Sea Shepherd: Protecting whales in the Southern Ocean

Fresh from a campaign to protect whales in Antarctica, Sea Shepherd’s Haans Siver will have plenty of stories to tell at the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre on Saturday afternoon.

A former night club owner, Haans took to the high seas after learning about the annual dolphin slaughter in Taiji. She has recently been Quartermaster for the Steve Irwin as it delivers Operation Relentless, Sea Shepherd’s 2013-2014 campaign to protect whales in the Southern Ocean.

“I have spent most of my life helping the voiceless but it wasn’t until 2009 when I discovered the slaughter of the dolphins in Taiji that my path really unfolded,” Haans writes on the Sea Shepherd website. “At the time I was a nightclub owner. After doing many months of research I realised there are more problems out there than anyone can imagine. Deciding to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem, I left my venue and became a private investigator, vegan and animal activist.”

“I strongly believe that the next generation must fix the mistakes the past generations have made, and that my purpose is to help educate and empower that change.”