cfelliot
Contributor
Not to get all political or anything, but I always feel a bit conflicted when it comes to whales or whale sharks in captivity and have a hard time supporting aquariums with these exhibits. As divers we have the ability to interact with these creatures in their own habitat, and seeing a whale shark behind a glass plate pales in comparison to having one swim right up to you and show genuine curiosity about you.
I understand exactly what you are saying. I felt the same way after hearing that Whale Sharks naturally like to go to deeper depths at night. At 30ft this is not going to fit the bill!
I only hope that the damage is offset by making non-divers aware of the fragility of the ocean ecosystems. But, sometimes I wonder about even this when I see Bubba letting his kids whack at the glass of these display tanks!