainment. Animal shows that are not good for the animals are being stopped. SHAMEEN IDICULLA reports.

SeaWorld is a chain of theme parks in America that was best known for its animal shows. Orcas were a big hit there, drawing loud applause as they did tricks to entertain audiences. Sadly, the animals were not having as much fun. Wildlife conservationists criticised SeaWorld’s shows and the public responded by avoiding the shows. When ticket sales fell, SeaWorld started phasing out its “One Ocean” orca show. SeaWorld San Diego was the first in 2017. SeaWorld Orlando followed in 2020.

Orcas (also known as killer whales) belong in the dolphin family. Like other dolphins, orcas do not do well in captivity. They are highly intelligent creatures who love being in their family groups, swimming together up to 160 km every day in the wild. So, being kept in tanks is very uncomfortable for them.

Stuck in tanks

Swimming about in endless circles in small tanks causes boredom, physical agony, and even deformities. For example, in the wild, orcas dive to great depths to avoid harsh sunlight. They cannot do the same in their comparatively shallow tanks. Without adequate protection from the sun’s rays, many of them get terrible sunburns on their skin.

You might also notice that most male killer whales in captivity have the fins on their backs bent over. This is known as a dorsal fin collapse. The condition is not often seen in the wild. The reason it is so common among captive specimens might be linked to the unnatural surroundings the animals are in.

Orcas in tanks spend most of their time on the surface. As a result, their fins do not get a lot of support from the surrounding water to stay upright. This causes the fins to droop over time, say some marine biologists. Others believe that factors like dehydration, warmer temperatures in tanks, changes in the animal’s diet, and reduced activity play a part too.

The artificial surroundings of a tank also interfere with their natural behaviour.  Orcas and other dolphins rely on echolocation to find their way in the oceans. The animals send out high-pitched sounds which travel through the water. These vibrations bounce off surrounding objects and return to the orca. Depending on the strength and direction of these echoes, the animal can make out details such as the depth of the water, the location of obstacles or prey and their size.

However, orcas rarely use echolocation in a tank, because they know that there is nothing other than four walls surrounding them. And, without echolocation, they are as good as being blind and deaf, say experts. World-renowned oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau once compared their sad situation to “a person being blindfolded in a jail cell”.

No pod life

Living in captivity also places the animals under great mental stress. Normally, orcas stay with their mothers for life and form deep relationships with their family group or “pod”. Each pod even develops its own special language for its members to communicate with each other. This kind of closeness makes it especially hard for the animals when they are captured by humans. Observers have seen orcas making loud keening sounds as they are dragged away from their pods.

The ordeal can have long-lasting effects on the creatures. Some become depressed, while others can turn aggressive. If the stress becomes unmanageable, orcas can show unnatural behaviour like butting their heads against the tank walls and chewing metal bars till they break their teeth. A few have even attacked their human trainers without warning.

They also become prone to various illnesses and infections. While wild orcas have been known to live for 50‒80 years, those in captivity tend to die much younger.

Winds of change

Ripple effect

SeaWorld’s announcement in 2016 renewed discussions about animal shows in other places too.  People started to realise that animals should not be forced to entertain humans.

As a result, some showbiz companies made similar changes. The famous Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus ended its elephant performances in 2016. But, the very next year, the circus had to close due to poor ticket sales.

Universal Studios stopped using orangutans and capuchin monkeys in its shows. And, countries like India, Costa Rica, Chile, and Hungary banned public dolphin performances.

Meanwhile, SeaWorld now focuses on another one of its strong points: conservation and rescue efforts.

“Together, we will work against commercial whaling and seal hunts, shark finning and ocean pollution,” SeaWorld promised. It has a team that is on call 24/7 to help with rescue operations to save birds and animals trapped in fishing nets and oil slicks, or those that are stranded and have no other place to go.

It has helped with more than 38,000 rescues to date. It has also given US$17 million to support conservation projects worldwide. And, its new orca shows are aimed at educating guests to protect wildlife and the environment.

