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laserdoc
Contributor
Since dec or nov of 05www.scubamazing.com:
dive with a whale shark in Atlanta
- Thread starter laserdoc
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gr8ful divr
Guest
My open water instructor is employed by the Aquarium and runs the volunteer program. You have to have CPR and Oxygen Admin certifications. You also have to demonstrate good bouyancy control. Of course you have to clean up poop but it is still pretty cool that you get to dive with all of these cool fish especially the whale sharks. You do have to wear their equipment for liability purposes but big deal. Currently volunteers come during the day to do the cleaning but they are seriously considering allowing night time cleaning dives. I think they were overwhelmed by the number of volunteers in the beginning. But inevitably people begin to drop out of the volunteer program and they need additional volunteers. I live very close to the Aquarium so I think it is worth getting the extra certs in order to dive in what is essentially my backyard. Besides I have a 3 month old puppy so I'm already used to cleaning up poop.
In part I agree with Fire Coral - that aquariums can help make visitors more aware of marine animals, which may in turn contribute towards conservation efforts ... but what kind of message does it send when the aquarium commissioned Taiwanese fishermen to capture these whalesharks? Not exactly a good conservation effort if you ask me.
Little is known about whalesharks - where they go to breed, why and where they migrate to, how long they live in the wild (the list goes on). Little more will be known about them after watching them swim around a tank in Georgia.
IMHO Georgia Aquarium didn't put the whalesharks there as part of an effort to educate people about saving the whaleshark, they put them their out of an obsession to make the biggest aquarium, with the biggest fish.
Little is known about whalesharks - where they go to breed, why and where they migrate to, how long they live in the wild (the list goes on). Little more will be known about them after watching them swim around a tank in Georgia.
IMHO Georgia Aquarium didn't put the whalesharks there as part of an effort to educate people about saving the whaleshark, they put them their out of an obsession to make the biggest aquarium, with the biggest fish.
halocline
Contributor
My understanding is that these particular sharks were not taken from the wild but were already in captivity and probably would not have survived to this point were it not for the adoption by the GA aquarium. I could be mistaken, but I do remember hearing something about that.
With regards to the cruelty of zoos and aquariums, your point is taken...sort of. Wildlife and it's habitats have precious few supporters in this world; a big part of that is simple ignorance on the part of many people. Not "ignorance" as in lack of intelligence, but "ignorance" as in lack of awareness of the animals and the tremendous appeal they have to those of us who have seen them. If this aquarium can raise general awareness of marine animals and inspire some people to at least consider the current and increasing plight of the ocean's habitats, I'm all for it.
With regards to the cruelty of zoos and aquariums, your point is taken...sort of. Wildlife and it's habitats have precious few supporters in this world; a big part of that is simple ignorance on the part of many people. Not "ignorance" as in lack of intelligence, but "ignorance" as in lack of awareness of the animals and the tremendous appeal they have to those of us who have seen them. If this aquarium can raise general awareness of marine animals and inspire some people to at least consider the current and increasing plight of the ocean's habitats, I'm all for it.
Bruciebabe:
I agree with the comment above entirely. Don't pay to go see cruelty in action, get yourself to a place where they are seen in their natural habitat !! It's much more fun to when it's not a guaranteed sighting.
ringojcp
Guest
it is true that most of them specimens in the aquarium are saved animals
This was posted on the GA website (think they may have removed it now):
Where did the Georgia Aquarium whale sharks come from?
In certain areas of the world, whale sharks are harvested for food. This is true in Taiwan where our animals were captured in nets set by fishermen. We were notified of the capture of the animals and had we not worked quickly to secure these animals they would have gone to the fish market. The Taiwanese people were extremely helpful in working with Georgia Aquarium staff to care for these whale sharks while they were held in a sea pen and when they were transported to the airport for their flight to Atlanta.
The Georgia Aquarium whale sharks were captured as part of a legal fishery of whale sharks in Taiwan. Whale sharks obtained from Taiwanese fishermen are counted against the annual allowable fisheries quota.
Where did the Georgia Aquarium whale sharks come from?
In certain areas of the world, whale sharks are harvested for food. This is true in Taiwan where our animals were captured in nets set by fishermen. We were notified of the capture of the animals and had we not worked quickly to secure these animals they would have gone to the fish market. The Taiwanese people were extremely helpful in working with Georgia Aquarium staff to care for these whale sharks while they were held in a sea pen and when they were transported to the airport for their flight to Atlanta.
The Georgia Aquarium whale sharks were captured as part of a legal fishery of whale sharks in Taiwan. Whale sharks obtained from Taiwanese fishermen are counted against the annual allowable fisheries quota.
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