Grant received for the Blues

----- Original Message -----

Subject: Grant received for the Blues
From: "John Binns" JFB@IRCF.org
Date: Thu, December 15, 2005 11:40

In December IRCF was granted $36,400 by the Dart Foundation, towards improvements to the Blue Iguana Recovery Program's captive breeding and head-starting facility on Grand Cayman. IRCF's 501c3 status facilitated this grant, which will be transmitted onwards to the Blue Iguana Conservation Fund of Grand Cayman, where it will be utilized to refurbish and subdivide an oversized breeding pen, complete a storage shed and food preparation area, install piped water throughout the facility, and supplement funds already being raised by an IRCF web appeal to erect a security and tour management fence for the facility.

Keep Dolphins Free in the Cayman Islands

----- Original Message -----
Subject: Keep Dolphins Free in the Cayman Islands
From: "John Binns"
Date: Wed, December 14, 2005 11:40


The Keep Dolphins Free in the Cayman Islands (KDF) campaign group is appealing to the Cayman Islands government not to allow a proposed captive dolphin facility to be developed on the island. KDF urges a ban on the capture of dolphins and whales in Caymanian waters, as well as on the import or transshipment of the marine mammals.

The Cayman Islands Government is in the process of approving captive dolphin entertainment.

The group cites examples of governments that have banned the capture and export of wild dolphins, including the Solomon Islands, and the Bahamas. Countries in which existing facilities have been shut down or banned include Antigua, and Costa Rica. The Netherlands Antilles has adopted a policy of not issuing any new permits for captive dolphin facilities. No dolphin facilities have existed in the UK since 1992

The Marine Connection, a UK–based charity committed to working internationally for the care and protection of dolphins and whales reports that, “During capture dolphins get highly stressed and the capture processes can result in many deaths. There is evidence that moving a dolphin from one facility to another generates the same amount of stress as removing a dolphin from the wild.”

The IRCF encourages everyone to help Keep Dolphins Free in the Cayman Islands and participate in the Caymanian Compass poll: “Do you think the Cayman Islands should have a captive dolphin facility as a tourist attraction?”. Here is the web address:

http://www.caycompass.com/ - Go to the bottom of the page

Thank you.
John

Blue Iguana Recovery Program and IRCF News (2005/12/11)

It has been a busy month for both IRCF and BIRP.

The new Cayman governor visited the BIRP facility; Digger certainly got lots of attention! The news article can be found at http://www.blueiguana.ky , by clicking on the sidebar menu or via the Resources Articles menu.

BIRP founds its way into the Caribbean Travel and Life magazine. It received a short mention in the December 2005 (Vol. 20, Issue 5) magazine on page 27.

Just in time for the holidays, IRCF has opened an official BIRP store at http://www.blueiguana.ky with Paypal as an additional payment method. Some perfect gift ideas - Blue Iguana merchandise from the store, bobbleheads, or a donation to the fencing program in a friend's name!

The 3rd quarter issue, just under 80 pages, of IRCF's IGUANA journal are hitting mailboxes now. You can find articles about the Blues, Florida's box turtles, a commentary about species invasions, just to name a few. You can also find latest conservation news as well as the updates on IRCF's latest activities. Membership is only $25 a year and can be done online at http://www.IRCF.org It'd make a great stocking stuffer!!!

Happy Holidays from your friends at IRCF!
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