Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Bayworld in the dark...

Is the sun setting on PE's dolphin shows? There is much debate at the moment... our two remaining Indian Ocean Bottlenose dolphins, Domino and Dumisa, are terribly inbred, and HAVE to be separated before young Dumisa (Domino's daughter and sister!) reaches breeding age, which is due soon. There have been debates raging about the viability/ethics of capturing a wild dolphin to add to the gene pool, but as yet nothing has been decided... so the future hangs in the balance for this popular PE attraction.

4 comments:

  1. WOW, that is a beautiful photo... Thanks for sharing!

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  2. This is a problem that needs to be solved soon. But whatever is decided, it will have some kind of impact on the city. If the dolphins leave the city will loose a valueble tourist attraction and if they choose to capture a wild dolphin(s) that will get conservationists hot under the collar.

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  3. I have such mixed feelings about this. ON the one hand I am totalyl oppose to capturing a wild dolphin to make it perfoem in shows. And anybody who has seen dolphins in the wild shoudl agree with this! On the other hand, I have a nostalgic attachment to the dolphinarium; it's one of PE's best-loved attractions; and it serves a valuable teaching purpose for schoolkids, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds who might otherwise have no opportunity to see these creatures and learn why they should be protected. I hope some compromise can be reached.

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  4. I have such mixed feelings about this. ON the one hand I am totalyl oppose to capturing a wild dolphin to make it perfoem in shows. And anybody who has seen dolphins in the wild shoudl agree with this! On the other hand, I have a nostalgic attachment to the dolphinarium; it's one of PE's best-loved attractions; and it serves a valuable teaching purpose for schoolkids, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds who might otherwise have no opportunity to see these creatures and learn why they should be protected. I hope some compromise can be reached.

    ReplyDelete