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loroparque-orcas · 5 years

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A summary: Morgan's calf, Ula, has a very flat head and a very weird pectoral flipper. Also some colouration and lesions. This article is hella long and mostly fear-mongering in my eyes. 🤷‍♂️

Friday, January 25, 2019

Loro Parque's Baby Orca Ula Possibly In The Fight of Her Life

Loro Parque, Canary Islands:

The new baby killer whale, Ula, recently celebrated with fanfare at the Loro Parque theme park, is battling an infection or trauma & may be fighting for her life. The calf is under a sun protection tent, with apparentphototoxic skin lesions, a misshappen head, & a diseased left pectoral fin. She's currently getting bottle fed with evidence of her mother Morgan pushing into the steel gate separating them.

The tiny calf, born with what appears to be a congenitally disfigured head (or a never-before-seen variant) has contracted a pathogen or suffered an injury which may be life-threatening. We don't know for sure. Photographs of the ventral surface of her tail show extensive needle-stick marks, for age, suggesting frequent blood draws and/or the administration of IV antibiotics.

When only days old she was separated from Morgan and has recently been photographed by visitors to the Spanish theme park, Loro Parque (LP), where she was born. Note, unless otherwise noted, the images & the video below were supplied by activists who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation from LP. The captions in this video came with it. Please watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KQyliPW8iY

Dozens of images have been reviewed by experts who suggest, along with the abnormality of her melon, the infant may be in a declining state of health based on the diseased appearance of her left pectoral fin & areas of the body

Dr. Naomi Rose, Marine Mammal Scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute told VOTO:

"Various photos suggest the calf has a flattened profile at the front of her head, where it should be rounded with the melon. This could be because of the angle of the photos, but given the number of them, some of them from Loro Parque, it’s hard not to wonder if something is wrong there. While we cannot confirm there is a deformity, the management of the park should be transparent, given the public concern, and offer evidence that all is well with the calf. Not just statements at face value, but medical records and even an independent assessment.”

Dr. Ingrid Visser, Marine Biologist with the Orca Research Trust reacted to the images of the calf’s left pectoral fin saying:

"I’ve never seen anything like this in the wild. Not a disfigurement of the melon or pathogen of any body part like this poor calf has. I feel so sorry for both her and her mother, Morgan. It emphasizes to me just how wrong captivity for these animals is at facilities like Loro Parque is for orca.”

Dr John Jett, of VOTO, research professor at Stetson University & former SeaWorld killer whale trainer adds:

“The animal’s appearance, her separation from mom, and their bottle-feeding intervention reminds me of Nyar, a baby killer whale that I helped to hand raise at SW of Florida. Nyar was separated from her mother Gudrun not long after she was born. The little whale lacked coordination, which hindered her ability to eat, swim upright, and interact with the other animals. Her difficulties were so severe that she was force-fed, and at times she struggled to get air. Nyar eventually died at 2 years of age, with a necropsy report suggesting that a fungal infection in her brain had killed her. Nyar’s case was heartbreaking to me. Unfortunately, if Ula does survive then her life will be spent in a barren tank performing tricks for frozen fish. Not a good life for an orca. Not a good life for any cetacean."

The calf’s mother, Morgan, has been observed as she floats forlornly outside the barred metal gate, hoping to catch a glimpse of her child. Loro Parque initially stated:

“From the very first moment, Morgan demonstrated to be an exemplary mother attending to her newborn, which is swimming next to its mother”

And then they said:

“the experts are pleased with the strong bond the pair have developed”

Reiterating a few days later:

“the bond between mother and calf continues to grow and Morgan is demonstrating exemplary maternal instincts as she swims alongside her calf at all times they are together"

Despite demonstrating that powerful maternal bond, the LP staff have removed the calf from her mother, first stating that it was because Morgan was not providing enough milk and then that it was in the interest of safety.

Rather than providing supplementary feedings, or temporarily separating them only for feeding times, the facility has placed the newborn in a tiny barren tank, alone.

On the 21st of Jan 2019 the first evidence that Morgan's calf is no-longer-bonded with her was posted on-line by a member of the public. This video shows Morgan being allowed to enter the medical tank and then departing, with the calf ignoring her.

To date, Loro Parque has not made any public mention of the issues concerning either the melon or the compromised left pectoral fin. The sad irony of this lack of transparency is that Loro Parque has repeatedly justified its keeping and breeding of Morgan in the name of “scientific research” and even touted research already being conducted on the young infant regarding echolocation which, by the way, is facilitated by an orca’s melon.

Reportedly, just as questions continue to be raised whether SeaWorld’s transport of Morgan from the Netherlands to Spain could have resulted in her alleged hearing loss; the question must be asked, could some of the “research” already being imposed on this infant orca by LP and several universitieshave contributed to her compromised condition as well?

The background story on Morgan is just as appalling, as she has been used as a commercial pawn in one of the mostly highly valued live-animal trades in the world. As Matthew Spiegl, Legal Counsel for Free Morgan Foundation notes, the breeding of the calf’s mother, Morgan, is already the subject of both legal and legislative challenges in the Netherlands and the European Parliament. Questions also persist of the Spanish Government’s complicity in condoning the unauthorized breeding of Morgan.

Spiegl and Dr. Visser have collaborated with Professor Arie Trouwborst, Tilburg Law School, on a new peer-reviewed article about Morgan’s legal rights which has just been published in the Review of European, Comparative and International Environmental Law (RECIEL) on 15 January 2019https://doi.org/10.1111/reel.12270.

If all of this wasn’t troubling enough, the fact that Morgan, a rescued wild-born orca was cross-bred with one of two male killer whales on loan to Loro Parque from SeaWorld, as depicted in Morgan’s pregnancy timeline, has not even been acknowledged, let alone substantively addressed by SeaWorld.

Remember, SeaWorld promised the public to put an end to the breeding of all its captive orcas. That promise, part of an agreement with The Humane Society of The United States (HSUS) took effect on 17 March 2016 and covered all whales including those loaned to LP. It also included wild-born Morgan, who was sent to Loro Parque by the Dutch Government under a permit which limited her use to research, not commercial shows or breeding, both of which Loro Parque has used her for. Morgan and the calf were already expecting to face problems, as Loro Parque claims that Morgan is deaf – which theoretically would limit her ability to communicate effectively with the baby.

Dr. Jeffrey Ventre, medical doctor and former SeaWorld killer whale trainer summarizes the evidence:

"On the video the calf continues to be active. The venipuncture marks suggest an animal that is having frequent blood draws and probably IV antibiotics. This is based on the skin discoloration which I attribute on a more-probable-than-not basis to medical infusions. As someone that works with brain injury patients including malformations, I wonder if this is a congenital deformity of the head, a normal variant, or something not before seen in orcas. If Ula suffers from a congenital brain insult or malformation this would likely be associated with movement disorders (think spastic cerebral palsy), diminished cognition and increased muscle tone. The cratered ulcerated pec looks a lot like a fungal issue, which would explain a lot; the meds, the skin discoloration & the protective tent. I hope Ula survives. In the wild she'd have the full support of a trained mother, midwives, babysitters and brothers to protect her. In this situation I imagine her chances of survival are small."

Tragically, as the current situation unavoidably illustrates, Loro Parque’s insistence on ignoring the SeaWorld/HSUS breeding ban, has now resulted in the birth of this poor calf; essentially a genetically modified orca or ‘GMO’ with tragic and heartbreaking consequences.

_______________________________________

NOTE: This story is still breaking and we will provide additional reactions as we hear back from experts who have been asked to comment

| link to article here.

#ula #morgan #orca #orcas #blackfish

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stisdale · 5 years

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Catechism of the Waters

I sat beside the pinniped pool at the Oregon Aquarium with Brittany Blades, the assistant curator of marine mammals. She is slim, with a blond ponytail and sincere black-framed eyeglasses. The animals were spinning below us, heads breaking the surface for a second or two: a couple of harbor seals; Rosa and Catalina, young female California sea lions; and Max, a slim adult male. Max was born in a zoo and has been at the aquarium since he was 1992. Koa, the aquarium’s other male, was recovering from neutering, a complicated operation, and confined to a large pool away from the public. Quill, a twenty-eight-year-old female in poor health, lives out of sight of visitors.

When a door clanged, the animals shot out of the water onto the cement ledge. Two trainers with buckets of fish appeared. Using only positive reinforcement, the keepers at the aquarium have trained the sea lions to allow injections, blood draws, ultrasound, X-rays, and dental hygiene. Aging sea lions have many of the same health problems we do: arthritis, cataracts, problems with gums and teeth. Quill receives both chiropractic treatments and acupuncture.

The man fed Max a few fish, then noticed Brittany and me. For us, he shouted out, “Window,” and Max leaped over the water and landed on the thin window ledge beside us, pressing his face against the Plexiglas like a goofy child. “Every single animal has its own personality and learning pace,” Blades said. “You have to find what motivates that animal.” I ask her to describe the animals’ personalities. Max is “very easy-going, a handsome old man.” Rosa is “a goofball.” She is rueful, hearing her own words. “We try to be as scientific as possible and try not to anthropomorphize them.”

We sat by the window with several entranced visitors of all ages. When the trainer said, “Mouth!” Max opened wide so that the trainer could examine his teeth. Then he got another little fish and sat back on his flippers, waiting. Like a border collie.