Activity

Animal Idioms

Several phrases and idioms in English mention animals. For example, the expression “whale of a time” is used to describe how people are enjoying themselves. Can you complete the following idioms with the correct animal?

ELEPHANT, DUCKS, FLY, GOOSE, OYSTER, RAT, SARDINES, SNAKE

1. Like “a _______________ in the grass”. = someone who betrays you after pretending to be a friend.

2. “The world is your _______________.” = you are free to enjoy life’s many opportunities.

3. “Get your _______________in a row.” = get things organised.

4. “Packed like _______________.” = pressed together tightly because of lack of space.

5. Like “a _______________in the ointment”. = a small detail that spoils a situation.

6. “Smell a _______________.” = suspect something is wrong.

7. Like “an _______________in the room”. = an obvious problem that everyone is trying to ignore.

8. Like “a wild _______________ chase”. = a hopeless search for something impossible.

Answers

SHAMEEN IDICULLA looks at whether animals are better off in the wild or in captivity.

While the changes at SeaWorld have been cause for some celebration, wildlife activists say that more needs to be done. They would like to see all SeaWorld’s captive marine animals released back to their seas and oceans. This might be difficult for now. Most of the orcas owned by SeaWorld, for example, were born in captivity and may not know how to survive in the wild.

A happy compromise, suggests scientist Naomi Rose, would be to create special sanctuaries for captive orcas. These could be in bays or coves that are netted-off from the wider ocean, but with still enough room to give the animals adequate freedom. At the same time, experts could continue to monitor the orcas to make sure they remain healthy.

There is also the bigger question of whether wild animals should be held captive by humans at all. Should they be kept in zoos and aquariums? Are they not better off in their natural habitats?

Some argue that placing animals in zoos are a way of protecting them from bigger dangers such as poaching, pollution, and other human activities. Others point to how much we have learnt about animals from the animals we see in captivity.

“A lot of what we know about killer whale health has come out of SeaWorld research,” psychologist Heidi Harley told Science magazine. What we learn can be used to conserve animals in the wild.  “As the climate changes and the ocean changes, it would be nice to know how flexible these animals are and what impact a changing environment will have on them. There are so many questions.”

Seeing animals up close can also help us develop a relationship with them, and maybe empathise with them. When orcas were first used in shows, most spectators were afraid of them, thinking the creatures were cold-blooded killers. “Now, people hold their infants up to kiss them,” continued Dr Harley.

Animal right groups look at the issue differently. While some agree that well-run zoos can be educational, they also stress that the condition of the animals should come first. Only those creatures that can adapt to captivity without being bored, harassed or harmed should be housed in zoos. The activists also note how some animals are stolen from forests and placed in zoos, in the name of conservation. But, what it really does is reduce animal populations in the wild.

“Ultimately, endangered species will only be saved by preserving their habitats and combating the reasons they are killed by people,” clarifies PETA. For that to happen, it will require each and every one of us to make good choices so that we do not hurt our planet.

VOCAB BUILDER

compromise (say ‘kom-pro-maiz’; noun) = an agreement in which both sides reduce their demands.

sanctuaries (say ‘sank-chue-reez’; noun) = places where animals can life safely.

What’s Up invited local wildlife activist VILMA D’ROZARIO to reply to our reader’s question…

From: Julia, Pri 6, CHIJ Our Lady of Good Counsel

Ever since I knew about Greta Thunberg ↑, I agreed with what she said. But, not everybody is listening. The Earth is dying but all we care about is money, money, and money.

I want to be a climate activist. My teacher told me that I will need to collaborate with people from other countries because Singapore is very small. And, if Singapore is eco-friendly, it only affects a small part of the earth. But, I still want to do it.

I know being a climate activist is not easy. Sometimes, you might be criticised by others, but I want to take up the challenge to save the earth. If no one saves the earth, we would all die. Climate change is worsening because of human activities.  The only question I have is, how do I even start and collaborate with other climate activists?

