Dr. Naomi Rose–Senior Scientist with Humane Society International, who did her doctoral dissertation on the social dynamics of male orcas in British Columbia–discusses her chief responsibilities as HSI Senior Scientist, and when her fascination with orcas began. She also obliges when asked to cite some distinctive, inspiring qualities of orcas that most of us don’t know.
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Dr. Rose outlines the key tenets of the recently-filed federal lawsuit seeking the release of Lolita, the orca who performs at the Miami Seaquarium, on the grounds it violates the Endangered Species Act. And she assesses this legal gambit and the implications of releasing Lolita (the suit aims to have her reunited with her pod in the Northwest) partly through the vantage point of having been involved with the release of Keiko, the “Free Willy” whale; she’s an “Expert Cast Member” in the acclaimed new documentary film “Keiko The Untold Story.” Dr. Rose also addresses Tilikum, the orca at SeaWorld Orlando, who killed trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010, the third person the whale has killed–and the OSHA charges leveled against SeaWorld in the wake of this incident, including the large amount of proprietary information about training, other un-reported whale incidents, veterinary records and more that was revealed for the first time in these hearings.(www.humanesociety.org/about/leadership/subject_experts/naomi_rose.html, www.KeikoTheUntoldStory.com)
ALSO: We spoke with Troy Youngblood, of Skull and Bone Band, and one of the organizers of then-forthcoming Fun Fur-All Ball benefit for Big Cat Rescue at Skippers Smokehouse.
COMEDY CORNER: Bill Engvall’s “Whale Watching” (www.BillEngvall.com)
MUSIC:Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s “Ixegezi (Catch The Bird),” Emmylou Harris’ “Big Black Dog,” instrumentals
NAME THAT ANIMAL TUNE:The Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon”