- from an essay about the conflict between sea lions and salmon in the Pacific Northwest, Harper’s Magazine, March, 2019

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puertovallartalimousine · 2 years

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My Life As a Dolphin Trainer

The first thing I want you to know about me is that I LOVE being a trainer! I love marine mammals, and I have a special passion to help educate people about them. When the public connects to the animals I help to train, this raises consciousness about the health of the world's oceans, and this helps all marine life Puerto Vallarta Private Transfers .

Training is all about communication, being clear and precise. Good training is also motivation and fun! Highly intelligent animals are very motivated to be mentally and physically challenged, and it a very important part of designing a healthy life style for them.

What I love most is the "aha" moment. This is that moment when an animal gets what you want him or her to do through successive approximations: training steps that lead to the goal behavior. When the animal does it for the first time, it is so incredibly rewarding to share that moment of understanding between the two of you. That "aha" moment, priceless! Of course this process can take minutes or even months, depending on the animal and what you are training him or her to do.

Dolphins, in particular, are very motivated to learn new things. It's great for their mental as well as physical stimulation.

My Life as a Trainer

Even as a small child, I always wanted to help injured animals. When I was 10 years old, I found a pelican, covered in tar, on the beach and brought it to my mom who helped me bring it to the bird sanctuary to be treated and released. As a teenager, I volunteered to clean the beaches near my home in Santa Barbara, California. I became a member of several wildlife rescue organizations and adopted pets from the Humane Society. I counted whales and dolphins from a float plane with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and volunteered with the Channel Island Marine & Wildlife Institute, helping to rescue sea lions and seals. I canoed down the Snowdrift River in the Northwest Territories and saw muskoxen in their natural habitat. I have always loved animals and being in Nature.

I started my journey as a Marine Mammal Trainer at Moorpark's Exotic Animal Training and Management Program (EATM) in 1999. Immediately after graduation, I began working as a trainer for Bud and Jo Krames when they started up their own company, Dolphin Fantaseas, in Antigua, West Indies.

In May of 2004, Dolphin Discovery bought Dolphin Fantaseas, and I became part of a new team. It was a fabulous opportunity to become a stronger trainer and a way to learn different techniques to make me a better asset to the team. After six months in Tortola, I was sent to Oahu's Sea Life Park, which Dolphin Discovery had just purchased. I was one of four trainers picked to help train the animals and staff in Dolphin Discovery's style of programs. A few months later, I was sent to help start up Sea Life Park Mexico. I spent five wonderful months in Puerto Vallarta, where the Director of Training for all Dolphin Discovery facilities and I created and trained for a show in just five days.

It was in Puerto Vallarta that I worked with a male South American sea lion for shows and a female for interactive sea lion program with guests. It was Dolphin Discovery's first work with this species. This was a tremendous experience and really propelled my development as a trainer. I had a great supervisor who really helped me to grow and believe in myself, and as a result, I felt a lot more confidence in my abilities as a trainer and as a teacher. I was promoted during this time to the position of Senior Trainer.

After Sea Life Park was successfully up and running, I was transferred back to the Cancun area. I worked at both the Cozumel and the Puerto Aventuras locations. When hurricane Wilma hit in Oct of 2005, I got a crash course in hurricane planning and execution when I helped to evacuate the twenty-three dolphins, four sea lions, and several macaws, toucans and sloths. I, along with four other trainers and the vet, remained in the hotel where we had transported the animals to insure their safety during and after the hurricane. There, we weathered four days of the biggest hurricane ever recorded in the area. It was a terrifying experience for all, but I chose to stay in Cozumel out of loyalty to Dolphin Discovery and to the animals in my care. I cannot imagine having made a different choice. CNN had reported that the water would inundate the island, but a few days later, we were able to transport the animals to the Puerto Aventuras facility. It was extraordinary to be one of the key people responsible for such a complex operation, and on a ferry boat, no less! But there I was, training a year old baby dolphin who was way behind in training, working with dolphins who were experiencing aggression problems, and training a new staff. Shortly thereafter, I was promoted to Trainer Advisor of the Cozumel team.

Visit Us: https://www.puertovallartatransportation.com/

#Puerto Vallarta Private Transfers

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2251bluewhales · 6 years

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“I calls ‘em like I sees ‘em. I’m a whale biologist”

Well, almost.

When you ask a kid what they want to be when they grow up, usually their answer shifts around a couple hundred times throughout their lives before entering adulthood. I saw it happen to others all around me as I grew up. I’m a senior in college now, and I still observe my peers frustrated and scrambling to find purpose or personal meaning in what they do. Those things can surely take time to feel out and understand. I feel like the minority in this situation though, and I suppose I got lucky in that regard. As a child I always had a firm grasp of my so-called calling, or, at the very least, a general idea of what I wanted to do.

I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, both on the Canadian and American sides of the region, and I’ve been spoiled to live constantly within short distance of coastlines. The beach has always been a second home, whether swimming in the ocean or gazing into intricate and colorful tidepools. I quickly traded bedtime stories for field guides as I found solace in a book of sharks and rays as a toddler, thanks to a quick-thinking father of mine who successfully distracted a restless three-year-old me while in the seat of a shopping cart as he picked up our groceries. The ocean and the marine life within it were quite prominent in my life from the get-go, and my parents surely did their share to condition me into an advocate and lover of nature. What really ignited the passion was my first encounter with a killer whale at the Vancouver Aquarium; a spectacular moment in the underwater viewing galleries where I watched all three tons of this sleek and powerful animal glide by in front of me like a locomotive. I fell in love that day.

What happens when you then throw Free Willy, a few scattered summer whale watch excursions, and regular visits to the aquarium into the mix?

Actually, an aspiring whale trainer.

Yes, I’ve always wanted to work with whales, but not always as a biologist. My first aspiration was to train orcas at an aquarium facility or marine park, and for a while I actively sought information that would lead me to that job, even considering internships training Pacific white-sided dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium where my identity took form. But later on down the line, I would find myself exploring activism through the opposition of the captive whale and dolphin trade, educating myself and others on the ecological, biological, and ethical impositions of the industry, while slowly refining my career choice to study and advocate for the animals in our natural spaces that, now more than ever, need our attention the most. Which brings us here.

Welcome to my independent learning contract. I’m a senior at Evergreen State College and have opted to devote my summer to an internship I’ve been striving for and have now been honored to participate in. I’ve developed this blog to highlight my weekly activities at Cascadia Research Collective, a marine mammal research facility based in Olympia, Washington. This non-profit organization, established in 1979 by John Calambokidis, specializes in cetacean research (cetaceans being the order of marine mammals which contains whales, dolphins, and porpoises), and our US West Coast branch, which I’m involved in, takes special interest in monitoring humpback whales, grey whales, and blue whales in the East Pacific.

My internship will involve tons of work analyzing photos of blue whales specifically, and identifying the individuals our biologists photograph during the year. Essentially, I get to play a game of spot-the-difference. It’s called photo identification, the process by which you can identify individual animals in a population by unique physical characteristics. This is a vital method in monitoring whale populations, as it can give us insight on their movements and geographical ranges, their behavior, health, feeding patterns, and the robustness of their communities. Over time, we can use this information to build family trees, determine unique populations, promote better conservation, predict and monitor migration routes, among other things.

Our database currently recognizes 2251 individual blue whales, categorized by their pigmentation (or coloration), and the condition of their dorsal fins, whether damaged or undamaged.

For now, I’ve been assigned to 20 trial photographs and access to CRC’s digitalized historical identification catalog. I’m tasked with matching the whales in these photos to the corresponding catalogued whales in their database. In my youth, and to this day, I’ve done photo identification work in my free time, learning the individual orcas within the Northern and Southern Resident populations of British Columbia and Washington State respectively. Identifying killer whales is super easy compared to blue whales. The markings of orcas are conspicuous and apparent if you know what to look for. With the subtleties of coloration in blue whales, this means I’ll be spending copious amounts of time frying my retinas behind a computer screen. As we speak, I’ve identified just over half of the blue whales in my trial photos, and it’s only day two. Whether or not I’m 100% successful will be later determined by my supervisor upon total completion.

In addition to photo matching, I’ll hopefully have some opportunities to join the biologists and my fellow interns on whale watch expeditions and strandings, in addition to developing my own personal projects with them and composing a research synthesis on one of their recently published studies.

I’ll be posting weekly every Friday, so stay tuned for some wild research shenanigans this summer. During this time, feel free to interact! Ask me about how to get started in the field of marine biology, what a necropsy is, how to tell whales apart, how and where to responsibly watch whales, environmental issues, conservation, captivity, or any relevant curiosities you may have.

Enjoy the ride, I know I sure will!

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icariamusing · 4 years

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CHARACTER BASICS

FACECLAIM: Emmy Rossum

NAME: Harper Elfrida Barrow

AGE: Thirty-Four

BIRTHDAY: April 21, 1986

OCCUPATION: Marine Biologist

HOMETOWN: Isle of Hope, Georgia

PETS: N/A

POWERS

Hydrokinetic Aura and communication with Aquatic Mammals mostly Dolphins.

BIOGRAPHY

Thornton Barrow was a southern boy through and through specifically a 10th generation Georgian. His family owned the Wormsloe Mansion that was located in the Isle of Hope. In 1976 most of the land about 750 acres was given over to the Nature Conservatory. The state then opened up Wormsloe Historical Site but the house and some of the land around 50 acres was still maintained by the family. Thornton knew that he was going to inherit his ancestral homestead one day. He was raised in the Isle of Hope. Thornton was fortunate enough to attend boarding schools and had life pretty much given to him on a silver platter. He had everything he had ever wanted in life. While his father was in charge of Wormsloe Mansion he was able to live his life how he saw fit of course with some conditions.

