Conference's Hall with the attending public

We have had a large participation from a public eager to know about this wonderful species, actively asking and following with a high interest each one of the lectures.

 The 5th Edition of the Orcas' week has been declared:

Of tourist, cultural and enviromental interest by the Municipality of Puerto Madryn – Res. No. 615/02

Of Municipal interest by Puerto Madryn's Town Council. – Dec. No. 13/02

Of Interest by the Fauna and Flora's Head Office of the Province of Chubut – Disposition No. 70/02

And at last since 1998 it has been declared of Parlamentary Interest by the Honorable National  Deputy's Chamber,  5668 D 98; 00 1058, and also for its followings editions.

 As a custom, Roemmers Enterprises, Argentina Visión, Madryn's Sportive and Social Club and Puerto Madryn's Municipality colaborated so the event would take place.

A little history briefing:

Since the beginnings of this week of marine life's popularization, in 1997, more than 300 people participated daily, and the attendance increased itself year through year, some of them present since the very beginning, making it become in a summer's classic.

 Every year it begins on a January 8th. The reason... on that date but in 1975, Juan Carlos López, at those time a naturekeeper for the Reserva Punta Norte (North Point's Natural Reserve) made its decision about dedicating his life to the study of those wonderful dolphins, the orcas. It is a week of conferences, courses and lectures because seven were the orcas he saw there in Punta Norte, for the first time, staying amazed with its unique presence.

 Distinguished specialists have disertated in the Week of the Orcas, citing here some of them: Dr. Marcela Junín, from the Marine Mammal Laboratory of the Argentine Museum of Natural Science "Bernardino Rivadavia", Dr. Hugo Castello, chief of the above mentioned Laboratory; Roberto Bubas, naturekeeper of the Province of Chubut; Miguel Iñiguez, Fundación Cethus' President; Dr. Claudio Campagna, Researcher from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (National Council for Scientific and Technical Research -CONICET in spanish); Dr. Enrique Crespo, Marine Mammal Laboratory's Chief for the Centro Nacional Patagónico (National Patagonic Center -CENPAT in spanish); Lic Silvana Dans, Cenpat; Vanesa Tossenberger, Fundación Cethus; Edgardo Intrieri, Province of Rio Negro's Naturekeeper for the Punta Bermeja Sea wolf's Reserve; SCUBA diver's of the City of Puerto Madryn; Dr.  Bernd Würsig, PHD, Professor of Marine Biology and Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and Director Marine Mammal Research Program; Víctor Andrés Fratto, translator, enviromental planner and former naturekeeper of the Province of Chubut; Lic. Alejandro Carribero, Associated researcher of Puerto Madryn's EcoCenter, National University of Patagonia, Lic Valeria Falabella, UNPSJB (Patagonian National University "San Juan Bosco") and EcoCenter; Dra. Mirtha Lewis, Cenpat, etc.

The main objetive of the Week of the Orcas is:
To educate and raise awareness for the major number of people, even if they're professionals, students or general public, no matter how old are them, about the social life and the problems that orcas face in the wild. Their relationship with humans and the influence from the latter in the orca's habitat and about the trade of this species, in some cases by means of "education", that it is not achieved adequately because captivity and circus styled training is used for the achievement of humanized shows, which generally end up in mere entertainment for humans, ironically, on their free time. Something that the star orca will never enjoy itself anymore.

 It is the organizer's intention that the Week of the Orcas will continue to be a free of charge and admission event.

Juan Carlos with some of the collaborators inside the conference's hall.

A certificate is given to the attendants that proves their participation in lectures. Since this last 5th edition, a decision was made to make the event every two years in order to enrich the information that offer each one of the specialists invited. And this means that we will wait for you in the next edition in 2005 for the 6th EDITION OF THE ORCAS' WEEK!!!

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