The Earth's Majestic Whales are being threatened.
In July the Mexican Environment Secretariat announced that 94 endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles died last December from salt brine and other contaminants dumped by a major salt plant into Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, a key habitat for gray whales and other wildlife. The spillage of brine came from the salt evaporation beds of the salt plant owned and operated by Exportadora de Sal, S.A. de C.V. (ESSA) and the Japanese Mitsubishi Corporation. Mitsubishi is working with ESSA to develop over 92 square miles of land for a massive salt plant facility in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja, Mexico.
San Ignacio Lagoon is the last pristine gray whale birthing lagoon in Baja and is a key part of the Vizcaino Reserve, a World Heritage site designated by UNESCO to protect desert and marine ecosystems across the entire Baja Peninsula. The Mexican National Ecology Institute (environmental agency) has already rejected a preliminary environmental assessment prepared by ESSA in 1995. Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation historically was deeply involved in the decimation of various whale species during commercial whaling operations. The proposed plant threatens this gray whale birthing area with construction and operation noise, air and water pollution, and transport of salt by vessels. The salt production will divert scarce fresh water and produce large quantities of toxic bitterns as a byproduct, toxins which have already killed the 94 endangered sea turtles last December. The salt plant would further disrupt the local habitats of native wildlife and plants, as well as the tourist trade and local fishing, the mainstays of the local economy.
Now it's your turn. For the whales and wildlife of San Ignacio please write polite letters of protest to:
President Ernesto Zedillo
c/o Mexican Embassy
1911 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006
Senor Mario Aguilar
Minister of the Environment
c/o Mexican Embassy
1911 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006
Mr. James Brumm
Executive Vice President
Mitsubishi International Corp.
520 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Check out "Save the Whale Nursery"and sign the petition and letter at:
In a nutshell the west coast line from Alaska to Baja is the migration/mating path of
one of this earths great wonders the Gray Whale.......big business as usual without
thinking (or perhaps with calculated planning) is trying to destroy this area. Join
the group in signing the petition to stop this destruction.....for anyone who has seen one of these magnificent 40 ton creatures off a shore line...I am sure you will agree that you are eternally captured and awe struck. So far the petitioners are making strides in keeping this area safe. For the second wave your help is needed.
It is quite simple you can sign a petition online.....and on the same page sign a letter to
The World Heritage Committee..........very simple and will only take a min or 2 of your time.
*Mexican environmentalists report 50 gray whale deaths
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Fifty gray whales have been found dead near Mexico's
Baja California Peninsula -- an all-time high for a migratory season, an
environmental group said Friday.
*Iceland's parliament OKs commercial whaling
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) -- The Icelandic parliament has instructed the
government to prepare to resume commercial whaling after a 10-year break.
