‘BattWoman’: A Champion for all Dolphins

She was known by some as the ‘BattWoman’ – superhuman warrior for all dolphins and other whales across the globe. And to the corporations she fearlessly took on, by Elizabeth M. Batt. To us, she was a trusted and cherished member of the Dolphin Project family, whose passing on May 25, 2021 has left us all devastated.

Elizabeth Batt. Credit: Facebook (screen grab)/Elizabeth Batt

“I am both war and woman, you cannot stop me.” ~ Nikita Gill, quote on Elizabeth Batt’s Facebook page

Elizabeth’s journalistic integrity shone in the various pieces she wrote about marine mammal captivity. Instead of shying away from controversial issues, she faced them head-on with a singular goal, to “…evaluate marine mammal captivity and examine both the science of it combined with the evolution of public thinking…using facts, data, and opinion” (summarizing her own words). Elizabeth provided her readers with the tools to expand our knowledge about dolphin and whale captivity, and to guide us towards our own, critical thinking. She is survived by her three children, Daniel, Melissa and Stefan, of whom she was extremely proud.

“We are deeply saddened at the passing of Elizabeth Batt. She was an esteemed and treasured colleague and friend of the Dolphin Project family and will be deeply missed” ~ Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project

“Whenever I would get on the phone with Elizabeth, we would talk for an hour, or sometimes even hours. She was so passionate about dolphin welfare issues and was an exceptional researcher and writer. She also had a great sense of humor and was incredibly witty. She will be deeply missed.” ~ Lincoln O’Barry, Dolphin Project

Elizabeth fought tirelessly for those whose voices have been silenced, and is fondly remembered as a true friend to all cetaceans, and to those fortunate enough to have known her.

“A marine park cannot provide, nor replicate, a cetacean’s natural habitat. Nor, can it recreate the natural social bonds these animals form in the wild.” ~ ElizabethBatt.com

Lolita, Miami Seaquarium. Credit: DolphinProject.com

“None of these animals are in captivity by choice. Lolita, an endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale is not there by choice. She was captured and ripped away from her family members and placed in a concrete tank. This is not something she would have ever chosen for herself. Humans, looking to make a profit, chose it for her. Her sole purpose is to entertain you, and each time you purchase a ticket you fund her misery. In what world is it deemed okay to force an animal into an artificial environment where it cannot leave and is 100 percent reliant on human care for its survival, and then abandon it in a time of crisis?” ~ When Natural Disasters and Captive Cetaceans Collide, Elizabeth Batt

Credit: Facebook (screen grab)/Elizabeth Batt

“Marine mammal entertainment parks preach transparency but few ever achieve it. In many cases, any action taken is a ruse designed to disguise the truth or placate the public. We know it, and they know it. In the captive entertainment industry “no news” truly is good news.” ~ Little Transparency Over Disappearing Dolphins, Elizabeth Batt

Credit: Facebook (screen grab)/Elizabeth Batt

“I met Elizabeth Batt in the summer of 2014, after MarineLand Canada sued her over an article she wrote about the health issues facing the last captive orca in Canada, Kiska, and I assisted her in preparing her Statement of Defence. When MarineLand reached out to Elizabeth and indicated they were willing to dismiss the lawsuit if she retracted her article and apologized to them, Elizabeth told them, in no uncertain terms, to go f*ck themselves (her words). And that is Elizabeth in a nutshell. I have never met an individual with the amount of integrity that Elizabeth possessed. Not only journalistic integrity, but you will never meet a more moral, honest, upright, direct and honourable individual than Elizabeth. She was the most loyal, trustworthy friend I have ever known and her loss is devastating. She was passionate about human rights/equal rights and freedom of speech. Her blogs and articles were heavily researched and impenetrable, educating people about the welfare consequences to dolphins and whales in captivity. She was proud and stoic and had a wicked, caustic sense of humour. She was proudly British and defended her tea and her Leicester City Football team with a passion. I will remember Elizabeth for the rest of my life. I loved her. I grieve her. She is unforgettable. She was a super hero. She was Bat Woman.” ~ Diane Fraleigh

