14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier this week, on Thursday, 15-year-old Bindi Irwin made an appearance on “Good Morning America” together with mom Terry and brother Robert.
While on the show, she announced to the world that she had teamed up with SeaWorld, and that she was to serve as an ambassador for the marine park's Generation Nature campaign.
Not at all surprisingly, animal rights activists and conservationists did not jump for joy when hearing this piece of news. On the contrary, there were many who were terribly upset by Bindi's announcement.
Interestingly enough, there is one person – and one that is quite popular among conservationists, it need be said – who has chosen not to lash out at Bindi Irwin and speak ill about her over her choice to team up with SeaWorld.
This person is Sea Shepherd leader Captain Paul Watson, who, in a blogpost, explains that, although he does not support the 15-year-old's decision to get behind the marine park's Generation Nature initiative, judging the girl is not something he is willing to do.
Writing on the organization's website, Captain Paul Watson stresses the fact that neither he nor members and supporters of Sea Shepherd approve of SeaWorld's keeping orcas and other animals captive and making them perform.
“It is our objective to see SeaWorld shut down or radically transformed into a facility that emphasizes education, wildlife rescue and completely abandons using marine mammals for entertainment,” he says.
However, this does not mean that it is up to the organization and other folks to criticize Bindi for her choice to work closely with SeaWorld, especially given the fact that the girl only decided to enter this partnership in order to promote conservation efforts.
“And as a young lady she is learning about the world and I think she feels she can make a contribution to wildlife conservation in the United States by promoting her wildlife education project in cooperation with SeaWorld. She actually began this project with SeaWorld over a year ago.”
“She is not advocating for Orcas to be in captivity, she is advocating for educational programs for children,” Captain Paul Watson explains in his blogpost.
The Sea Shepherd leader has no doubts that Bindi will not become a puppet in the hands of the marine park, and that she will not allow SeaWorld to use her to gain popularity among wildlife enthusiasts.
On the contrary, he is convinced that the 15-year-old will not take part in any initiatives and projects that have “animal cruelty” and “animal abuse” written all over them, but will instead stay focused on her goal to raise awareness about the need to protect the world's remaining wildlife population.
The way Captain Paul Watson sees things, it is important that people do not forget who the real enemy is, and do not lash out at Bindi Irwin when what they should be doing is stepping up efforts to twist SeaWorld's arm into releasing the animals is keeps captive.
“I have great hopes for Bindi in the future and although I do not support her affiliation with SeaWorld, I do support her as a friend and as a person who has already, at her young age, contributed enormously to the conservation of wildlife,” the Sea Shepherd leader concludes his blogpost.