Kalistan

[Doc]

Minor Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval Speaks to La Moda
Young Royal seeks to draw attention to Ocean Fauna
Dulnerstaad, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 25, 5599


Rising Naturalist, Her Highness, Minor Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval in Dulnerstaad

It's a bit cold still to go surfing here in Dulnerstaad, where La Moda caught up with Her Highness, the Minor Princess Michelle-Renee Pavlina Ananto-Sandoval.  While the temperature was "a bummer", the Minor Princess was happy to walk along the beach in the afternoon sun.

"It's nice to take trips up to Dulnerstaad," said Princess Michelle.  "The coast is so pretty up here, I wish I could stay here all year round."  Her Highness is in Dulnerstaad as part of a class trip to the city's world famous Aquarium where they will learn all about the ocean fauna at the place where the Ananto Strait and the Northern Anantonese Ocean meet.

"Surfing is kind of dangerous up here," said Princess Michelle.  "This is a spot where there are these pretty strong currents rushing south from Keris, and they kind of slam into the north flowing, but they say, sluggish Ananto Strait, so you get some pretty big triangle waves out there especially in winter time.  The Keris current slackens up in the summer, so the best time to surf here, if you are going to, it in maybe September.  It's warm enough then too."

The Princess is far more interested in learning more about the ocean fauna at the Aquarium.  "I like the Otters," said the Princess.  "All my friends think they are very cute, and they are a protected species," she added.  "They aren't really in danger, but they are kind of the mascot for Dulnerstaad, so people make sure to not harm them in any way."  But some animals, the Princess says are not so lucky.  "There used to be whales that swam off the coast here.  But for the longest time, people came from other countries and hunted them, and now, either they have moved away, or they are just all gone.  I would personally like to see them in the wild, but now, the only whales we can see in Kalistan are either in books or in places like the Aquarium, which has two Orcas that the Aquarium has nursed back from almost dying, and intends to hopefully reintroduce into the wild soon."

The Princess said that she would like to perhaps get her family to donate money to trying to lure whales and other maritime wildlife back to Kalistan, to improve the habitat.  "Most people do not know that all of these animals and all of these plants and everything are so necessary for a healthy ocean, and a healthy ocean is necessary for human life.  It's all a big cycle."  In many cases, says the Princess, oceanic species declined around Kalistan because of Kalistan's own action.  "We had so many decades where nobody even cared about the ocean or the animals who live in it:  they just took took took, and didn't care about the side effects for the whales, manatees, squid and octopi, fish, the otters, you name it.  So we started getting jelly fish swarms and krill blooms and all this, because there weren't any large fish in the area to eat them.  Now they're making a comeback, very slowly, but pollution still plays a role, and especially when it comes from other countries.  These animals migrate, so they may not even make it back to Kalistan if they migrate from here."

The Princess said she hopes the National Government will sponsor a clean oceans act.  "Plastics are also a real problem in our oceans," she said.  "This nation can take a leading role in cleaning up the oceans.  I will ask my mother to help me and the Chancellor work to create a clean oceans fund that seeks to clean up pollution and plastics and that sort of thing wherever it poses a problem.  I think a combined effort can help us bring some of these species back from the edge and fill our seas with fish and other wildlife again."

The Princess turned to face the Ananto Strait.  "And then maybe we can see whales return to Kalistan once more!"

@LaModa