"All cetacean rescues have to be authorized by the DFO. In fact only 1 permit has ever been issued by the DFO to the VA. 5 of the 6 "rescues" were illegal."
That's another lie. DFO and the Coast Guard were directly involved in many of the rescue attempts; you can see them help transport the animals in the video footage that was broadcast on TV actually. DFO officers, in all cases, authorized transport to the rescue centre, the rehabilitation attempt and made a decision on the final disposition of the animals. It was DFO that in many cases alerted the Aquarium to begin with as reports for e.g. Daisy went to DFO rather than the rescue centre. Only one release permit was ever issued, for Levi, in 2013.
(And yes, I did watch the Senate testimony.)
(Can't be bothered to comment on the rest of your propaganda... but this bothered me the most.)
Marcus - 7 years ago
@Sad
1.
"Daisy [died] like most, by unknown causes and younger than in the wild."
That's a lie. She had a pulmonary disease in the last stage of her life; you know, the kind of illness old animals (and people) get. Harbour porpoise in this part of the Pacific get to live to about 8-10 years on average; a few get older. For an animal that as a result of her stranding sustained tissue and organ damage, Daisy, who died at age 9, therefore lived to an average age for her population, especially considering her history as an individual.
Background: There are several sub species and sub populations of harbour porpoise (BC's smallest cetacean) with varying life spans. In British Columbia they live 8-10 years on average.
"The life history of Harbour Porpoises features rapid growth, a high calving rate and a short lifespan compared to most other cetaceans. They reach sexual maturity at three to four years of age, males become physically mature at five years and females at seven, and both sexes have an average life span of only eight to ten years." (Marine Mammals of British Columbia, Volume 6: John K.B. Ford, Royal BC Museum, p. 334)
2.
"Scientists working with wild cetaceans simply do not cite studies done on captive cetaceans for the very reason Mr. Cousteau stated."
That's another lie. In fact, there are countless papers that cite research on captive animals, as that's where much of our knowledge originated. The vast majority of papers cite captive studies actually. Almost everything we know about echolocation comes from captive studies. Think of echolocation and communication, which these animals rely on for survival. Contact calls in many species were discovered in captive animals first and then validated with follow-up research in the wild. Recent studies with harbour porpoise into ocean noise and how that changes behaviour were done in Denmark with captive animals. Similar studies were done with a false killer whale in recent years, discovering how toothed whales can modify their hearing threshold if exposed to noise, and what that means for wild animals like e.g. our local killer whales who have to expend more energy to communicate. That is research that is not only important for our knowledge of these species, it has direct implications for conservation.
3.
"One cetacean every 9 years Richard. 6 actual rescued cetaceans in 53 years. That leaves plenty of time to build a sanctuary for the same price as new tanks."
Another half-lie at the very least. The Aquarium responds to 1-2 cetacean strandings on average per year and has responded to dozens of strandings over the years. Unfortunately, the survival rate is low as cetaceans on land sustain tissue and organ damage very quickly, and response time is vital. Many animals never make it to the rescue centre. Every one of their lives counts though, and if there is a slim chance of saving a life, that is absolutely worth it.
The first whale sanctuary in Iceland, under the leadership of conservation and anti-captivity giant WDC, just had its first loss. Of the 3 beluga whales sent there, 1 has died from chronic stress as a result of social mismanagement. That's the kind of quality of care you get when you have amateurs without zoological expertise run a whale sanctuary. And WDC actually had better experts on their panel than the Utah-based Whale Sanctuary Project that is planning for sanctuaries here. Those sea pens offer no benefits for the animals, they are tanks made from nets; they don't allow for intensive care of animals, they are expensive to build and to maintain and pose risks for both captive and wild animals. That money is better spent on conservation, where it is actually needed given the dramatic decline of so many species.
4.
"All cetacean rescues have to be authorized by the DFO. In fact only 1 permit has ever been issued by the DFO to the VA. 5 of the 6 "rescues" were illegal."
"When we deprive them of their natures, we do them great harm."
Apart from nutrition-deprivation studies that resulted in the starvation death of magnificent Stellar Sea Lions, and perhaps those beautiful belugas?, studying animals in captivity is not a true study of Nature....
L. Lemieux - 7 years ago
this poll isn't going to be accurate, as it allows multiple votes, so it cannot reflect any real public opinion. Only who has the time to sit around clicking multiple votes on the computer. The Vancouver Sun should either rectify this or discard the whole charade.
Robin - 7 years ago
Anyone who has done thorough research on this subject and truly understands what you are asking will vote NO. That is, unless they are among those who profit financially by keeping dolphins, Orcas and other cetaceans in these cruel, abusive and inhumane situations....under the false and deceitful guise of "education and science." People, please, before voting "yes" read the in-depth reports by true Orca biologists; we've learned all we need to know; that keeping these sentient creatures captive any longer (and drugging/tranquilizing them daily) only continues to cause them serious physical and psychological damage, including deep depression & anxiety. It's time to allow them to retire in spacious, supervised ocean sanctuaries. We can no longer allow greed to dictate this issue.
Sed - 7 years ago
People like Richard are in the minority and that is a good thing. See, the problem with Richard and his gang is that they fail to recognize that only 6 cetaceans have ever been rescued by the Vancouver Aquarium in 53 years. That is about 1 every 9 years. Building a $20 million tank that is only 12m deep that will only be used until 2029 (the VA's own mandated end of keeping cetaceans captive) is insanity when you consider it costs the exact same price for a sanctuary which is far larger and can be used in perpetuity.
