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I-Heart-Photos In reply to wickedlovelyfaery [2011-09-19 00:07:02 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!!!

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wickedlovelyfaery In reply to ChibiNomad [2011-09-18 14:57:34 +0000 UTC]

Only worry about captive killer whales. Wild ones do not bother people, even mammal-eating ones. Each eco-type of orcas have such a specific diet that they can identify individual species. Even between salmon! And seals! Unlike sharks, killer whales use echolocation to identify prey. Sharks "bite first, ask questions later."

I think it goes to show that captivity does something to them to make them harm people.

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ChibiNomad In reply to wickedlovelyfaery [2011-09-18 21:42:47 +0000 UTC]

I think that zoos have their pros and cons. Generally, these are the ones I find most obvious:

Pros- people learn more about animals; the animals are kept in a relatively safe place where they are ensured care and protection; we learn more about animals by studying them in captivity as opposed to the wild.

Cons- the animals often live in small, enclosed spaces with limited roaming space; they don't get to seek out a specific mate of their own choice, they get paired with whoever the zoo owners can get; the animals can develop mentalities that they wouldn't otherwise have in the wild; the animals can be changed behaviorally by living in such close proximity to humans.

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wickedlovelyfaery In reply to ChibiNomad [2011-09-19 00:15:16 +0000 UTC]

I agree completely. I volunteer at a zoo, after all. I just find that certain species don't adapt very well (cetaceans, primates, and elephants, especially). While we have learned a great deal from cetaceans being in captivity, it's about time we retired them. There's no reason for there to be a breeding program since they are not endangered, and even so, they are breeding wrong ecotypes to each other and there are not enough in captivity to have genetic variations (for orcas especially). Most people who visit SW and marine parks go there for entertainment, not education. The same goes for most zoos. It's quite unfortunate.

While it's a nice way to get people to care for their wild counterparts, it's not completely necessary. Tons of people care for whale species such as the humpback, but there have never been any of them in captivity...

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ChibiNomad In reply to wickedlovelyfaery [2011-09-19 21:20:47 +0000 UTC]

Agreed!

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I-Heart-Photos In reply to ChibiNomad [2011-09-18 04:22:48 +0000 UTC]

Awww...you have nothing to worry about...unless you look like a seal!

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ChibiNomad In reply to I-Heart-Photos [2011-09-18 21:43:07 +0000 UTC]

I'M DOOMED! XD

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I-Heart-Photos In reply to ChibiNomad [2011-09-19 00:07:52 +0000 UTC]

Ha ha!!!

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