This post is written for the “Save the Ocean” group-writing project by Yvy @ mistyeiz, a Malaysian who blogs at Little Cozy Corner. She is mum to baby Ella and wife to Ted. She has been residing in Sydney, Australia since Sept 2006 and is still learning the ropes of living in the land down under.

Picking this topic to write about was mainly because I’m against the use of animal products for vanity sake, not just sea creatures. Some may think me a hypocrite because I loved shark fins soup but those days are long gone. I loved the feel of soft fur against my skin but now I detest it because of what an animal has to endure so that humans may lavish themselves in pieces of dead animals around their necks and shoulders. I remember very clearly the first time I ever wrote about animals being cruelly sacrificed to feed the whims and fancies of people around the world. I had tear in my eyes as I wrote that post and till today, it still hurts when I go back and read about it. But that was mostly on land creatures and how they are hunted down for their furs. Today, I talk about sea creatures.

I never really took notice of creatures of the deep until my first experience snorkeling and it was then that I now look at the under water world with a whole new sight. It was simply so beautiful beneath the water that words cannot describe it. Despite only on the surface looking down, I felt a certain sense of freedom and the majesty of God’s creation swimming in this ‘free land’ they call home. And on the surface beneath the water, a whole new world opens up with the swaying anemones and corals that decorate the water bed - it’s simply just marvelous! But then, along comes us humans with hooks and chains and off we go to break off these gorgeous corals to be sold as decorative ornaments. Don’t you know that they are living creatures and not mere rocks?? Corals are among the slowest living things to grow and here we are, mindlessly killing them. One should always keep in mind to never EVER break off corals that you see when you’re diving or snorkeling and please don’t encourage the collectors by buying them either.

Another thing that boils my blood is the need for dinners especially Chinese wedding dinners to have shark fins soup as one of their dishes. As I mentioned earlier, I used to love shark fins soup and it was the one thing I often look forward to at those wedding dinners until that fateful day when I watched a documentary of shark killing for the sake of only their fins. It was cold-blooded and merciless, and it was the beginning of my personal campaign to discourage shark fins soup/dishes at functions. And I am proud to say that I did not have the soup at my wedding dinner and I refused to even have those fake ‘fins’ a.k.a soo hoon [glass noodles] because the mere thought of it was too revolting for me. Even my colleagues were not spared when I was in charged of organising a dinner function and many of them were not happy with me because they wanted it, plus company was paying so it was one of those good ‘free meals’ but did I care? Nope, I did not! In fact, I retaliated and told them off. I seriously don’t understand why people are so ‘into’ shark fins…it’s only cartilage and those medicinal values are a myth! People should wake up and smell the coffee, get with the times…sometimes I wonder it would feel like to have both arms and legs chopped off and left by the road side to die. Because that’s exactly what happens to a shark, so that’s certainly food for thought.

Image credit: Katie.

Another thing that can totally be avoided is all those dietary supplements which contain ingredients like coral calcium, shark cartilage, turtle oil or shark liver oil made from endangered marine life. I mean, come on…there are so many alternative vitamins out there that I think you could spend a lifetime at the pharmacy just checking out the selves so just keep an eye out and keep away from those kind of vitamins. With that in mind, I’ve seen some Chinese herbals concoctions which actually include dried sea horses. When I was growing up, I used to be pumped with herbs by Mum and back then, I just drank what ever that was given to me. I was a child and totally ignorant but now that things are a lot different, I noticed that sea horses are used and it’s kind of sickening because they are endangered! So next time your mum buys herbs for you, check to see if they have dried sea horses, if they do - you should know what YOU should do. It’s another one of those false medicinal claims which the older generations seem to fall for.

Last but not least, this was something that I saw on a TV program here in Australia. I know how many people love to keep exotic fishes and animals. My advice to you is if you intend to keep them as pets ie sea horses, then please purchase them from legitimate pet stores which are licensed to breed them in captivity. The sea horses which are sold have been bred and are accustomed to synthetic sea water. This meaning that when you purchase them, you will be instructed on how to prepare the water for the tank and the proper method of keeping your sea horses alive. If you see them in the wild underwater during your dives, please do not remove them as they are not used to life in a tank.

My final words: When the buying stops, the killing will too. Stop the chain of demand and save our animals.

January 2008 is “Save the Ocean” month here at The Giving Hands. Click here for more information on how you too, can save our oceans, and remember to subscribe to The Giving Hands for your daily updates!