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Every so often in a long journalistic career, one comes across a source that blows one away. That was Elizabeth Batt. I got to know Beth quite well over the years. She was one of the leading crusaders against animal cruelty, especially captivity, and especially for whales and dolphins. A Brit to the core, she was fearless and indefatigable. She was also an accomplished and talented journalist in her own right. When my book, “Death at SeaWorld” was published, she interviewed me several times, and promoted the book to audiences around the world. As a friend and a colleague, I loved her, and still do. Elizabeth left us last night. I know that I share my grief with so many others. She was far too young, far too beautiful – inside and out – and far too talented to meet this fate. The world has lost one of its best. Dear Beth, I will cherish you in my heart forever. I am crushed. ~ David Kirby

_____________________________________________________________________________

Last night, the animal rights world lost a warrior. As a writer for @Dolphin_Project, Elizabeth Batt fought tirelessly for cetaceans. In 2016, she was among the first to take my call & donate when I raised funds to buy @RichardOBarry an electric car. RIP @thebattwoman. 🐬 🤍🐬 pic.twitter.com/AG6vXJfuYf

— Leilani Münter (@LeilaniMunter) May 26, 2021

_____________________________________________________________________________

My relationship with Elizabeth began after January 25, 2012, when I launched Voice of the Orcas [VOTO] Website with the article: Mosquitoes have killed 2 SeaWorld Orcas: Has Anyone Noticed? Within a couple days, Beth published a “booster” piece at Digital Journal, entitled, “Op-Ed: SeaWorld’s worst nightmare as former trainers launch website”. I immediately reached out to her, the beginnings of a cherished friendship. She followed with dozens and dozens of pieces that were well written, accurate and unapologetic. She lit up SeaWorld, MarineLand, Loro Parque & the industry with a relentless & substantial collection of works, like no other. One thing about Beth, she was professional, thorough, and sometimes camera shy. With that in mind I feel honored to have captured this great & rare interview with her at Superpod 3, along with my VOTO mates Samantha Berg, and John Jett. I hope it can be shared now, for the world to see. I miss you Beth, and can’t believe you’re gone” ~ Jeffrey Ventre

_____________________________________________________________________________

“I am incredibly fortunate that she was a real friend – the kind that make the short list – whom you trust with knowing everything. I will miss her wit, her humor, her intellect and bravery. If you go into battle you wanted her by your side. I love you Elizabeth and can’t wait until we meet again.” ~ John Hargrove

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Elizabeth was not just a defender of dolphins, she was an extraordinary human being. Beth was giving, kind, to-the-point and had the very best sense of humor. The world is a little less bright without her. She is truly missed by us all.” ~ Alex Lewis

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Beth, the “Battwoman”, was not only one of my longest supporters, she was an incredible friend. She never hesitated to give me advice and had an integrity that is hard to come by in this world. I am so saddened that I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye. Rest easy, Battwoman, I will miss our easy chats.” ~ Shannon “CB” Cremeans

_____________________________________________________________________________

“In the earliest days of what has become a near decade-long legal battle vs MarineLand, it was Liz that gave me the encouragement to fight. I could always lean on Liz and her razor sharp, whip-like pen strokes when the Batt signal was needed. She will be missed. We lost a good one.” ~ Phil Demers

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Batty was incredible voice for the animals she advocated for. Her journalism reached and educated so many on the horrors of captivity and the struggles facing our beloved Southern Resident orca. I was blessed to know her and am a better advocate and researcher because of her. You will be so missed Miss Batty.” ~ Haze Sommer