Thornton went to the University of Georgia just like his father did. He spent most of this time partying and screwing around. Underneath his playboy appearance there was a smart southern gentleman. He just never decided to show himself unless there was some need of course. Or if his parents were around. Thornton had just turned 20 he decided he was going to use one of his family’s boat and sail from Georgia down to Florida. He was going to meet his friends while they were all on vacation. While he was on his way to Florida his boat was capsized in a major storm. He couldn’t remember much from the storm but he remembered seeing a woman pulling him to shore. Just like in the movie that would become the Little Mermaid. Thornton woke up on the sand but instead of like in the movie where the woman Thornton speak this woman gave him a piece of his mind. She yelled and carried on about all the things he had dumped into the ocean and how stupid he was for going out during hurricane season. He didn’t really pay much attention to what she was saying because he was too focused on how beautiful she was.

Needless to say Thornton had decided to make it his one and only goal to win that woman over. Little did he know what the cost of his efforts was going to be. The woman who called herself Doris was not actually a typical woman at all. Thornton spent the summer with Doris instead of continuing his journey to meet his friends. He was surprised every day that she came back to see him. As their affection grew for each other so did their relationship. He had fallen in love with the woman and wanted to bring her home. The fact that her boat was never found and she seemed to come out of nowhere never crossed his mind. At the end of the summer it was time for Thornton to head back to Athens and college. He begged Doris to come with him. She said she couldn’t. But she wanted him to meet her back at the beach where they washed ashore after he graduated. He agreed and went back. Thornton never forgot about her. He spent that entire year only thinking about her. He graduated in May of 1986. As soon as he could he traveled down to the small beach where he had said goodbye to the woman he loved. With a ring in his pocket he rushed over to her. Thornton was met with a surprise. When Doris turned around she was holding an infant.

Doris explained to him that she was actually Amphitrite and was already married to the God of the Sea. She handed over their child to him and begged him to take care of her and love their child the way he had loved her. Thornton agreed but was deeply saddened when Amphitrite informed him that she could not be with him. She did say if he came to this spot on the day of the crash, July 7th he may be able to see her. Thornton took his child back home to the Isle of Hope. His parents had just moved into the Wormsloe Mansion; he asked that they take care of his child while he got his life together. The Barrows agreed wanting to keep everything under wraps. They did not want the world to know that their son Thornton Barrow had an illegitimate child.

At his parents push Thornton married his childhood friend and family acquaintance Anna Raines. Her family had lived in Savannah while she was a small child and moved to England. Anna and her family lived in London until her Grandfather became sick in 1986. The family came back to help her Grandparents. While being home again Anna ran into Thornton who as a child she had a major crush on. Whenever she came over from England to visit her grandparents Anna liked to make a trip over to Wormsloe where she would hopefully see him. This time instead of finding Thornton she found his parents with a three month old child. She was of course confused but instantly fell in love with the girl.

Seeing how much Anna loved the baby The Barrows convinced the Raines that Anna and Thornton should be married. Thornton was still heart broken over the mother of his child and agreed to whatever his parents asked of him. Two weeks later Anna and Thornton were married on the grounds of Wormsloe Mansion. Anna adopted the baby girl and she was named Harper. Anna and Thornton moved to Savannah where they could raise their child without speculation. Around a year after their marriage Anna gave birth to Palmer Thornton Barrow.

Harper grew up much like her father. She went to boarding school, had tutors, had to take etiquette classes. Everything in her life was about how people saw you. She had to be seen in the right clothes, with the right people and of course doing the upstanding thing. Even though she was older than her brother he always received more attention. He was the heir of Wormsloe Mansion after all. Because of this Harper grew to have a bit of a rebellious side. She would constantly push the limit to see how far and how much her parents would let her get away with.

When it was time for her to go to college she was expected to go to the University of Georgia just like her father and his father. Harper had other plans. Since she grew up visiting the Isle of Hope and other beach areas Harper felt at home with the water. When she was little they would have to pull her kicking and screaming away. She wasn’t sure when she decided she wanted to be a marine biologist. After visiting a bunch of schools she decided that she wanted to stay close to home and close to her sister. She went to South University. It took a lot of convincing of her father but he finally allowed it. If she considered

Harper headed off to college with bright eyes and an open heart. It wasn’t long into her Freshman year that she had slid into the party life just like her father before her. She joined a sorority much like her mother wanted her to. Harper had to make some concessions. During her junior year they traveled out to a farm. Everyone had been talking about all the cool things you could do and it was a perfect date idea. So Harper and her 3 suite mates and their dates all arrived at the farm. Sadly for Harper’s date she didn’t have eyes for anyone but the farmer boy who was busy. She wasn’t sure how it all happened. One date lead to another and then the next thing she knew Harper was madly in love with Cole. She knew what her parents would say but maybe it would be different for her. Maybe they would let her be her own person.

It was wishful thinking of course. After her parents met Cole for the first time they decided he wasn’t good enough for Harper. They spent most of the time encouraging her to break up with him. Harper out right refused. After she graduated Harper wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. Being with Cole meant that perusing Marine Biology and grad school might have to wait. She was okay with that though simply because being with him was what she wanted. Finally one night Cole proposed and Harper agreed. She loved him more than she could possibly say. She wore the ring he gave her home and was met with so much anger. Her father had found some financial problems with Cole’s family farm. Problems they he could make better or worse. Her father gave her an ultimatum. She was stuck between breaking the heart of the only person she ever loved and dooming his family. So Harper gave him up. She knew over time he would forget about her, but she wouldn’t forget about him.

After her break up Harper spent months in bed. She had moved back in with her parents even though she couldn’t even look at them. It wasn’t long that she found out she was pregnant. Her parents wanted her to get rid of the child but she refused. There was no way she could do that. She already had to give Cole up for his own good she couldn’t give up her child as well. So she told her parents she was keeping the baby. In exchange her father agreed but only if she went to a graduate school in another state. Harper knew it was her only option since her parents offered to help take care of the baby and put her through Graduate School. So Harper went to Charleston for Grad school. She had her son, that she named Elijah James Daniels after his father. Harper did the best she could being a single mom raising her son. With her parents help she graduated grad school and raised her son.

When her son was about 2 years old nearly 3 Harper realized something wasn’t exactly right. He was no longer answering her when she called out to him. He always said up wanting the volume to go up. Harper took him to the doctor and after so many tests and doctors visits Harper learned that her perfect baby had Congenital Cytomegalovirus. He had it since birth and it had slowly been taking away his hearing. By the time he was 3 years old EJ couldn’t hear at all. Harper and EJ learned sign language together. Even though things were tough Harper kept it together, she worked hard to be the head Dolphin Trainer at the Charleston Aquarium. She also worked for different nature preserves and organizations.

One weekend she brought EJ home to visit her parents. She wanted to show him her favorite spot on the private beach she grew up on but of course her parents had other plans. So Harper was left all alone. When she went down to the beach she realized she wasn’t actually alone. There was a woman standing on the sand. Who looked no older than her and sort of looked like her. Harper was very confused. Her whole life she had always believed Anna was her mother. Thornton explained to Harper who the woman was and how they met. Harper met her mother for the first time that day. It was also that day that her mother suggested she move her family to an island in Greece. Harper wasn’t about to up and move her family just because some woman who may be her mother said so. She said she’d think about it and then they left.

A few months later the meeting with her “mother” turned into a memory. Harper was offered a lead Dolphin researcher and trainer position at an aquarium in Icaria, Greece. This somehow turned into an opportunity that she couldn’t turn down. The aquarium there had been apart of dolphin sanctuaries research. Research Harper had been working on for her entire career. This particular Aquarium was working with the National Aquarium in Baltimore to create a Dolphin Sanctuary she couldn’t turn it down. So Harper packed up her bags along with EJ’s and they made their way to Icaria, Greece. She just didn’t know who else she would find.

EMMA | SHE/HER | TWENTY-SEVEN | EST

#Amphitrite

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anycontentposter · 5 years

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Epic Experience Gifts for Bay Area Kids

Let's make 2019 the year of experience presents rather of more toys! There are lots of things to do with kids in the Bay Area and these make best presents for under the tree. Scroll through to discover choices for all the kids on your list!

image: Kate Loweth.For the Train-Obsessed.

Plan a day out with your little train fan by heading over to among these areas where the train is king . We specifically like taking the F Market trams to go to the always-free SF Railway Museum that's best throughout from the Ferry Building. There's heaps to do in the location and the views are unequalled.

Or, head south to ride the rails through the redwoods aboard the trains at Roaring Camp . In addition to their popular vacation trains, you can get passes to ride the rails with Thomas in the summertime.

For the supreme train fans location, book during the night at Railroad Park Resort where you can invest the night in a classic caboose! Siskiyou County has plenty of train history and outside experiences for any ages.

.AD.

image: iFly.For Adventure Junkies.

If your kids live life on a continuous adrenaline high, you will certainly be their BFF when you provide among these presents created to get their hearts pumping.

Head past Sacramento to Rocklin and invest the day at Quarry Park Adventures . Skyrocket throughout the gorge on the zipline, balance on the ropes course and check your strength on the rock wall. We have the complete scoop here .

Soar over San Francisco when you ride on The Flyer at PIER 39 . This simulated flying experience will have you skyrocketing to brand-new heights! Make a day of it and check out a few of our preferred PIER 39 areas while you exist!