A: Step by step, work with others to save the planet

From: Vilma D’Rozario, wildlife activist

Dear Julia,

It is good news to me that you want to become a climate activist one day. I am a wildlife activist. Whether you are a climate change activist or a wildlife activist, you want to make a difference. Climate affects wildlife. Those who care about the climate usually love nature — so, you and I have something in common.   I did not become a wildlife activist overnight though. The way I describe it is as a journey from appreciation to activism.  Along the way, different experiences made me the activist I am today. Let me show you what I mean.   

Appreciating: My journey started very early in life. Even as a little kid, I loved the outdoors!  My parents were nature lovers, and they encouraged my brother and me to enjoy watching birds and insects in the garden. When I was in primary school, we went on family trips to Kuantan and Fraser’s Hill. That was when I started loving the sea, hills, and especially forests.

Exploring: When I grew up, I became a teacher. Then, I went to the United States (US) to study psychology. As a university student, I would go by bus to different national wildlife parks. I was sad to return to Singapore because, at that time, I thought there was so little wildlife here compared to the US! But, I soon found out that we do have a lot of nature here, too.

I became active in the Nature Society of Singapore (NSS). We went for nature walks every weekend. That was when I realised how much biodiversity we have in Singapore. You could say I found my place at that point — this is where I want to be, and this is what I should be doing!

Teaching and learning: One day, NSS asked me to lead a group into a Brunei forest. I had never led a group on a forest trip. But, I agreed. A local nature activist there guided us. From such trips, I really learnt a lot about wildlife and about what activists do.

I also do biodiversity surveys. For example, I help NParks (National Parks Board) to take stock of biodiversity in Singapore. The survey data helps us to plan how to help nature.

My next big step as an educator was co-founding Cicada Tree Eco-Place with a group of good friends. We taught kids and their families about nature, biodiversity, and conservation.

Protecting: Through our work, we came across an organisation called MYCAT (Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers). We partnered MYCAT in tiger conservation. We brought people from Singapore over to Malaysia to go on CAT Walks, patrolling areas where poachers might be.

Our presence in the forest kept poachers away. When we found animal traps, we told the wildlife authorities who would remove them. Then, the pandemic struck! We could not go to Malaysia.

Some of us CAT Walkers from Singapore wanted to do more for tigers and also other wildcats of the world. And so, we got together and started SWAG, the Singapore Wildcat Action Group. SWAG raises awareness of wildcat conservation through regular events, such as our Wildcat Lecture series, and Singapore Tiger Week. We also recruit volunteers to take direct action to protect wildcats and their habitats.

Fundraising: SWAG raises funds for MYCAT. We do this by having an annual charity dinner, and by organising a virtual challenge. Last year, a group of Swaggers ran (or walked) 100km each to raise funds for MYCAT. And, something very good came out of it. MYCAT uses the money to hire Malaysian indigenous people to patrol their forests. This is a great arrangement. These patrol officers know the forests better than any of us. Plus, they benefit from the income.

Speaking up: Accepting leadership roles gives you a great way to share your views. I chaired the education group of NSS for some years and was a board member of the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore), too. These are committees that speak up for wildlife. 

In addition, I attend talks between government agencies and nature groups to plan for Singapore being our best “City in Nature”. I know I can get my voice heard at the meetings. Together, we make decisions about how best to protect wildlife. 

Reaching out: Now, after over 20 years of volunteering, I spend a lot of my time doing outreach. We do, for instance, webinars on wildcats. SWAG recently launched a campaign to share about our very own critically-endangered local wildcat, the leopard cat! You can find out more from our facebook at www.facebook.com/SingaporeWildcatActionGroup/

Julia, can you see how one thing led to another during my journey? We don’t become activists overnight. Also, activism can be done in so many ways. When you work with like-minded people, great ideas are born!

Sincerely,
Vilma D’Rozario

VOCAB BUILDER

indigenous (say “in-di-ji-nes”; adjective) = native or originally from that place.

poachers (say “po-cherz”; noun) = people who illegally catch or kill wild animals.