Wildlife Trust Announces Memorial Fund to Honor Right Whale Survey Team

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Wildlife Trust Announces Memorial Fund to Honor Right Whale Survey Team

NEW YORK, PALISADES, Mar. 3 -/E-Wire/-- The Board of Directors of Wildlife Trust announce the establishment of a new endowment, "The Heroes of the Sea Memorial Fund," to honor the lives of Emily Argo, Jackie Ciano, Tom Hinds, and Michael Newcomer. The four members of Wildlife Trust's North Atlantic right whale aerial survey team were killed on January 26, 2003, when their twin-engine plane plunged into the Atlantic eight miles off Fernandina Beach in northern Florida. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

"The annual income generated by this endowment will be used to support marine conservation projects in keeping with the lives and aspirations of our lost friends," said Dr. Mary Pearl, Wildlife Trust's President. "Our vision is that the fund will serve as a living legacy for our colleagues and a tribute to their passionate commitment to protecting endangered whales, manatees, and other creatures of the sea," she added. The announcement came at a memorial service on February 16th in Fernandina Beach.

The research team was lost during a regularly scheduled survey of the whales' only known calving grounds in the North Atlantic, off the coasts of southern Georgia and northern Florida. Wildlife Trust's aerial surveys monitor the species' migratory habits and reproductive success during their calving season, which runs from December through March each year. The team also relays whale locations to the Navy, which in turn alerts military and merchant vessels to divert course, reducing chances of collision. The work is vital. With only 300 individuals remaining, the North Atlantic right whale is the most highly endangered marine mammal off the North American coast.

The team was lead by Wildlife Trust conservation biologist Emily Argo, 25, of St. Petersburg, Florida. A promising star in the field of marine mammal conservation, Emily grew up near Cincinnati and fell in love with manatees on a family trip to Tampa in 1991. When told that the creatures were in danger of extinction, "It just worried her to death," said her father, Dan Argo, "At that point, that's what she decided she wanted to do."

Also lost were veteran marine mammal conservationists Jackie Ciano, 47, of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and Michael Newcomer, 49, of Los Altos, California. Treasured members of the close-knit and passionate marine mammal fraternity, their commitment took them to wherever the whales were, from New England to Baja to Alaska, from Norway to the Okhotsk Sea off far east Russia.

Their pilot, Tom Hinds, 40, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, flew for Environmental Aviation Services and had over 1000 hours' experience in flight surveys.

Wildlife Trust and its extended family in the conservation community around the world are sharing their grief and paying tribute to Emily, Jackie, Mike, and Tom.

"[Jackie Ciano] was a warrior in this very quiet battle to save right whales from extinction," said Scott Kraus, director of research at the New England Aquarium, where Ciano had worked for years. "Her passion to that lead her to do things we all do, but ultimately she paid the final price. We take some consolation knowing that she was doing what she wanted to do."

Mike Newcomer's mother, Barbara, recalled her son's favorite quote from Jack London, which he had told her described his own view of his life:

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dryrot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

And from other Wildlife Trust family members:

"There is no more important mission than working to protect our environment and taking action to slow down the destruction of wild places and nature. If they could, the whales would be mourning as well." --Mike Boss, Wildlife Trust Board Member

"We should all remember that the survey team lost their lives doing what they felt they should for our planet and our children's children. This should give us added strength and determination in everything we do." ---Chris Clark, International Training Centre, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Jersey, U.K.

Wildlife Trust b is an international conservation science organization that partners with local scientists and educators worldwide to save threatened wild species and their habitats (www.wildlifetrust.org).

Contributions should be made payable to:

Wildlife Trust: Att: Heroes of the Sea Memorial Fund 1200 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 2 Prospect Park, PA 19076-2098

Senior Development Officer

[REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.wildlifetrust.org

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