Soar to brand-new heights at iFLY Indoor Skydiving where kids ages 3 and up can experience the sensation of sky diving. Flights occur in an indoor wind tunnel with a trainer there to help. Make certain to include on the high fly alternative for the complete experience. Feeling additional generous? Flight School is a terrific alternative for kids 4-16 who wish to sharpen their abilities in the tunnel with individually guideline.

For the household that video games today, attempt your luck resolving the puzzle at The Escape Game SF . We particularly like The Playground and Gold Rush for those bringing kids along.

Experience the sport of indoor rock climbing up at Planet Granite . Schedule an adult/child belay lesson where you can discover the abilities needed to man the rope for your kid while they experiment personnel. Come together for the last part of your lesson to work on your abilities as partners. Bay Area places remain in San Francisco, Sunnyvale and Belmont.

A season pass to Six Flags or California's Great America is a present that continues offering all year long. Bonus offer: your season pass recipient can even bring you at an affordable rate on choose days!

image: Marine Mammal Center/Adam Ratner.For Animal Lovers.

Whether your pint-sized individuals choose parakeets or pandas, they will be favorably enjoyed check out any among these areas from SF to Monterey that accommodate those who enjoy animals.

A check out to the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito is complete and constantly totally free of details about how the center saves and fixes up marine mammals like harbor seals and sea lions. 45-minute docent trips and behind-the-scenes experiences are offered (for a charge). Present your children the excellent sensations that include embracing among the saved animals at the center and supporting the center's objective to return these animals to their natural environment. Your recipient will get an individualized rescue certificate (downloadable for last-minute presents) with the animal's rescue history. Include on a packed animal or book to support your present.

Memberships to the San Francisco Zoo , Oakland Zoo and the California Academy of Sciences are an excellent method to teach kids about animals and support the work of these companies. Subscriptions include advantages like early admission, complimentary parking and discount rates on unique programs. For a fully-immersive experience, pick among the over night choices used at all 3 and see the animals after dark!

Little ones will specifically enjoy a subscription to CuriOdyssey in San Mateo. A household subscription is $145 and will get you access to special member nights, visitor passes for good friends and totally free parking when you go to. Qualifying households can benefit from the Family Membership for All program, that includes totally free day-to-day admission or a $35 subscription for individuals of Golden State Advantage EBT/CalFresh/SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, Medicare or Healthy Families.

Head south to Monterey and deal with the kids to a day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium . Satisfy the octopuses, squid, cuttlefishes and nautiluses in the Tentacles display and after that head over to the Kelp Forest show for feeding time when a scuba diver hand-feeds sharks and other animals that live there. Fish tank subscription enables you to avoid the lines and gain access to the animals throughout unique members-only hours.

Check out this list of other wildlife centers to discover one near you that would be best for your experience present.

picture: Kate Loweth.For History Buffs.

For kids with consistent concerns about how life resembled prior to they were born, select among these presents and blow their minds.

Book your team on an Alcatraz Cruise and delight in a sail throughout the Bay to the famous island that was a Civil War fort, a penal institution and among the most infamous federal penitentiaries in U.S. history. Visit the cellhouse, hear the stories of life inside from genuine detainees and feel the strength of a jail breakout from correctional officers who worked and lived on the Island. Invest as much time as you 'd like on the island prior to you board the boat to cruise back to Pier 33. Reward: Local homeowners can make the most of their BOGO promo on choose dates.

The USS Hornet is an enormous carrier docked in Alameda that has lots of history. Bring the kids for a see and trip the ship by yourself and after that go listed below deck with a docent assisting you. Include on a trip in the flight simulator to see what it resembled for pilots to arrive on a carrier. Seeking to actually knock their socks off? Reserve an area for your team to sleep over night on the ship's initial employed sleeping quarters as part of their Live Aboard program. For more historical ship and boat trip concepts, take a look at this post .

Learn about the City by the Bay as you trip downtown on a motorized cable television cars and truck . See city landmarks like Fisherman's Wharf, Nob Hill and Alamo Square Park. There are 3 stops along the method where you can go out to check out and ask concerns of your tourist guide. The trip ends with a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge where you will find out how this engineering marvel was constructed throughout San Francisco Bay throughout the anxiety and opened in 1937.

Give a subscription to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose and your mini mummy-lovers will go wild. Discover how the pharaohs lived and how their belief in the afterlife formed their burial practices. Museum members 17 and more youthful can take part in the Junior Archaeologist training program free of charge, that includes behind-the-scenes training and hands-on knowing experiences.

picture: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.For Theater Lovers.

If your youngster is predestined for a life on the phase or simply delights in a great musical, a day at the theater can be an enjoyable present choice. Get dressed up, take pleasure in some hot chocolate at intermission and get swept away to a distant land!

The hot ticket this holiday is the two-part program Harry Potter and the Cursed Child . Make it a day in the city with supper in between the matinee and night efficiencies.

Bay Area Children's Theater accommodates youngsters with their programs that have significant styles and much shorter run times. Get tickets for upcoming programs like: A Year with Frog and Toad , Construction Site on Christmas Night and The Lion, The closet and the witch . With efficiencies in Berkeley, San Francisco and Sunnyvale, you can capture one near you!

In San Jose, Sesame Street Live is can be found in early January and Les Miserables in April.

There are lots of Nutcrackers and other vacation reveals this time of year that make a terrific present for kids.

picture: Curiodyssey.For Curious Kids.

If you are looking influence imagination and development in your kids this holiday, there are loads of museums that use simply that. Strategy a day there or select a year-long subscription to actually get the imaginative juices streaming.

The peninsula is house to CuriOdyssey , a non-profit science museum and zoo where kids can check out clinical phenomena through play. Head further south to San Jose where you can discover the Children's Discovery Museum and their outside display, Bill's Backyard . Older explorers will like investing a day at The Tech Interactive where you can experience an earthquake, see what you 'd appear like with another person's eyes and manage a genuine robotic. Find out more here .

In San Francisco, the Children's Creativity Museum provides an ingenious art and innovation experience for kids ages 2-12 and their households. Pier 15 is house to The Exploratorium —-- a museum that will challenge your understanding while you are participating in clinical discovery. Take a look at their Curious Contraptions display for some genuine "how did they do that?" motivation.

Just throughout the Golden Gate Bridge is the Bay Area Discovery Museum where creativities can cut loose. With display areas specially-designed for kids 0-10 (and the Tot Spot restricted to simply spiders through young children), the BADM is an especially great option for children. Kids of any ages will take pleasure in a check out to the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland. A check out to the Planetarium there will get kids considering life beyond our world.

For a complete list of STEM-inspired areas around the bay, appearance here .

picture: MOCHA.For Little Artists.

Foster a love of art and provide the present of a see to a regional art museum. Numerous deal unique kids programs or, even better, are developed simply for kids!

Bring you team to check out Golden Gate Park's de Young Museum where they have a free-to-everyone playspace: the de Youngsters Studio . Special household shows is readily available on Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. After checking out the museum, check out the other totally free offerings in Golden Gate Park .

The Museum of Children's Arts in Oakland has actually been bringing the innovative arts to East Bay kids for over 27 years. Your mini Monet will enjoy their weekday drop-in art program where they can check out the season's style utilizing several mediums. When the 3rd Saturday of each month brings a brand-new activity like dragon puppets and mask making, or make art with the entire household.

For some paint-all-over-your-hands art experiences, we enjoy the Messy Art Lab . Not just does it keep the mess out of your home however it takes imagination to an entire other level.

For more concepts for drop-in art experiences, have a look at this list .

picture: Kate Loweth.For Kids Who Want to Learn a New Skill.

An experience present is an excellent chance to let kids attempt a brand-new activity. Provide a couple of months of lessons and they may never ever wish to stop!

Cooking classes can be lots of enjoyable and perk, you leave supper task! They expose kids to foods and components they have actually never ever attempted prior to and get them to exceed chicken nuggets and pizza. A dance class can assist kids to focus, interact and establish their listening abilities. Gymnastics classes aid develop coordination and strength, plus they are excellent for tiring kids out!

picture: Hotel Zephyr by Kate Loweth.For Any Bay Area Kid.

An over night on the town is basically the embodiment of enjoyable for kids of any age. Strategy a staycation in San Francisco and the kids will go gaga at the concept.

PresidioBook a night at the Lodge at the Presidio and check out all that this location needs to use households . You'll take pleasure in complimentary red wine and cheese at night and a relaxing outside fire pit for roasting s'mores.

Union Square/DowntownSpend a long time in the heart of the city at the Westin St. Francis , the only hotel situated right in Union Square. Vacation bundles that consist of cable television automobile flights and totally free dining for kids are offered.

Take a walk through Chinatown to the historical Sentinel Building for lunch at the joyful Cafe Zoetrope . You'll seem like you remain in a charming coffee shop in Italy at this Francis Ford Coppola gem that serves huge meatballs on bowls of spaghetti, thin-crust pizza with every topping under the sun and chocolate mousse that will send you over the edge.

The Hilton San Francisco Union Square and Parc 55 San Francisco hotels both use Skate, Shop and Stay Packages for those wanting to include ice skating and shopping to their staycation strategy. This plan gets you 3 ice rink tickets, complimentary buffet breakfast for kids 5 and under, and 15% % off at Bloomingdales. Take the kids to the Cityscape lounge for a Shirley Temple and an impressive view of the city!

