Both humans and whales are mammals, so our eyes are derived from a common ancestor. Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/03/youre-eye-to-eye-with-a-whale-in-the-ocean-what-does-it-see/274448 "The one color that whales can see as a dark shape in their bright, watery environment is red. Copepods, the main food source for right whales, are red, allowing whales to see a group of them as a dark mass." Source: http://mlcalliance.org/2011/11/22/what-do-whales-see Since I worked for some world-class ophthalmologists in Canada, I felt it important to share my research findings with them. One of my petition supporters felt strongly I should include this in a petition update. For any mammal, the sense of sight is paramount to finding food. And I want to remind you that if North Atlantic right whales are suffering from Zika / Wolbachia infections, this will probably affect their vision. Katrin Gentil, an Onchocerca [River Blindness] researcher at the University of Bonn, in Germany, confirmed: "The role of Wolbachia in immune-modulation has been neglected in the past." Benjamin Makepeace of the University of Liverpool explained: "Once this odd parasitic nematode infects someone, white blood cells called neutrophils that are part of that person's immune system detect the Wolbachia bacteria and surround the worm-bacteria complex. These neutrophils attack the bits of bacteria that linger outside the worm, but they are specialized and are unable to attack the worm itself. They also are unable to reach the bacteria on the inside." Source: https://www.livescience.com/10428-river-blindness-parasite-relies-bacteria-fool-host.html "Clearly, river blindness results from the immune response to the worm's endosymbiont" [Wolbachia]. Source: http://schaechter.asmblog.org/schaechter/2008/01/pathogen-on-boa.html And the EPA is allowing the release of Wolbachia-infected Aedes in 20 states, even though it doesn't appear that anyone has fully assessed the impact on birds, bats, Culex mosquitoes, planktivorous fish, and other aquatic species. What's more, according to this Nov. 2017 Nature journal post: "The company [MosquitoMate] plans to submit an application to the EPA for nationwide release." Source: https://www.nature.com/news/us-government-approves-killer-mosquitoes-to-fight-disease-1.22959 We must demand that vertebrates be tested for Wolbachia (including humans) and hold those responsible accountable. It's as simple as that. Thank you once again for your continued support. Wishing you and yours a safe, happy, and healthy 2018, Rose Authors note: I cannot use italics or hyperlink. Ergo, links are not hidden. Also, I added the Hon. Andrew Scheer, Leader of the Official Opposition, to our petition. How your signature helps: each time a supporter signs our petition, an email is automatically sent directly to those being petitioned (governments, companies and individuals). When hundreds or even thousands of emails arrive in their inboxes, our message is impossible to ignore.