Is it time to stop the practice of trying to house large sea creatures?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/06/13/whale.shark.dies.ap/index.html

A second whaleshark has died at the ATL aquarium in less than a year. These are magnificent creatures. I am just not sure we have the knowledge or the technology to house them yet. The ATL aquarium is one of the newest and largest aquariums on Earth...I would guess that means it has the latest technology...but we are still losing whalesharks.

What say you, DU?

sP

[Lerkfish]

1. how many are dying in the dying oceans?

the coral reefs are all becoming extinct, and as a chain reaction so all the other sealife dependent on them.
how long before the things we have in captivity are the last remaining?

not disagreeing with you, just lamenting in general.

[Double T]

2. The whale sharks, as well as many other sea creatures...........

do not belong in the confines of these relatively small tanks. These creatures need to be in their natural habitats and PROTECTED by the entire INTERNATIONAL community with stringent oversight.

http://www.answers.com/topic/whale-shark

[A HERETIC I AM]

3. See as how a Whale Shark is a plankton eater....

and (one assumes) requires vast stretches of ocean in which to cruise in order to feed itself, how the hell were they feeding it a tank, anyway?

Probably died of starvation.

(Yes, I am being facetious. I am still very curious what and how they fed the thing)

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. The above should read "Seeing". I hate it when i miss a typo like that.

Still want to know how they fed a whale shark in an aquarium

[shireen]

4. i agree, it has to stop

not just large marine animals, but ALL migratory animals. These creatures have internal clocks that drive them to different places according to season. Can't do that in an aquarium, no matter how big it is....

I'm not against keeping smaller aquarium creatures that have localized year-long habitats but they must have adequate space to feel comfortable. I really really HATE seeing Siamese fighting fish (Bettas) in those tiny bowls. You can't put males, or even male-females together in the same space but one Betta in a community tank with other species usually works out well.



from a few years ago, no recent photos because it's a botanical mess but the environment is healthy & fish are fine

[tkmorris]

5. We should never have started

On the other hand, Lerkfish is right. If we don't do something about the state of our oceans it isn't going to matter much in any case.

[youngdem]

6. Hundreds die a week due to our neglect

Aquariums are important educational tools for children, to instill a caring attitude toward nature.

It should be looked upon as a necessary sacrifice for the good of the species at large. NOT having one to look at means for many simpletons we share this country with won't ever think of one, but put one in a bowl and on some tacky ass t-shirts, and you've got yourself a cause celebre (sp?). Now, the difficulty in keeping one alive just makes it more interesting for the public, as we love an underdog story.

I hear you, I want them all free, but these aquariums are necessary classrooms for the public, I'm afraid.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

8. we can educate without killing them

I never saw a live whaleshark...I only ever saw video of the awesome creatures. And as to the 'necessary sacrifice,' I bet if the whaleshark had a say it would chose to not be in captivity and certainly not to be starved to death (or whatever happened to the poor beast).

sP

[youngdem]

10. Ugh.

:eyes:

I admitted as much in my post. I was just acknowledging the fact that most people are visual and stupid, and need to see something to take ownership of it.

And since many are dying each day anyway, perhaps it would be worth letting TWO die inside if it helped save hundreds.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

11. wow...most people are stupid...interesting take

on the world and a sad one at that. And since many are dying, lets just kill a couple more in the name of education. hot damn what a great idea! i guess the young in your name says a lot...

sP

[maveric]

9. Orcas at Sea World only live to 1/4 their life expectancy.

Same with dolphins. These creatures need to be in the open sea, not in a damn tank/pool.

[pitohui]

12. the oceans are GOING to die

we can learn how to keep some alive in artificial situations or we can give up and sit on our hands but the oceans are the classic "tragedy of the commons" if we can't provide some backup/protection of large ocean species in captivity then they are goners