Fisherman's WharfFisherman's Wharf has a variety of excellent hotels that permit you to remain right in the action. The Argonaut Hotel has the Neptune's Package with totally free breakfast for 4, cable television vehicle passes for the complete day, a PIER 39 present pack and unique presents for kids. Hotel Zephyr uses a huge yard with video games and fire pits to keep everybody hectic.

Spend the day at the Exploratorium , consume some seafood at Fisherman's Wharf , ride the cable television vehicles, go to PIER 39 , delight in a giant-sized sundae at Ghirardelli Square and view the Bay Bridge illuminate the sky. It's a night the kids will always remember!

—-- Kate Loweth

Read more about this at redtri.com

https://coolarticlespinner.com/epic-experience-gifts-for-bay-area-kids/

#celebrations #christmas #indoorfun #kidsgiftideas #outdoorfun #sffeed #thingstodo #toys

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likelylightwood · 7 years

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92 Statements

tagged by @shazz907 :)

Rules: You must answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people.

🔹The Last :

1. Drink: dragon fruit vitamin water

2. Phone call: to my mom to help find her phone lmao

3. Text message: “and hm that’s tough” (about a crush)

4. Song you listened to: bubblegum bitch by marina and the diamonds

5. Time you cried: watching a dog’s purpose two days ago

6. Dated someone twice: only once and it was in like 6th grade lol

7. Kissed someone and regretted it: never

8. Been cheated on: never

9. Lost someone special: my dog in kindergarten if that counts

10. Been depressed: two years ago it was really bad but now i’m happy :)

11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: gotten drunk but never thrown up

🔹List 3 favourite colours 12-14: blue, green, pink

🔹In The last year have you:

15. Made new friends: yes

16: Fallen out of love: yes

17: Laughed until you cried: multiple times

18. Found out someone was talking about you: yes

19. Met someone who changed you: yes

20. Found out who your friends are: yes

21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: yes

🔹General

22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: most of them

23. Do you any pets: yes i have a dog named troy and cat named princess (I was five when i got my cat okay and yes my dog is named after troy bolton from hsm dOnT jUdGe mE)

24. Do you want to change your name: no

25. What did you do for your last birthday: i saw halsey live at madison square garden with my best friend

26. What time did you wake up: 8:45

27. What were you doing a midnight last night: watching the office

28. Name something you can’t wait for: NJCON! i’m meeting misha :)

29. When was the last time you saw your mum: like a half hour ago when i went into the kitchen to get food

30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: i wish i could stop procrastinating and stressing myself out

31. What are you listening to right now: galway girl by ed sheeran

32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: not really? there was this kid named tom in my middle school but he didn’t talk to anyone

33. Something that is getting on your nerves: how long it takes for ios updates to download

34. Most visited website: youtube/netflix

35. Mole/s: none

36.Marks: scars on my ankles and some on my wrists from two years ago, also this big scar on my wrist from trying to play with a volleyball that was still in the box i hate myself

37.Childhood Dream: i wanted (and still do) to become a marine biologist

38. Hair colour: oh boy it’s crazy rn, my natural hair is a bit darker than dirty blonde, but i have dyed it dark brown, black, and then blue so now it’s light brown with green in it and caramel brown in some areas i have no idea

39. Long or short hair: medium

40. Do you have a crush on someone?: i dunno, i can never differentiate between if i like someone or if i like the IDEA of being with someone

41. What do you like about yourself: my eyes (v blue)

42. Piercings: ears

43. Blood type: no idea

44. Nickname: Sandy (my full name is Sandra)

45. Relationship status: single

46. Zodiac: leo

47. Pronouns: she/her

48. Favourite Tv show: supernatural (duh)

49. Tattoos: none

50. Right or left handed: right

51. Surgery: none

52. Piercings: ??

53. Sport: i’m a competitive swimmer

54. Vacation: i went to peru this year and visited machu picchu i loved it so much

55. Hair Dyed a different colour?: yes i dyed it dark brown, then black with green ends, fully black, then i dyed my whole head blue, black again because i thought it would get rid of the blue that turned green, and now i just don’t know what to do with it

56. Pair of Trainers: black and white converse

🔹More General

57. Eating: i just had ice cream

58: Drinking: no

59. I’m about to: finish watching an episode of the office

61. Waiting for: an actual relationship

62. Want: to accomplish my dreams

63. Get married: yes when i’m ready and found the right person

64. Career: i want to be a marine biologist and open a rescue and research center in florida for marine mammals

65. Hugs or Kisses: both :)

66. Lips or eyes: eyes

67. Shorter or taller: i’m like average,, 5′5

68. Older or younger: younger

70. Nice arms or nice stomach: i like to think both (athletic build)

71. Loud or Sensitive: both

72. Hook up or relationship: relationship

73. Troublemaker or hesitant: troublemaker at times but mostly hesitant

🔹Have you ever?

74. Kissed a stranger: no

75. Drank hard liquor: yes

76. Lost glasses/ contact lenses: no

77. Turned someone down: yes

78. Sex on the first date: hi im a virgin

79. Broken someone’s heart: oh god i hope not

80. Had your heart broken: no

81. Been arrested: no

82. Cried when someone died: yes on supernatural

83: Fallen for a friend: yes

🔹Do you believe in

84. Yourself: not reallt

85. Miracles: no

86. Love at first sight: yes

87. Santa Claus: no

88. Kiss on the first date: yes

89. Angels: yes if you’re talking about cas :)

🔹Other

90. Current best friend’s name: Jamie

91. Eye colour: blue

92. Favourite Movie: zootopia (yes i am a child)

i gotta tag 20 people so here goes (sorry in advance loves)

@mayanaari @holy-spn @castiel-my-bean @ackleholics @conquestcastiel @destieldrabblesdaily @dcfluff @guardianangelcastiel @heckyeahmishacollins @hellagayangelofthelord @incorectspnquotes @just-cas @jensengifsdaily @raindestiel @ruined-by-destiel @simplyjensendaily @themishadaily @thecocklesdaily @capsofcastiel @castieledits

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jemmasmithinterior · 5 years

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Children Explore the Depths of their Dreams

Hope to Dream strives to help deserving children across North America discover their dreams by providing them with the security of a better night’s sleep. Recently, with the help of amazing volunteers and event organizers, we took a trip to Atlanta to attend an event at the Georgia Aquarium. We followed along as 50 children and their families learned about marine life, dolphin training and conservation. We can’t wait to share our adventures with you!

Creatures of the Deep

During their visit, children came face-to-face with otters, beluga whales, eels and, best of all, whale sharks. They ogled at the colossal creatures – which can grow up to 40 feet long – as they swam along the notorious underwater walkway. Georgia Aquarium is the only U.S. location that has whale sharks, which gave the children a once-in-a-lifetime, extra special encounter.

Children at the event were also greeted by penguins. Handlers brought the birds center stage to teach the kids insightful facts and see them up close. Fun fact: Most penguins at the Georgia Aquarium are typically found on the rocks in South Africa!

It was an incredible experience watching the children interact with animals from across the globe, but the fun did not stop there!

High-Flying Activities

Next up was the main attraction, the children and their families were brought into the “Splash Zone” of the Dolphin Show! The children met trainers and dolphins of the aquarium, like Luna.

Children learned about dolphin training from the experts, which involves diligent behavior reinforcement and time with the mammals. The kids laughed and screamed as dolphins jumped from the water and splashed around. Some even left with new aspirations of becoming dolphin trainers!

The Monday after the aquarium excursion, the children received a special delivery from Hope to Dream. To have a better night’s sleep every night, each child was given a brand new bed set. With a new bed of their own, they are able to recharge and have a better chance of reaching their dreams. Like becoming a dolphin trainer.

Since its founding in 2010, Hope to Dream has donated over 90,000 beds to children in need. With the opportunity of having a better night’s sleep, the organization hopes that the children have the chance to pursue their dreams. Click here for more information about the organization. To see more from our events, follow the Instagram page!

The post Children Explore the Depths of their Dreams appeared first on XO Ashley.

fromhttps://blog.ashleyfurniture.com/children-explore-the-depths-of-their-dreams/

#XO Ashley

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tripxtours · 6 years

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Top Things to do in Dubai with Kids

Dubai is the city which will never be going to disappoint you with its world-class attractions. The city of Dubai is bursting with a wide array of activities which is meant for all kinds of tourists. Being an adult or a kid, you will find endless attractions meant for you. There is so much to do in the city that you cannot cover in one trip. The amazing thing about Dubai is that the city is positively teeming with ample places to visit in Dubai with kids as well as with family.

Starting from adventure attractions like Body Board to leisure attractions of Dubai Fountain, Dubai has got you covered. There are ample family entertainment destinations present in Dubai. However, among them, a few fun-filled activities are especially for kids. Kids can explore their mind while participating in those activities as the attractions are solely designated for edutainment. Here is the list of kid-friendly activities in Dubai which you cannot afford to miss if you are visiting Dubai with your family.

Dubai Parks and Resorts

Dubai Parks and Resorts is a perfect place for family with kids where you will find a wide array of popular theme parks in Dubai as well as waterparks. Enjoy your day with kids in the Dubai parks and resorts while paving a visit to Motiongate, Legoland, and Bollywood Park. Being a kid or an adult you are always welcome to these parks as there are many rides and attractions which everyone can ride.