_____________________________________________________________________________

“To know Elizabeth Batt was to love her. She was intelligent, compassionate, witty, brave, dedicated to her humanitarian causes and a tireless crusader for all animals. She was never daunted no matter how tough the battle and always had words of encouragement, wisdom, humor, and kindness, which were a great comfort to her friends and fellow activists. Beth was above all a talented journalist who used her prolific pen to eloquently advocate for the rights and humane treatment of captive marine mammals everywhere. I am going to miss my friend who not only constantly impressed me with her charitable acts, but also made me feel like a better person just for having known her.” ~ @Quad Finn (Twitter)

_____________________________________________________________________________

“”My introduction to Elizabeth Batt was in 2014. We had both traveled to attend a week long gathering on San Juan Island, Wa., home of Ken Balcomb’s, Center for Whale Research, to learn, share information and advocate for the plight of orcas in captivity, and those in the wild. Beth was feisty, insightful, witty and sassy. I liked her! We stayed connected and over the years I came to recognize the true depth of character she held. Beth was a skilled writer, sharing well researched fact and insight, without rhetoric. She was a devoted mom, greatly valued family and was a much respected friend to so very many. I will greatly miss her humour and the smile it gave me whenever she told me I was full of shit. If ever she did, I knew to check myself because there was every possibility she was right. The world of animal welfare advocacy has lost a resonant voice.” ~ Steve Huxter

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Elizabeth was a one of a kind person who I was so fortunate to have been able to call my friend. I will miss her wit, sharp intelligence, unique sense of humour, bravery and kindness. Thank you for being there for me at my lowest my friend….. and I will never, ever forget what you so bravely did for Kiska. See you on the other side. I love you Elizabeth.” ~ Carly Ferguson

Credit: Facebook (screen grab)/Elizabeth Batt

“Elizabeth (aka., Batt-Woman!) was a one of a kind warrior for the animals and her contributions have changed the lives of so many. While I knew her work, and had met her ‘electronically’, it was when I met her in person that I was blown away by the depth of her character and passion. Hilariously witty and sarcastic, big-hearted, and compassionate – I’ll never forget her.” ~ Carol Ray

_____________________________________________________________________________

“I recall meeting Elizabeth “Batt Woman” at the beginning of 2012. She was talented, pointed and polite–a journalist who was unafraid to challenge the marine mammal industry before many more powerful writers and media organizations were willing to take the risk. She faced down online harassment and stood up to corporate critics to tell the “behind the scenes” truth about SeaWorld, Marineland and countless others. Her many articles about the book “Death at Seaworld” and the documentary Blackfish certainly helped influence and ultimately change public perception of whale and dolphin captivity. Her strong voice and the change it helped usher in will be greatly missed” ~ Kimberly Ventre

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Beth was a fabulous lady. Everything she did she did with dignity , grace and iron will strength. She fought for others , she fought for justice. She showed me how to fight for myself , In our advocate and personal lives. Beth was fiercely loyal to her friends and family , so loving , funny and kind. If you crossed her you came off second best. Her sharp intelligence and cool British way of slaying her opponents was a powerful act to witness. She used her writing and investigative talent to speak for those who could not for themselves. Always selfless , always hilarious, always beautiful and true. My beloved friend, Beth.”~ Kerry O’Brien 

_____________________________________________________________________________

“Battwoman is one of those rare, special people who made you feel like a longtime, close, forever friend after knowing her for just a short time. I didn’t know her well and I didn’t spend a lot of time with her, but she had a way of making me feel like we were great friends. She made me laugh and smile, and I will miss her.”~ Jeff Friedman

Southern Resident Killer Whales, San Juan Island, WA. Credit: Elizabeth Batt, www.elizabethbatt.com

RELATED

Read Elizabeth’s blogs on DolphinProject.com
Read Elizabeth’s blogs on ElizabethBatt.com

Featured image: Elizabeth Batt. Credit: VIMEO (screen grab) /Leilani Munter

A huge THANK YOU to Diane Fraleigh for her assistance, and to all those who submitted their memories of Elizabeth.