Teen Cyber Whale Warrior Hunter Shaffer

[Holise E. Cleveland III]

It's no wonder that Hunter Shaffer's dream is to swim in the ocean. He loves the inhabitants.

At the age of seven, he started to research fish. Having his own aquarium, he wanted to see that his little friends were well taken care of. As time wore on, he became well versed in aquatic nature. By the time he was 9, he was educating others on natural habitats and the ideal conditions for finned pets.

His online ventures gained him many friends and acquaintances. When he was nearly 11 years old, a biochemist at George Mason University introduced Hunter to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Learning that our ocean's inhabitants were in such danger prompted him to become more than just an educator. He became an activist!

If you are among our circles of cyber activists, you have most probably seen Hunter Shaffer pop up here and there on pages, in groups and conversations --- mostly on Facebook. This 14-year-old teen is the administrator of a number of pages and groups, including: H&H Activists, Occupy The Cove, Boycott Loro Parque, Humphrey the Humpback Whale, Boycott Dolphin Tale, Anti Miami Seaquarium and Activism. I was so impressed with Hunter's zeal that I even made him an administrator for Youth & Teen Cyber Whale Warriors.

Hunter did not take up his torch for saving marine life after watching Animal Planet's Whale Wars or the 2010 Academy Award winner for best documentary The Cove. He was recruited into our ranks via the Worldwide Web. He is therefore a testament to how well cyber activism can have a significant impact in spreading awareness. But that's not all!

Not only is he a strong presence in the virtual world, he is a warrior in his home town in upstate New York. He is office Manager and Wildlife Rehabilitator for the New York chapter of Global Conservation Group. (See Video below) Wow! This kid gets around and he does it all from the confines of a wheelchair.

Sea Shepherd Cove Guardian Bob Timmons rallied to raise the funds necessary to grant Hunter Shaffer his dream. If all goes as planned, he will be swimming in the ocean this coming April. You can find out more via Bob Timmons' web site, Artist for the Ocean.

• Follow Hunter Shaffer on Twitter
• Visit and "Like" Youth & Teen Cyber Whale Warriors

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