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Addresses concerns about captive whales being used for
entertainment.
They're intelligent creatures so why not let them make
the
choice? They might find the interaction with humans
interesting and of course there's free food involved.
Apply the same rules we apply to hiring humans to
"hiring"
them. The contract is fairly simple, do these particular
tricks, get food. They can be easily notified of
showtimes
by underwater bells or electronically generated tones.
If they don't show up, OK, wasn't meant to be, but if
they
do,
everybody wins.
There's an upside to exposing people, especially the
young to wildlife as well. They learn to appreciate these
animals and as adults, will be more likely to protect
them.
Put it this way, when I was growing up there was a show
called
"Flipper" about a boy and his dolphin. Years later, there
was outrage that dolphins were being killed in tuna nets.
Now if that show featured a tuna named Flipper that was
little Billy's best friend, you might see outrage from the
public that tunas were being killed in the process of
hunting dolphins.
Anyway, killer whale shows featuring animals that were
there on their own volition might have
a moral leg up on the old way of doing things and it
might
be more interesting knowing they were motivated to
do these activities by their own choice, not because
they were forced to.
Now I know the tricks might not be as impressive as
those done by an intensively trained whale that was
working
with a trainer every day since it was a calf, but the main
thing is seeing these things in person. If it just does
simple stuff like coming out of the water and ringing a
bell, hey, it's a beautiful killer whale, that's the main
attraction.
Put the "free will" in Free Willy.
Monkey Mia dolphins
https://www.monkeym...ns-monkey-mia-beach
[AusCan531, Nov 07 2018]
Old Tom
https://blogs.scien...-law-of-the-tongue/
‘The Law of the Tongue’ [AusCan531, Nov 07 2018]
[link]
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If you build it... they will come. |
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So, presumably this is going to happen in the open ocean and
be viewed from a boat? Because if it is, why stop at killer
whales? Imagine a pair of 100ft blue whales doing a
synchronized jump-and-twist routine? |
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So how big a bucket of plankton do you need to toss in a
blue whale's mouth to make it even notice? |
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[+] for the idea, but I think it is illegal (at least in the USA)
to feed whales. |
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Are krill aware of this legislation? |
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Just occurred to me, start with dolphins. |
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Have they outlawed dolphin shows yet? |
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What would the unemployed dolphins do if they did ? That's going to be one very strange "looking for work" interview ... |
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//They're intelligent creatures so why not let them
make the choice? |
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Intelligence,tch. As Ripley put it "You know, Burke, I
don't know which
species is worse. You don't see them fucking each
other over for a goddamn percentage". |
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Perhaps an open ocean version is feasible. Cruise ships could go near practice "buoys" where cetaceans could gather as they saw fit and practiced much more than usual, voluntarily. The cruise ships could have quiet cetacean friendly engines. |
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Perhaps there could be a cetacean friendly contact surface to get massages or rub barnacles off with, that way it feels better than just food. |
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They could do studies to find out if there was anything they could do to encourage whale reproduction. perhaps a performance/activity center that attracted males and females making it easier for them to find each other. A dating party! |
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Reminds me a little of the food grails at "to your scattered bodies go" |
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This sort of already happens with dolphins in
Western Australia [Link - Monkey Mia Dolphins]
where wild dolphins choose to come right up to
shore at regular feeding times. Parks & Wildlife
have chosen not to alter the dolphins’ behaviour
beyond that but could easily do so I reckon. |
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What’s more the Aussies also had a working
relationship with Wild Orcas on the east coast
where the whales would herd baleen whales to a
certain bay then slap the water until the local
whalers noticed. The whalers would harpoon the
large cetaceans then allow the orcas to have the
lips and tongue before the remainder went to the
human partners. This partnership went on for an
incredible 40 years. [Link - Old Tom]. Well worth a
read. |
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An obvious starting point is therefore to stage aquatic shows for wild cetaceans, featuring trained humans doing amusing tricks. |
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Aus's links make it pretty clear all the pieces are in
place to do this. Smart animals that like to eat and
will work with humans to do it while knowing where
and when it's time to go to work. |
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Is it cruelty though?... that's the question. |
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Not if they decide it isn't. |
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Put the "free will" in Free Willy. |
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It would be good to train Japanese Dolphins what clanging boats mean. |
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