If you are a big fan of Bollywood, then Bollywood park is the perfect destination for you. In this park, kids will definitely have fun while seeing the drama and entertainment in the live shows. Motiongate is the park based on Hollywood theme and apart from that you can have wonderful dinner and you can spend a peaceful environment at Riverland entertainment. Spend your leisure time in the Polynesian themed 5-star Lapita hotel and make the most of your holiday with fun and excitement.

Cost:

2 Parks in 1 Day - Adult: AED 249 / Child: AED 249

Location:

Sheikh Zayed Rd - Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Everyday 3 PM to 11 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Dubai Parks and Resorts Combo 1 Day Pass

Dubai Parks and Resorts Combo 2 Days Pass

Legoland Waterpark

Within the list of kid’s attractions in Dubai, Legoland Dubai is the place that we cannot afford to miss. Kids can splash the entire day while riding on more than 20 Lego themed attractions, slides, and rides in the park. Apart from that, there are dining options which are specially designated for the kids inside the park such as Waves Bistro and Brick Bites. It is a park where you will see Lego based attractions everywhere which is all time favorite for the kids.

Cost:

Entry Pass - Adult: AED 199 / Child: AED 199

Location:

Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Opposite Palm Jebel Ali, exit 5 Saih Shuaib - Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Everyday 10 AM to 6 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Legoland Water Park Entry Pass

Aquaventure Waterpark

Being the largest waterpark in Dubai, Aquaventure is known for having the largest slide tube in the world. A fun-filled park of the kids Aquaventure has Splashers land, where kids can play and can enjoy the view of the lagoon sharks. Enjoy with your family while riding in the ever popular Leap of faith slide in Aquaventure Waterpark Dubai.

Cost:

Entry Pass - Adult: AED 249 / Child: AED 249

Location:

Atlantis The Palm, Crescent Road - Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Everyday 10 AM to 6.30 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Aquaventure Water Park Entry Pass

Aquaventure and Lost Chamber Combo Pass

Mattel play town

Mattel Play Town Dubai is known for its interactive indoor eduplay center for kids whose age range between 2 years to 10 years. Delve your kid’s imagination in the Mattel Play Town, one of the popular kid’s activities in Dubai with the theories of education while developing their mind. Kids can also meet their favorite cartoon characters in the play town. Develop the social skills of your kid when they participate in the fun-filled kid’s activities of the Mattel Play Town. The fun themed zones of Mattel Play Town are Barney, Angelina Ballerina, Bob the Builder, Thomas and Friends, and Fireman Sam.

Cost:

Entry Pass - Adult: AED 55 / Child: AED 95

Location:

City Walk - Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Saturday to Wednesday: 9 AM to 8 PM, Thursday: 9 AM to 10 PM, Friday: 10 AM to 10 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Mattel Play Town Entry Pass

Mattel Play Town and Green Planet Combo Pass

Mattel Play Town and Hub Zero Combo Pass

Mattel Play Town, Hub Zero and Green Planet Combo Pass

Hub zero indoor gaming

Retreat your kid to a perfect VR gaming experience in the Hub Zero indoor gaming Dubai. Well, the place is known as the city of the games which is situated in the Virtual Zone of Dubai. Apart from the kids, adults too can play VR games that use state-of-the-art virtual technologies. You can participate in a plethora of activities in Hub Zero Dubai such as VR multiplayer games, laser tag, 4d theatre, Lan gaming area, etc. If you are a gamer, then nothing will excite more than the games and attractions present in Hub Zero.

Cost:

Child Pass - Adult: AED 95 / Child: AED 95

Premium Pass - Adult: AED 139 / Child: AED 139

Hacker Pass - Adult: AED 165 / Child: AED 165

Location:

City Walk - Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Monday: 2 PM to 10 PM, Tuesday to Friday: 12 PM to 12 AM, Saturday & Sunday: 2 PM to 10 PM.

Recommended Experiences:

Hub Zero Premium Pass

Hub Zero and Green Planet Combo Pass

Hub Zero, Mattel Play Town and Green Planet Combo Pass

Kidzania

Kidzania in Dubai Mall has developed an award-winning concept for the kids which is solely for the purpose of edutainment. The park is designed in the concept of adult experience which has been scaled down in size. Kids will get to lead the life of a normal adult like they can take the jobs of chefs, doctor, firemen, emirates pilots in the office. There are functional buildings, streets, homes inside the complex where they can get the proper adult experience which makes it a popular Dubai attraction for kids.

Cost:

The Pass - Adult: AED 76 / Child: AED 155

Location:

Level 2, The Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Sunday to Wednesday: 10 AM to 10 PM, Thursday to Saturday: 10 AM to 11 PM.

Recommended Experiences:

Kidzania Dubai Mall Pass

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

Create lifelong memories in the newest attraction of Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World. The theme park is based on the characters of the films and cartoons created by Warner Brothers in Hollywood. There are immersive lands in Warner Bros. World where the kids can play with their favorite characters. Starting from Scooby Doo to Bugs Bunny, Superman to Wonder Woman get everyone under one roof. Get the chance to ride in 29 state-of-the-art exhilarating rides in the park.

Cost:

Standard Pass - Adult: AED 283 / Child: AED 283

Premium Pass - Adult: AED 416 / Child: AED 416

Location:

Abu Dhabi - Al Falah Rd – Abu Dhabi

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Saturday to Sunday: 10 AM to 9 PM, Friday: 10 AM to 10 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Warner Bros. World Standard Pass

Warner Bros. World Premium Pass

Wild Wadi Waterpark

Get the chance to make your day out at the Wild Wadi Waterpark. With more than 30 attractions, Wild Wadi Park is the perfect kid’s activities in Dubai where you can simply float in the river or take a deep plunge in the water, ride in the adventurous water rollercoasters, climbing frames, dumping buckets and many more. However, the most important part is that separate attractions for kids are also there where they can enjoy.

Cost:

Entry Pass - Adult: AED 228 / Child: AED 228

Location:

Jumeirah Street, Opposite Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah 2 - Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Sunday to Wednesday: 10 AM to 7 PM, Thursday: 10 AM to 6 PM, Friday: 10 AM to 10 PM, Saturday: 10 AM to 8 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Wild Wadi Water Park Entry Pass

Dolphin Bay Atlantis

Make friends with the world’s friendliest mammals only at the Dolphin Bay Atlantis. It is considered as one of the most sophisticated habitats for the Dolphins of varied sizes. There is nothing to worry as there are trainers who will guide you while dealing with the dolphins and seals. Make the best memories of your life while making friendship with the dolphins in the park. Well, it is not only for the adults, kids can play with the Dolphins and seals for 30 minutes along with swimming, scuba diving, etc.

Cost:

Dolphin Photo Fun - Adult: AED 750 / Child: AED 750

Dolphin Encounter - Adult: AED 1,095 / Child: AED 1,095

Location:

Atlantis The Palm, Crescent Rd, Dubai

Good for:

Family, Kids

Hours:

Everyday 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Dolphin Encounter Pass

VR Park

A place where the virtual reality escapades, VR park is considered as one of the newest attraction in Dubai Mall that can be easily counted as the kids’ attraction in Dubai. Kids will get to see the stunning effect created by the augmented reality and the virtual reality. Young ones can easily play the game in the VR park. Escape the zombie attack or navigate your spaceship to a safe place in the Walking Dead Outbreak game. Or else you can try the amazing Burj Drop experience in the VR Park.

Cost:

AED 150

Location:

Dubai Mall, Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

10 AM to 12 AM everyday

Dubai Mall Underwater Aquarium and Zoo:

Pave a visit to the habitat of more than 150 species of marine animals which includes sand tiger sharks, rays, sharks in Dubai Aquarium. Being world’s one of the largest aquarium, Dubai Aquarium has more than 33,000 aquatic animals in its 10 million litres of giant tank. It is one of the best places to visit in Dubai with kids.

The Underwater Zoo is considered for offering an edutainment journey for the kids regarding Arabian wildlife as well as desert environment. You will find the rare species of reptiles in the Underwater zoo along with an innovative and interactive environment inside. Kids will definitely get spellbound when they will find the playful Otters, giant Piranha, friendly penguins and big Catfishes in the rocky shore and living ocean environments of the Underwater Zoo.

Cost:

Researcher Pass - Adult: AED 99 / Child: AED 99

Explorer Pass - Adult: AED 170 / Child: AED 170

VIP Pass - Adult: AED 310 / Child: AED 310

Location:

Ground & Level 2, The Dubai Mall, Dubai

Good for:

Family and Kids

Hours:

Everyday 10 AM to 11 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo Explorer Pass

Dubai Aquarium and Burj Khalifa Combo

Ski Dubai:

Located in one of the largest shopping malls in Dubai i.e. Mall of Emirates, Ski Dubai has ample activities such as snowboarding, skiing, various snow events, tobogganing, ski slope, Chair Lift, snow bullet, Ski School, etc. The exotic snow park maintains a temperature of -2 degree Celsius all the year round. You will definitely be going to forget that you are in Dubai, once you enter the snow laden park. Both kids and adult can have real time adventure in Ski Dubai in the snow wonderland of 3,000 square meter Ski Dubai.

