Well, I'll admit to something of the same emotional reaction but surely the corollary is that there's something nasty and offputting about a great white shark being so cruel? June 22, 2022. The Georgia Aquarium staff perform medical assessments on their whale sharks, and they told me that the animals are not stressed. [83] This is unusual because of the comparatively long transport time and complex logistics required to bring the sharks to the aquarium, ranging between 28 and 36 hours. . tinisoli, they may have "saved" that particular shark, but by paying well for it fishermen are encouraged to go out and capture more of them. I think they did, too. I can see both sides to the debate. In that case, there are hot spots where the concentration is significant and provides a good chance of seeing them in the wild. And getting food is the most important. [36][37] A female individual with a standard length of 15m (49.2ft) (and an estimated total length at 18.8m (61.7ft)) was reported from the Arabian Sea in 2001. Adults are often found feeding at the surface, but may dive to 1000m. Besides whale shark you can see Manta ray, Bluefin tuna, Spotted eagle ray in the "Pacific Ocean". Kalina, a female orca born in September 1985 at SeaWorld Orlando, was the first captive orca calf to survive more than two months. By and large I think the less animals in captivity the better. Its reasonable to extrapolate that this trend might apply to aquaria as well. On the other hand, the fact that the whale shark has been seen by so many people is great for educational purposes and many more people are interested in saving the species. And it is obvious from this interview that a lot of good has come from this particular exhibit. Reminds me of Orr, Yossarians roommate in Catch-22. How big are whale sharks? When he says The whale sharks at Georgia Aquarium were taken out of that quota does he mean that the sharks were taken as part of that quota or the sharks that were caught and sold didnt count for the quota? [19][20], The complete and annotated genome of the whale shark was published in 2017. Many never get to see what lies beneath the undulating ocean waves, now millions get an IMAX-type view. Whether we knew it or not, we were learning. Thanks for the link. [58] The many rows of vestigial teeth play no role in feeding. 2015. Maybe a visit to the aquarium would help them out? Because of its low aggression and gentle nature, the sea lion has been called the friendly giant of the sea. They concluded that survival rates in captivity have improved. In the case of whale sharks, no captive environment is likely to ever recreate the essentially limitless expanse of the ocean. What I mean is can the people that are being informed about the whale sharks, really make a difference in the life of the whale shark in the wild? What if it was a dolphin? They are good at macerating with their charismatic swimming, colorful pattern, and innocent look. While I do not think that animals should be held in captivity just for peoples entertainment, I believe that the whale sharks in the Georgia Aquarium actually benefit from living at the aquarium. They are fish. [93] The whale shark is featured on the reverse of the Philippine 100-peso bill. Still, we know that habitat loss endangers themoverfishing and being caught as bycatch in fishing nets. While I do understand the importance of raising revenue for various research projects, I was woundering is the Georgia Aquarium doing anything to raise funds/ awareness of shark finning, which is one of the major causes of elasmobranch population decline? A whale shark is friendly, in my opinion. As stated in the introduction/ interview segment, Georgia Aquarium proudly states that their profits received from ticket sales and other things are used for the caring of their animals. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest shark, and indeed largest of any fishes alive today. whale shark lifespan in captivity. Female killer whales have an average life span of 50 years, but some individuals are estimated to have lived up to 100 years. However, to date, apart from a study on 15 deceased specimens in South Africa, all accurate growth data has come from aquariums. I think the single most important question (to me) hasnt been answered- are the sharks happy and content or are they miserable and unable to express it? Whale sharks are found in all the tropical oceans of the world. Unless evidence was found a la The Cove that whale sharks are so unhappy in captivity or people would stop freaking finning sharks into extinction, I think they should probably stay where they are. I also dont understand why some people get more upset by captive whalesharks than they do about captive dolphins. [83] The whale shark kept at Dubai's Atlantis, The Palm was rescued from shallow waters in 2008 with extensive abrasions to the fins and after rehabilitation it was released in 2010, having lived 19 months in captivity. [49] Mating in this species was filmed for the first time in whale sharks off Ningaloo Reef via airplane in Australia in 2019, when a larger male unsuccessfully attempted to mate with a smaller, immature female. The average blue whale grows to lengths of 80 feet, whereas the average whale shark is only 40 feet. Such information can be utilized to determine age at maturity of individual whale sharks and, when incorporating that information in to the study of population dynamics, should help to form a starting point in predicting the responses of populations to various perturbations. I think Jonah was simply commenting on how amazing these animals are if you get the chance to see them up close. Not to be redundant, but one must consider the small percentage of these creatures that are being put on display for the greater good of the entire species. Further, as we saw with Finding Nemo, increased exposure of fish can lead to an increased rate of fish-keeping and increased pressure on fish stocks. [24][10][12] A 2020 study compared the ratio of Carbon-14 isotopes found in growth bands of whale shark vertebrae to nuclear testing events in the 1950-60s, finding that growth bands are laid down annually. When they reach a length of 5.5 meters, they are then released back into the ocean where they came from. Yes, I disagree with the statement "aquariums have to draw visitors." Habitat: Tropical oceans above 21 degrees Celcius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. I also do not agree totally on the notion that seeing things in captivity live necessarily motivates kids to become something in later life. The exhibits at the Baltimore aquarium fed my curiosity. 