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| Dear Sir / Madam |
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I am seeking donations or sponsorship from your company in order to:
Help me in my scientific research, as it is important to help preservation not only for the cetacean population of the north east coast of Aberdeen and Shire, but also for the wild life such as bird life, fish ,seals etc. |
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The funding Iam seeking which a vital important part of the research is to refurbish a small vessel that had been kindly donated, in order allow SDR (Stonehaven Dolphin Research) to do daily and longer detailed sea survey's.
i.e. ID photos and study behavior patterns etc.
please donate towards the refurbishment of this boat |
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The research will investigate the effect of global warming to how this will have an affect on our coastline to date.
Also in the hope of detailed and extensive research their maybe a small miner way of helping, and to contribute information towards the slowing down or preventing the warming of our climate.
As the path to the communication and cooperation channels seem to have little or no effect.
As you are aware of the global warming effects on this country and every other countries to date, in the past eight years I have been observing and monitoring the behavior of Dolphins, Whales, and Porpoise in this region of the North East of Scotland.
The seasonally species called the White-Beaked Dolphin is also being threatened; they usually visit these waters around July.
The White-Beaked Dolphin favors cool temperature and sub-arctic waters of the North Atlantic, but will come in and around this area in abundance for the cool water and the seasonal food chain.
Which they tend to favor Stonehaven each year they visit.
Although there had been abundance of the seasonally food chain for them, I fear looking at the evidence and coming to the conclusion we may be on the verge of losing this species due to global warming which would a great loss to the North East coast; this is also a valid reason to investigate the warming up of the north east sea.
It is vitally important to us this scientific project proceeds to go ahead in the near future. |
Dolphin Calf with deformity, Kyphoscoliosiss |
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Dolphin Calf with deformity, Kyphoscoliosis>
Photographed By Caroline Weir
http://www.ketosecology.co.uk
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Dolphin Calf with deformity, Kyphoscoliosis>
Photographed By Caroline Weir
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This is a local Dolphin with dorsal fin leaning to the left side>
Photographed By Caroline Weir
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There also dolphins three calf's and one juvenile on our coastline with a spinal deformity called kyphoscoliosis it is a condition that’s not uncommon in cetaceans, for example in 2002 there was a dolphin in the Moray Firth with the same condition.
That dolphin managed to survive, but needed careful monitoring on the way.
This is also a chance for us to study the four in our area of North East of Scotland Aberdeen and shire, but for a chance of survival too.
The period of there first eighteen months of there lives’ is vital for these animals.
Also the critical and most vulnerable time of their lives’ is around the time when they are weaned from their mother milk. they must learn to hunt and feed for themselves.
If they manage to do this, then there's no reason why they can not have a fairly reasonable quality of life, however the kyphoscoliosis spinal deformity will shorten there life span.
In order to have a better understand or to find an explanation of the cause of this deformity in these animals, they must be study and questions answered.
There are many theories, but no positive facts or solutions, for example this maybe genetic or due to pollution in the sea i.e.: possible Industrial chemical waste spillage.
As there are many kinds of pollution, such as oil spillage, sewage waste and as mentioned chemical spillage, this is not a for gone conclusion, it maybe genetic.
As mentioned it is not an uncommon in dolphins, but to see four of these animals with this same spinal deformity in the same area is unusually rare, this could explain why that it is genetic, and is passed on to as many or few dolphins in each generation.
As well as studying the theories for spinal deformities in young calf’s there is also a great opportunity to study their behavior patterns and compare these with the healthier and the normal dolphin born without the deformity Kyphoscoliosis.
We know there is some difference in the physical actions a difference when comparing in these dolphins just by observations for example, by appearance the large lump on the front or behind the area of the dorsal fin, the abnormal way they swim some may be able to breach others fail too through the severity of their condition.
The distance and long periods of time they swim depending on the sea state conditions, I have observed this at first hand.
The mother holding the deformed calf up with her nose and using the whole of her body strength to either encourage the calf to swim or to let the young dolphin rest, without the mothers help her calf will drown.
But very little or no difference in the their mental state of health are they more aggressive towards other calf’s or dolphins or even their mother, or is their less or no aggressing at all, are they more domineering, demanding towards their mother and siblings.
Can the disability of their deformity in their mental health contribute to other disabilities? for example: will this affect their vision in the eye sight, breathing, and hearing and will this affect the communication in their vocal chords to communicate with other dolphins.
Even more of vital importance for their survival will this affect their echo location and how.
We know as mention above if the deformed calf cannot haunt feed after they are weaned from the mother’s milk then is no possibility, of survival for the young dolphin.
We also have to study the fact of the possibility that other dolphin’s adults, juveniles, and other calf’s may be aggressive towards the deformed calf’s, and the possibility of the mother rejecting her own calf.
Although so far I have seen no signs of this theory as yet by the coastal bottlenose dolphin (BND) but that will not mean it never happens, there always that possibility.
Some of these theories or theory can either proven or eliminated by close monitoring, and studying as well as training as a Marine Mammal Researcher also working with other marine biologist to help find a solution or a better understanding to help these animals for future generations of the species.
I appeal to all the local Business Companies of Stonehaven and Aberdeen and Shire to donate to a local charity Stonehaven Dolphin Research that work in association with Sea Watch Foundation.
To help fund these vital projects towards the learning and education to the public of all ages to involving local schools in the work we do and help the preservation and survival of all these cetaceans in this area.
So I appeal to you please help these animals as we are environmentally destroying their surroundings and their world is turning upside down.
Human life always come first. but we need to help these highly intelligent mammals too, they have feelings and emotions too. |
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