Cost:

Polar Pass - Adult: AED 201 / Child: AED 201

Polar Express Pass - Adult: AED 336 / Child: AED 336

Location:

Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

Good for:

Family, Kids

Hours:

Sunday to Wednesday: 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM; Thursday: 10AM to 12:00 AM; Friday: 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM; Saturday: 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM

Recommended Experiences:

Ski Dubai Polar Pass

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darkestbeforedxwn-pages · 6 years

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BASIC INFORMATION

FULL NAME Owen Grady NICKNAME(S) None OCCUPATION Animal Behavior Expert for Jurassic World AGE 39 DATE OF BIRTH June 21st NATIONALITY American ORIENTATION Heterosexual GENDER & PRONOUNS Male. His/He RELIGION None

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

FACE CLAIM Chris Pratt HEIGHT 6′2 WEIGHT 223 EYE COLOUR Green HAIR COLOUR + STYLE Light brown and kept short DOMINANT HAND Right DISTINGUISHING FEATURES None ACCENT + INTENSITY None TATTOO(S) None SCAR(S) Bullet scar on thigh and several bite marks PIERCING(S) None GLASSES None

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

HOMETOWN Belgrade, Montana CURRENT RESIDENCE Jurassic World LANGUAGE(S) English SOCIAL CLASS Lower Class BASIC EDUCATION Yes COLLEGE EDUCATION Yes DEGREE(S) Paleontology and Animal husbandry PARENT #1 Steven Grady - Birth Father PARENT #2 Karen Grady - Birth Mother SHIP Owen/Claire. Owen/Chemistry SIBLING(S) None CHILD(REN) Delta, Charlie, Echo, Blue PET(S) None ADOPTED? No RAP SHEET? Yes PRISON TIME? Yes

VICES + HABITS

SMOKES? No DRINKS? Yes DRUGS? Used to VIOLENT? No ADDICTION(S)? No SELF-DESTRUCTIVE? Yes HABIT(S) Listens to country music, drinks after work, likes animals more than humans HOBBIES Training his raptors, working on his bike, drinking, eating TIC(S) Sarcasm, deflects OBSESSION(S) None COMPULSION(S) None

BIOGRAPHY

Owen was born on a farm in the middle of Montana. When he turned 18 he joined up with the US Navy and worked for the US Navy Marine Mammal Program, which funded his degree in Animal Husbandry. He trained dolphins for several years before he was hired by InGen for the security division to train and research the behaviors of Velociraptors. Many raptors died over the course of the project caused by failed training techniques or fighting with themselves.

In 2015, after discovering that the pack structure of Velociraptor was more complicated than previously thought, he recommended his old friend Barry to Vic Hoskins to help in the training of the raptors. Eventually, Barry was hired as trainer and caretaker of the raptors.

By 2015, he was the alpha of a Velociraptor pack which composed of Blue, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. As he worked for Jurassic World, he lived in a Sunrio bungalow in the outskirts of the park.

VERSES

Main Verse: Follows the plot of the movie

Follows the plot of the movie

Pre Series Verse : Takes place prior to Jurassic World while Owen is raising the current raptor pack.

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loroparque-orcas · 6 years

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Morgan The Captive Orca – A Real Handmaid’s Tale

If she wore a red dress and a white hat would the world have more empathy for a captive, pregnant killer whale?

Unlike Offred, an imaginary female trapped in an imaginary city, enslaved to an abusive household and cheered on to escape by viewers the world over, Morgan is a very real captive killer whale held in a very real tank, within an animal entertainment themed park. Her very existence epitomises ‘‘The Handmaids Tale,’ she is likely silently screaming to her audience— “ME TOO!”

When watching the hugely popular Hulu adaptation of Margaret Atwoods’ book, we are disturbed by the scenes of subservience and ritualised rape and are empathetic to Offred’s plight in the show. But in the real world, our anthropocentric society commits similar abuses against captive marine mammals and we, the audience, sit in the stadiums with our children and cheer the spectacle on.

Whatever is silenced will clamor to be heard, though silently.

The Handmaid’s Tale is set in a dystopian society where fertile women, ‘Handmaids,’ are forced into child-bearing servitude. Quoting Laura Hudson, in her review – A Beginners Guide to The Handmaids Tale Universe: “Women are considered the property of men and are not permitted to vote, possess money of their own or read…all the women we encounter in The Handmaid’s Tale — including Offred—grew up in an America like our own, and thus have to be brutally indoctrinated into their new status as possessions, servants and walking baby incubators.”

In the real world, killer whales (or orca) like Morgan are captured for display. They too are then considered ‘property,’ and in captivity can no longer live a free and natural life. They can no longer swim great distances, dive to any real depth, hunt or feed of their own accord and they certainly can’t choose with whom they will live or breed. Their entire existence is managed by trainers in accordance with their owners’ business requirements. They become an object, a commodity, and literally die a social death.

Better never means better for everyone. It always means worse, for some.

Morgan lived in the world she knew—the ocean—free and with her family. She somehow became separated, was ‘rescued,’ and then opportunistically indoctrinated into her new status of possession; servant to the captivity industry and its patrons, and just like Offred, she too now exists as a (swimming) performing baby incubator.

Morgan – A Stolen Life In the real world, the deliberate capture of wild born killer whales is increasingly considered an unacceptable practice, and the breeding of this species is being phased out by some in the theme park industry who are listening to the public. However, when a young female orca was found alone and unwell, but well enough to keep alive for breeding purposes, Morgan became the most valuable find; a gene pool ‘bonanza’ for the captive entertainment industry.

In 2010 Morgan was taken from the wild in Netherland waters. Although underweight, Morgan was still free-swimming and she never stranded. The Dutch Government had previously issued a cetacean-wide ‘rescue, rehabilitation and release’ permit to Dolfinarium Harderwijk, which allowed the theme park to take Morgan from her ocean home.

From that moment, Morgan’s life was no longer her own; she was never rehabilitated nor released—instead she was kept in a pen that was barely large enough for her to swim, forced into training and taught how to behave in order to accommodate her keepers’ demands. She was conditioned to perform undignified tricks, providing customers more ‘bang for their buck’ when encouraged to pay for the novelty of seeing a wild killer whale up-close in a tank.

The moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil.

In a travesty of justice resulting from a tangled web of governmental and regulatory loopholes along with theme park industry subterfuge, Morgan, some 18 months later, was shipped out of the Netherlands with the help of SeaWorld (a USA based company), into the hands of Loro Parque, an amusement park in Tenerife, Spain.

At Loro Parque, Morgan was put in another tank and forced to integrate with 5 captive-born SeaWorld-owned orca who were completely foreign to her. For over four years now Morgan has suffered an unnatural life; she has been made to perform demeaning behaviours in never ending theatrical shows, fed frozen fish and endured sexual pressure and continuous bullying from the male orca in the theme park pens.

A New Baby for Morgan… Praise Be! The public who patronise Loro Parque seem, for the most part, oblivious to Morgan’s suffering, her barren tank, her unnatural existence, her clown like performances—her real purpose. Families crave a day’s entertainment, promoted by an industry that presents its animals as just that. To see a killer whale up close is a bucket list item that we should all tick; families don’t see the torture. Perhaps the public is not dissimilar to the brainwashed citizens of the imaginary Gilead. They seem convinced by ‘the authority’, the industry, that these handmaids, these orca, are ‘happy’ to be used, happy to be bred. These ‘ambassadors’ will somehow help to conserve their species in the wild. Yet strangely, the public absorbing this information doesn’t ever seem to question …why then are these animals never released?

The handmaid’s purpose, Morgans purpose, despite her torture in order to achieve it, is to perform when required and to bear fruit. Morgan, in her Handmaid’s Tale has now been successfully inseminated. She is pregnant and due to give birth at any time. Some say the birth should be celebrated; her keepers say reproduction is a right of each animal, “it’s a natural behaviour,” and on the face of it this may appear true. But what of Morgan’s right to choose, what of her right to Freedom?

There is more than one kind of freedom, freedom to and freedom from.

Loro Parque admits to not knowing which of the two male orca at the park impregnated Morgan, yet it is known that one of them is aggressive towards humans and the other is a documented killer. What this will mean for Morgan’s calf will become evident in time, but one certainty is, it will be a hybrid and so despite the conservation claims, her offspring can never be released into the wild. Morgan’s baby too will have no right to be free.

A Handmaid’s Fruit – What of Morgan’s Calf? In captivity, orca pregnancies are rare and even when births do occur, calves often die; the result of Morgan’s pregnancy is yet to be seen. Like Offred, Morgan’s subservient, and sometimes comatose existence, combined with her constant public display presents an abnormal situation, an unnatural environment within which she must bond with her first baby; she may even reject her own calf if it does survive. Her calf will be a commodity too, a new attraction to be exploited, and if female—a future handmaid in turn. Morgan, now proven to be fertile, will likely be bred again—the ultimate money-spinner for an industry driven by the business of bottom lines.

Morgan’s calf might remain with her, or her keepers may well take her away, assign her to a new ‘household,’ a new facility, another breeding program, or of course her baby may simply die. In Morgan’s captive, amusement park world, where the illusion of ‘happy families’ is key, there will be no time for her to grieve should her calf not survive, her baby will be taken from her immediately — the show must go on regardless of grief.

Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.

Empathy Lost In A Killer Whale Show Our ability as humans to empathise with these animals does exist and was overwhelmingly demonstrated recently when a wild killer whale refused to let go of her dead baby for 17 torturous days. Undeniably going through a grieving process, Tahlequah’s anguish captured the attention of the world. We recognised her grief; we empathised with this orca, and our outpouring of sympathy to her plight was unprecedented

Yet inexplicably we seem to detach when we put these sentient animals in tanks, when we use them for our entertainment, when we make them breed to ensure the longevity of the industry, when their captive bred babies die or we remove their children from them, our empathy, our sympathy, seems to vanish along with the money we leave at the theme park gates.