6)The dive with the sharks program is amazing. This has become a weapon used by activists in their arguments against captivity, but is ultimately biased. What exactly is the source of your outrage here? Photo by David Shiffman. According to a recent study, living in captivity can cause severe neurosis in some animals, which can lead to depression. They inhabit shallow and deep water, corals, reefs, and lagoons. Where pupping occurs and where the youngest animals situate remains a mystery, as they are very rarely found. The documentary analyzes and reveals the mistreatment of the . If you can, please help me see this differently. [39], The whale shark inhabits all tropical and warm-temperate seas. They will always state that their animals are happy and their needs are met. Is it okay just for people, many of whom, especially the average person, have no strong interest or understanding really of animal behaviour, conservation status/issues or need to be a free, wild animal? Trying to keep the species in captivity before knowing what environmental, dietary and other aspects are crucial sure is a bit stupid, sure, but that does not plant a glory-circle on the head of the animal in question. We'll have to see how the other three sharks do. In fact, its a lot safer and in my opinion, has done no harm to the whale shark. The oldest reported female is 40 years old. Killer Whales attack divers at Sea World all the time, but they still wake up the next morning and put on a show. Ofcourse it is a good thing the sharks are now alive and not on a plate, and as i said later in my message if the visitors walk away with a different view on sharks i am all for that as well. if nothing is understood.??? Bettas are not only mesmerizing; but love to swim and play. Despite their size, these creatures do not pose a threat to humans because they are not known to attack humans and are more likely to flee if approached. Since sharks are scarce, the comparative value of keeping them alive rather than fishing them has increased. That would be a bad idea and there is no telling how many whale sharks are dying out in the wild, but they are. Well, we sure will if we keep catching them and they keep dying. The Fin whale has an average lifespan of 60 - 100 years. Is it actually that powerful, having seen it? Because they eat plankton and nekton, they are one of the most harmless animals in the ocean, and they have been observed avoiding human contact. The shark lives all over the Indian Ocean, from Australias west coast to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, and as far south as Cape Agulhas of South Africa. Such seems to be the sentiment of many in the aquarium business (and it is increasingly a business). No proof of anythingsimply anecdotal and also doesnt prove me right either. Thank you for reading. Too many sea creatures are being fished from coral reefs and our oceans to fill the growing demand to see wild animals up close, through pet shops, tropical fish collections and aquariums. The alternative was that they would simply be eaten- in which case they would be dead and not educating the public about sharks. Ticket sales make a huge contribution. [13] The name "whale shark" refers to the fish's size: it is as large as some species of whale. [56], The whale shark is a filter feeder one of only three known filter-feeding shark species (along with the basking shark and the megamouth shark). Our Research & Conservation team work to ensure the survival of wild species and ecosystems and stop biodiversity loss. Marine Biologists are trying to study how long whale sharks can survive in captivity. The killer whale, also known as orca, is the ocean's top predator. Even though I didnt understand the exact cause of Norton and Ralphs death, I believe that whatever was found will help the future lives of other whale sharks that are captured. Overall, as long as the fish that are captive are treated well and kept healthy, I think this is a great idea and it educates people who are interested but dont have the funds or resources to actually see any of these fish. I hope to be able to see the facility for myself sometime in the near future and get a better prospective. When I saw my first whale shark in Galapagos it was the most incredible experience. The greatest tool for astronomers of the past 20 years has, without a doubt, been the Hubble Space Telescope. The staff at the Georgia Aquarium clearly cares about the well being of these whale sharks. Both young whale sharks and pregnant females have been seen in the waters of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, where numerous whale sharks can be spotted during the summer. I am sure going to do my best. I am currently carrying out a study in to whale shark growth rates in wild populations. In any case, any kid at a young age who KNOWS what he/she wants to do at a later age and actually follows through with that is probably in the minority and is probably going to be ending up that way anyway. These animals are being held for their benefit and our benefit. . Blackfish tells of the story behind Tilikum, the killer whale that is being held captive at Sea World. Georgia's whale sharks were all imported from Taiwan and were taken from the commercial fishing quota for the species, usually used locally for food.