WHALE GRAVEYARD - On Brighton beach we mourn and honour the thousands of dolphins and whales that have died in captivity with an incredible art installation on the beach opposite the Brighton Centre - ’Setting Captive Spirits Free’. This was inspired by the ‘Captivity Kills’ display created by Earthrace Conservation. This amazing, candlelit creation opened to the public a week before WhaleFest.

BRIGHTON EVENT, MARCH 2015

Whalefest is the biggest event of its kind, supporting the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA). WhaleFest is a not-for-profit event which raises funds for the WCA. The WCA is the only global partnership of organisations and individuals working to protect whales and dolphins. With Jean-Michel Cousteau as Honorary President, the WCA campaigned on two key issues at WhaleFest 2014: raising awareness of the plight of orcas and other cetaceans held in captivity. Meanwhile the last 50 Maui’s dolphins are staring extinction in the face whilst the New Zealand Government fails to take genuine action to protect them and their habitat.

HUMPBACK WHALES - are among the most intelligent of creatures, hunted illegally by certain countries to near extinction, they inspired Jameson Hunter to pen his story about one whale and an adventurer that were bound together on a course with destiny.  Sydney harbour is the location for chapter 4 (order may be subject to editorial revision). 

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from 12–16 metres (39–52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. An acrobatic animal known for breaching and slapping the water with its tail and pectorals, it is popular with whale watchers off the coasts of Australasia and the Americas. Males produce a complex song lasting 10 to 20 minutes, which they repeat for hours at a time. Its purpose is not clear, though it may have a role in mating.

In 2015 passions will be stirred by live performances, films, prose, talks, comedy, exhibitions, music and inspiring activities for all ages as we take the big stories to the biggest audience! Campaigning once more to see whales and dolphins released from tanks to live wild and free, WhaleFest once again attracted people from all over the world as they entertain an audience of 12,000+ from over 40 countries.

It all took place as spring hit Brighton, UK, the very place where the world’s governments gathered in 1982 to suspend international whaling. In 1991 Brighton Aquarium’s captive dolphins were freed back to their Caribbean home. The people of Brighton, ‘London-by-the-sea’, love these animals.

WHALEFEST CONTACTS

Email: doormat@planetwhale.com

Phone: +44 (0)1273 355011

THE GREAT WHITE SHARK - (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is mainly known for its size, with mature individuals growing up to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length (although reports have been published of great white sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft), and 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) in weight). This shark reaches its maturity around 15 years of age and was previously believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great white sharks is far longer; now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. Male great white sharks take 26 years to reach sexual maturity, while the females take a whopping 33 years to be ready to produce offspring. Great white sharks can accelerate to over 56 km/h (35 mph).

The great white shark has no natural predators other than the orca. The great white shark is arguably the world's largest known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marine mammals. It is also known to prey upon a variety of other marine animals, including fish and seabirds. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Carcharodon, and is ranked first in having the most attacks on humans. The IUCN list the great white shark as a vulnerable species, while it is included in Appendix II of CITES.

The best selling novel Jaws by Peter Benchley and the subsequent blockbuster film by Steven Spielberg depicted the great white shark as a "ferocious man eater". Humans are not the preferred prey of the great white shark, but the great white is responsible for the largest number of reported and identified fatal unprovoked shark attacks on humans.

Blueplanet Universal Holdings Ltd., invites scriptwriters to use the Kulo Luna story as the basis for script submissions. Please email bluefish@bluebird-electric.net for confirmation of permission to use the names and characters in the novel and to register your interest as a scriptwriter.

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