We enjoy and even celebrate what we see as abhorrent-a perversion, an injustice against humans. Yet for incarcerated sentient animals, we accept this same behaviour as entertainment. We somehow disconnect from the fact that these ‘handmaids with tails’ like Morgan, don’t sign up for this ‘role,’ they’re forcefully conscripted to act as our entertainment, our ‘educational, conservational, inspirational,’ breeding tools.

Despite industry assertions that orca ‘enjoy’ performing and people believing what they are told is the truth, the reality is that these animals are not willingly working to entertain us; they are conditioned with rewards such as food to perform. Their bodies are not their own; they are made to breed and their babies will never be theirs. Their lives, their entire existence, will always be controlled by the industry, their ‘authority,’ their very real ‘Gilead’.

This is Gilead. No one gets out – Moira

#FreeMorgan

Further Information and References

Further information about Morgan’s story and ways to help please visitFree Morgan Foundation Further information about orca in captivity please visit Sea World Fact Check Further reading about Marine Mammals in Captivity Further information about Human Behaviour Change

References: All block quotes contained in this opinion piece unless otherwise noted are from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, sourced from Good Reads, The Handmaids Tale Quotes. https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1119185-the-handmaid-s-tale?page=1 Laura Hudson, A Beginner’s Guide to The Handmaid’s Tale Universe http://www.vulture.com/2017/04/the-handmaids-tale-beginners-guide.html Telegraph UK https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/loro-parque-ends-killer-whale-orca-breeding/ The Handmaids Tale – Hulu https://www.hulu.com/press/show/the-handmaids-tale/ The Handmaids Tale – Margaret Atwood https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38447.The_Handmaid_s_Tale Free Morgan Foundation, Morgans Story http://www.freemorgan.org/morgan-2/ Keto: Frustrated and Dangerous https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/whales/keto-frustrated-dangerous/ The Trials Of Tekoa https://timzimmermann.com/2011/09/26/the-trials-of-tekoa/ Centre For Whale Research – J35 https://www.whaleresearch.com/j35

#morgan #orca #orcas #blackfish #loro parque #morgans pregnancy #animal rights articles #this is so full of bullshit i just laughed all the way through #i will have a response coming in a bit #after school #or something

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mrandyzavala · 7 years

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Zookeeper Pregnancy - Morning Sickness

I swear to god this is not your typical pregnancy/morning sickness blog post.

Morpheus always knows

Not that there is anything wrong with so-called Mommy Blogging. In fact, there are some great ones out there, so I am told. But the people who write that share at least three of the following qualities:

1) They have kids

2) They use coasters religiously and appropriately

3) They grow all of their own food with one hand (the other hand is usually doing something crafty)

4) They take perfectly artistic photos of everyday goings-on (such as pooping) that make it look like a utopian paradise

5) Their clothes match

I meet precisely one criterion in that list (hint, it is not number 5). Even though I do have a kid, and I am 31 years older than said child, I feel like I am still in seventh grade. This is a quality about my mindset that has not changed. The only reason I have any business being a mom is because I am a professional applied behavior analyst. But for that, my progeny and I would eat donuts three times a day and wear the same rainbow-themed clothes while binge-watching Sci-Fi and/or Pixar movies.

Um. Exhibit A.

I also didn't really have what you would call a magical experience with being knocked up; if I have an inner fertility goddess, she is currently snoring on a proverbial couch with Cheetos covering her Rubenesque body.

BUT. I found it a really interesting experience as a marine mammal caregiver. I spent a lot of time in my 11 year career around pregnant dolphins and their calves. I never labor and delivery of a human being, but I had seen it over 10 times in bottlenose dolphins. I have been around way more pregnant dolphins than pregnant humans.

Like this one! Roxy was pregnant with the love of my life in this photo

Here’s a thing I noticed and eventually became really annoyed by: our quickly-made conclusions about how different Animals Have It than humans. For example, most of the pregnant dolphins I knew got “morning sickness” (aka The Worst Feeling Ever Other Than Scooping Out Your Eyeballs With A Small Spoon), but that was treated like it was some kind of anomaly. When the dolphins would sit uncomfortably in front of us, barely eat, and refuse behaviors, our Training Brains couldn’t seem to wrap our minds around this. Yeah, HUMANS got morning sickness, but these dolphins were ANIMALS. Animals are tough. They don’t show their emotions in ways humans are used to. They don’t write Mommy Blogs and talk about Dolphin-Based Morning Sickness Remedies (THANK GOD).

I'm crying

But the majority of trainers I have worked with always talked about how that made no sense….placental mammal pregnancy involves many of the same principles, including sudden and dramatic changes in ratios of certain hormones. The first trimester of pregnancy is essentially your body going WTF JUST HAPPENED and scrambling to support this small parasite(s). The placenta, which eventually takes over most of the life support, doesn’t play that role until later. That means the mom’s body needs to support the little blobby blob* with chemicals like gonadotropin and progesterone. It is likely that one or some of these hormones in their pregnancy-level amounts causes some really unfortunate GI side-effects.

When you have a dolphin who loves to eat no matter what is going on, you know something is up when she suddenly looks squinty-eyed, sluggish, inattentive, and like she would rather swallow bits of glass than eat whatever you have in your bucket. Of course, the standard course of action is to take blood and gastric samples to ensure something is NOT actually wrong, so once you rule out illness, you got yourself a lady friend with morning sickness.

HOLD IT IN HOLD IT IN

In my experience, six weeks into carrying Blessed Life (while I was on a solo vaca to Central California to geek out on whale-watching for 10 days), I felt the most nauseous I have ever been. Ever. Like, even when I had an intestinal parasite for two weeks and could not eat and wound up in the hospital. It was seriously terrible. The only thing I could eat was sushi and fried or grilled squid.

Guys and gals (especially those of you who have never been pregnant), I would not wish the all-consuming, intense nausea I experienced on anyone (some world dictators are exempt from this statement). Nothing I did could take my mind off of how sick I felt. The advice I got was the wise but totally ineffective long-view kind, where people tell you how it’ll all be worth it (okay, it was) or how you should just think of this tiny little life growing inside of you (hint: photos of embryos are not great remedies for wanting to puke your guts out), but all you want to do is spend the rest of your life in the fetal position (ha ha, see what I did there).

I need to re-do this vacation. Better yet, I need to move out there!

I spent most of my vacation in bed, miserable. When I got back to work, I had to tell my boss that a) I was pregnant and b) there was no way in hell I could go on a sea lion transport because I would basically just vom the entire time. Then I had to work. Like normal. I was on my feet for most of the day, in the heat, around the saltwater, around dead fish, penguin and otter poop, and I had my supervisory duties. And I had to pretend nothing was going on. I have no idea how well I pulled this off, I just know that there were many times I walked into our medical lab when no one was in there and flopped over the counters, hoping no one would come in.

I AM FINE

It was there, on the cold countertops, that I really felt bad for my previous interactions with newly pregnant dolphins. We had two dolphins who were preggo at the same time as me, but they were well past their sickness stage. Even though I figured they experienced some kind of nausea/fatigue early on, and tried to be sensitive, I still fell into trainer-mode, where if they refused a well-established exercise behavior I would ask again after an LRS because….that is what we do.

But as I drooled on my uniform, my stomach turning in knots, I realized what a butthead I had been. If THIS is what those lady dolphins experienced, I deserved to be kicked in the face. If someone came into that lab and said, “Hey Cat, go do your normal workout right now” or “Hey Cat, walk five steps”, I would be like OVER MY DEAD BODY.

Now, luckily, any misguided decisions I made regarding which behaviors I asked pregnant dolphins to do was usually met with refusal or avoidance. That is, the girls would say OVER MY DEAD BODY in their own dolphin way. That is how true positive reinforcement training SHOULD work, with the animals feeling perfectly comfortable saying no without any fear of deprivation of what they need to be happy and healthy.

Plus, you wind up with a cute baby

But still, I felt like a butthead.

And, I'm just gonna say it, but dudes don’t get it. Especially in our field, where a) most of us are chicks but b) most of our bosses are male. You are expected to work 99.9% of the time (you better be filling out records while you’re pooping on company time) because there is so much to do and the animals depend on you, it is a big deal to suddenly lose a trainer at ANY level (because seriously guys, we are all passionate and therefore very valuable no matter what level we are). I think women are more empathetic to this thing, even if they haven't been pregnant…because periods**. Female reproductive systems do really weird and usually uncomfortable things, even when they are perfectly normal.

No.

But dudes? If you think we are just whining about morning sickness, I have a fun and educational activity for you to try.

Drink Dran-O, just enough to prevent massive organ failure. And just when you think you are going to die, go to work and pretend like nothing is wrong. (Side note: this also works for our “monthly visitor” experience, except you can just slice a relatively high-pressure, non-vital artery in your pelvic region).

...

Anyways, my lesson? Even though I thought I was giving the animals the benefit of the doubt without sacrificing predictable training principles, it took me actually going through the experience to really understand. That was just MY experience, it is probably different for most of you out there.

And you know what? If I'm wrong, if dolphins really do NOT experience morning sickness and just have a secret Sisterhood pact to all refuse behaviors and pick at their food in the first four months of their pregnancy, then I would rather bring them extra comfort than try to make their situation more uncomfortable. After all, our main job is to put the animals and their wellness first. The show, interaction, or session takes second priority to the well-being of our animals. Tell me your experience, keepers with human babies!

_______

* Actual developmental term

** Need I say more, ladies?

from The Middle Flipper http://ift.tt/2sT8H6E

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