Researchers: Kill of whales is unnecessary

(NECN/TVNZ) – Whale researchers returned from Antarctic waters on Monday after a six-week expedition that they said proved Japan’s annual kill of whales for scientific purposes is unnecessary. During the voyage, Australian, French and New Zealand scientists used non- lethal techniques to study whales.

It was a challenge to Japan’s scientific program, which kills up to thousand of the mammals a year, an allowed exception to the International Whaling Commission’s 1986 ban on commercial whaling.

Fight continues to save stranded dolphins

Rescuers are renewing their efforts this morning to free the remaining dolphins stranded on Cape Cod. Several teams are in Wellfleet, trying to coax more of the Atlantic white-sided dolphins back into the ocean when high tide rolls in.

Misconceptions about captive animals

(NECN) – You may remember seeing video of a circus elephant named Tyke rampaging through the streets of Hawaii or reading about the day Franklin Park’s gorilla Little Joe escaped.

These incidents couldn’t have been more different and yet we in the public may lump them together and misunderstand them equally.

Joining Vicki Croke on the Secret Life of Animals is John Linehan, head of Zoo New England.

He’s a man whose work Vicki really respects and who can thoughtfully give the viewer a little perspective on why zoo animals may attack or run away

John call also talk about what it does or-just as important-doesn’t mean about them and their life in captivity.

Roundtable discussion about animal world

(NECN) – The president of SeaWorld last week defended the park’s killer whale shows following the death of a trainer.

One thing we’ve learned from all the coverage of the incident involving Tilikum the killer whale and trainer Dawn Brancheau is that there certainly are warring camps in the animal world.

Each side reads very different things into what happened.

Joining Vicki with a free-for-all analysis are two men much too civilized to fight — AJ Cady of IFAW and John Linehan of Zoo New England.

A push to “Free Tilly”

(NECN) – So what about the push to Free Tilly the killer whale?

Many scientists say Tilly could never survive in the wild, but are now suggesting the use of a sea pen

A sea pen is an enclosure in the ocean that would give him more space, while also keeping him away from humans.

But others point to the death of a whale named Keiko, star of the movie Free Willy back in the 1990s.

Millions of dollars were spent on attempts to return Keiko to the wild, including supervised swims in the open ocean.

In the end, Keiko died emaciated and suffering from pneumonia in Norway.

But while Keiko did not survive, many still say Tilly could be released to that sea pen we mentioned.

Dr. Naomi Rose is a marine mammal scientist with the Humane Society of the United States.

Dr Rose believes Tilly would benefit from the move.

Dr. Rose joins us Vicki from Washington DC to talk more.

SeaWorld in studio

Planning a family vacation this spring? Check out some of the animals you’ll find at SeaWorld – on The Secret Life of Animals!

To learn more about how you can plan a trip to any of SeaWorld’s three locations, just log on to their Web site:
http://www.seaworld.com/

Fun with Sea World animals!

Things got wild on NECN Morning, as a new group of friends made their way into the studio.

Angie Llanas, an animal ambassador at Sea World, showcased Dennis Hopper, the kangaroo, and friends Pete and Penny, a pair of Magellanic penguins. Among the group were an American alligator and black & white ruffed lemur.

Tortoise talk

Slow down – and get an up-close view of a tortoise living at the Museum of Science in Boston. Animal curator Bunny Watson gives us the rundown on this incredible reptile.

If you’d like to learn more about the education programs at the Museum of Science in Boston, just log on to their Web site:
http://www.mos.org/

Tia Pinney explains how things we do may help or hinder migrating birds

(NECN) – On the Secret Life of Animals, Vicki Croke turns now to a bird that recently made headlines for its rare appearance in Massachusetts.

Video of a beautiful allen’s humming bird, a native species of California, was caught just a few weeks ago in snowy Harwich-Port on Cape Cod.

For a while, the bird was constantly sipping sugar-water from one woman’s feeder, trying to stay fueled to fight off the cold.

But eventually, the hummingbird ended up in the snow and needing help from a wildlife rehabilitator.

It died on January 19th.

The story led at least one of our viewers to ask: Did the bird stay here and get into trouble because someone was feeding it?

Here to answer that question and explain how the things we do might help or hinder migrating birds is Tia Pinney of Mass Audubon.

Into the Wild

Moose spotting in Greenville, Maine

NECN videographer Dave Brosemer catches sight of some lovely moose in Greenville, Maine. They must be used to cars and people stopping to look, because they didn’t seem to mind having their pictures taken!

Moose spotting in Greenville, Maine