Ric O’Barry, 70, who now makes a career out of freeing dolphins, said the video highlights the cruelty the animals suffer while in captivity.  Mr O’Barry said: ‘The habitat of that false killer whale is so unnatural it leapt out in desperation.

The footage shows the stricken dolphin, called Kuru, lying on the floor as staff desperately wrap it in a mat and use a crane to lift it back into the water.

The other dolphins in the tank appear to be distressed and gathered around the side where the Kuri leapt out.

Hideshi Teruya, who manages the dolphin section at the park said: ‘It was playing around and jumped out by accident from the momentum.’  Mr Teruya denied the captivity was cruel and said the tank was not overcrowded and followed aquarium guidelines.

BULLSHIT!

But Mr O’Barry said the guidelines were inadequate and that dolphins were used to roaming for many miles a day, not swimming in a circle and doing flips at shows.

Two words: The Cove

www.youtube.com/watch?v=346GwT1Dt24

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqTWhltCcNI

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that I would one day style a model I used to love as a teen.  Ever!  But I did and to boot, we wrapped up the shoot afterwards, drinking wine and talking about rescue animals, chicken coops and the plight of mustangs in the wild.  Swoon!

The concept of the story was simple.  Tatjana’s passion for saving wild horses.  No emphasis on high fashion.  Just beautiful, simple, equestrian style clothing, Tatjana and the horses.  The shoot took place at the Return to Freedom ranch located in Ojai, in which Tatjana is a spokesperson for.

RTF is dedicated to preserving the freedom, diversity and habitat of America’s wild horses through sanctuary, education and conservation, while enriching the human spirit through direct experience with the natural world.

This sucks…FOR THE BULL!  Unfortunately, the world famous matador dude survived and the bull was later slaughtered. Read about it on the Huffington Post.

Photos via Getty

Thanks Dante!

Have your tissues handy and get ready for a river of awwww’s to come spewing out of your mouth!

In the African jungle, conservationist Damian Aspinall searches for Kwibi, a lowland gorilla he hasn’t seen for 5 years. Kwibi grew up with Damian at his Howletts Wild Animal Park in England. When he was five, he was released into the forests of Gabon, West Africa as part of conservation programme to re-introduce gorillas back into the wild. Now Kwibi’s 10 years old, much bigger and stronger. Will Damian find him? Will Kwibi attack him?

Watch the whole story of the amazing UK gorillas who are making a comeback in Africa in Gorilla School on Animal Planet narrated by Kevin Spacey from 4th May 2010 at 8pm.  Adopt a gorilla school baby at the Aspinall Foundation.

Via Huffington Post

Styling Tatjana yesterday was AMAZING!  She was down to earth and stunning in person.  We shot at the Return to Freedom sanctuary which Tatjana is a spokesperson for.

Return to Freedom is a non-profit wild horse sanctuary founded in 1997 by Neda DeMayo, and is the realization of her life-long dream: to protect the freedom and natural lifestyle of America’s free ranging wild horses.

Return to Freedom provides a safe haven to nearly 200 wild horses and burros recognizing that wild horses live in tightly bonded herd groups. They became the first sanctuary with a focus on rescuing entire family bands. Designed to be a model program, they implement alternative and minimally intrusive management philosophies.

Thanks to the Coco Eco team, Tatjana, John and everyone at RTF for all their hard work!

I cannot wait to see the final images.  Stay tuned!

Speaking of Freedom- remember this video and the familiar faces?

THE CIRCUS SUCKS!  This PSA, not so much.

Learn more about circus cruelty here:  Circuses - Animal Defense - PETA

And in case you need a few reminders of why they suck, please see below.

Via Raymond + Yuhmm

When I saw this link sent to me from a gf, I went giddy seeing Joaquin cleaned up, the crazy washed out from his eyes and ready to be my baby daddy again.  My thrill was immediately replaced by horror.   I have forced myself to watch Earthlings and many other animal cruelty videos but I had to close my eyes several times while watching this one.

It’s one thing to kill an animal humanely (is there such a thing?) for our luxury fashion addictions but to cut up and skin an animal while it is alive and leave if for dead, sometimes for up to 4 days???….words just can’t explain.

I just checked all of my shoes and bags and realized I do have a clutch made from what looks like alligator skin- I got it from a styling gig.  It’s getting donated TODAY.

WARNING:  This video is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC!!!  But, I still suggest you watch it.  You don’t have to stop buying or throw anything out- but at least you’ll be conscious of how it came to be.

Nadya Suleman has fourteen mouths to feed and is rumored to be running behind in mortgage payments. Well guess who’s come to the rescue by offering her 5 G’s and a months supply of veggie burgers? PETA!  FTW!!!  From their website:

It seems like everybody has an opinion about “Octomom” Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to eight babies last year. No matter where you stand on that decision, starring in porn isn’t Suleman’s only option to remedy the recently rumored foreclosure proceedings on her home in La Habra, Calif. In fact, PETA is offering to bolster her finances by paying to place an ad on her front lawn:

Witness the Oceans movement at a campus near you.

The Save My Oceans Tour will visit multiple college campuses with a series of music, film and art installations that celebrate a collective passion for the oceans and provide tools and information for what you can do to protect them.

The Save My Oceans tour will culminate in each city with a concert on campus. Save My Oceans is working together with student organizations on each campus to align an exciting musical act to this worthy cause.

In addition, Participant Media and Disneynature will hold a free advanced screening of the movie Oceans. Admission will require that students take the Save My Oceans pledge to reduce plastic consumption.

Get updated information immediately by joining their Facebook page.

Key art created by Shepard Fairey‘s Studio Number One design agency.

TOUR SCHEDULE

• University of Florida (Gainesville)  3/23-3/27
• University of Southern California  4/13-4/16
• UC Berkley   4/20-4/23
• Arizona State University (Tempe)  4/20-4/24
• San Diego State University  4/20-4/23
• University of Hawaii (Manoa)  4/20-4/23
• George Washington University 4/20-4/24

Disneynature, the studio that presented the record-breaking film Earth, brings Oceans to the big screen on Earth Day, 2010. Nearly three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is covered by water and Oceans boldly chronicles the mysteries that lie beneath. Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud dive deep into the very waters that sustain all of mankind-exploring the playful splendor and the harsh reality of the weird and wonderful creatures that live within. Featuring spectacular never-before-seen imagery captured by the latest underwater technologies, offers an unprecedented look beneath the sea in a powerful yet enchanting motion picture that unfolds on April 22, 2010. For more information, visit Disney.com/Oceans or become a fan on Facebook.