{"id":5676,"date":"2026-04-12T08:56:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T12:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/spire\/?p=5676"},"modified":"2026-04-21T22:36:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T02:36:47","slug":"shannon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/spire\/2026\/04\/12\/shannon\/","title":{"rendered":"Entangled Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Sophie Shannon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Entangled Rights<\/em> was inspired by an idea that came to me during my senior year of high school for my capstone project. I wanted the project to reflect both what I had learned throughout high school and what I hoped to pursue beyond it, combining my passions for art and wildlife conservation. While watching the news one night, I learned about the rapid decline of the North Atlantic Right Whale due to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. This issue felt especially important in Maine, where fishing and lobstering are vital to many communities, making the topic both relevant and controversial. Through documentaries and research, I learned that Right Whales are slow-moving, surface-feeding baleen whales that primarily consume zooplankton, particularly copepods, and play a critical role in marine ecosystems. I also discovered how climate change, especially the rapid warming of the Gulf of Maine, is altering their migration patterns and pushing them closer to shipping routes, increasing their vulnerability. This research motivated me to create an artwork that could raise awareness about the challenges these whales face.<\/p>\n\n\n