Richard, I will go through each of your claims to debunk you:
"...if you vote 'yes' you are voting to ensure that cetaceans who are rescued but cannot survive if released again will receive life long care rather than being killed."
One cetacean every 9 years Richard. 6 actual rescued cetaceans in 53 years. That leaves plenty of time to build a sanctuary for the same price as new tanks.
"...you are voting so rescues will be authorized by DFO."
All cetacean rescues have to be authorized by the DFO. In fact only 1 permit has ever been issued by the DFO to the VA. 5 of the 6 "rescues" were illegal.
"You are also voting for the end of research both in advancing the field of first aid and rehab care of rescued cetaceans as well as physiological research which is helping inform current and future conservation work."
1 cited study on cetaceans in 53 years (that was cited by Seaworld) is just not reason enough to continue the cruelty to animals. Keep in mind the following quote: "There is as much educational benefit in studying dolphins in captivity as there would be in studying human beings by only observing prisoners in solitary confinement." ~Jacques Cousteau
"Those claiming that research is useless and we will learn nothing that we can't learn in the wild, clearly have zero understanding of research."
Scientists working with wild cetaceans simply do not cite studies done on captive cetaceans for the very reason Mr. Cousteau stated.
"Rhetoric and anger wrapped up in emotional outbursts based on an unrealistic and misinformed perception of animal care and the scientific process for research will not help either the individual animals or the thousands of their species that need our help in the wild."
The rhetoric you are using here is very sad and your duping of the public is much the same as the Vancovuer Aquarium putting out statements like "we were not allowed to give our evidence FOR captivity," when in fact in March, the Vancouver Aquarium had two full evenings to bring out their best evidence to support their want of captivity. All 7 park board officials voted against captivity Richard.
I really do hope you take off the blinder$, there i$ a better way to make money than from torturing cetacean$ for ca$h.
Peace to Daisy, #42 in 53 years to die at the Vancouver Aquarium, like most, by unknown causes and younger than in the wild.
Richard - 7 years ago
The comments here so far illustrate that the zealots are voting against the Aquarium with zero understanding of what is really at stake. They say if you vote 'yes' you are voting for enslavement, NO not true, if you vote 'yes' you are voting to ensure that cetaceans who are rescued but cannot survive if released again will receive life long care rather than being killed, you are voting so rescues will be authorized by DFO who have already publically said that future rescues likely will not be authorized even for animals that could potentially be re-released because in the event that release is not possible, a long term care option no longer exists. You are also voting for the end of research both in advancing the field of first aid and rehab care of rescued cetaceans as well as physiological research which is helping inform current and future conservation work.
Those claiming that research is useless and we will learn nothing that we can't learn in the wild, clearly have zero understanding of research. Not all research is behavioural, physiological research is just as important if not more so as it helps us understand and explain the behaviours seen in the wild, it helps us understand how human influences impact the biology of the animals and how they can and cannot adapt. Example: hearing studies, diet studies and metabolism/energy requirements, perception of hazards i.e. nets etc.
Rhetoric and anger wrapped up in emotional outbursts based on an unrealistic and misinformed perception of animal care and the scientific process for research will not help either the individual animals or the thousands of their species that need our help in the wild.
Heather - 7 years ago
How can there even be any "science" when the sentient, aware creatures they are apparently studying are completely outside of what would constitute as a normal habitat in the wild?
What can be gained by watching highly intelligent being suffer in a for-profit prison? All you can learn about cetaceans in captivity is how detrimental captivity is to their well-being. It's time to #EmptyTheTanks
If you want to know how much the Van Aquarium cares about "science," take a look at how much $$$ they've spent on advertising vs research.
Donna - 7 years ago
This is a cruel enslavement of highly intelligent and sentient beings.
David - 7 years ago
Do people from Vancouver understand the question ? If you vote yes you are saying that you approve of keeping sentient non human beings in a prison. Understand ? They are intelligent, they are self aware. They have emotions like we do. They feel loss. They get depressed. They grieve over the deaths of their loved ones. Will you approve of ripping apart these families so you can touch a dolphin or watch it do tricks? This is on the same level as the residential schools disaster except we have a chance to stop it now. Justin Trudeau , you need to apologise to all sentient species for the way Canadians have treated and abused them.
Ashley - 7 years ago
Funny that this poll is published on the same day that the Vancouver Aquarium is faced with another death in their tanks... #emptythetanks #endcaptivity
Jan Ashby - 7 years ago
Unbelievable that these intelligent mammals are kept in captivity - learn from them in their natural habitat
Zoe Almond - 7 years ago
There will not be a loss to science if they are kept in tanks. We can learn more from them in the wild. #emptythetanks
Frances Kelly - 7 years ago
It's a cruel practice.
Indiana matters - 7 years ago
Stanley Park belongs to the public and for too long we have allowed the aquarium business to make us complicit in this harm to living creatures.
@Sad (continued)
4.
"All cetacean rescues have to be authorized by the DFO. In fact only 1 permit has ever been issued by the DFO to the VA. 5 of the 6 "rescues" were illegal."
That's another lie. DFO and the Coast Guard were directly involved in many of the rescue attempts; you can see them help transport the animals in the video footage that was broadcast on TV actually. DFO officers, in all cases, authorized transport to the rescue centre, the rehabilitation attempt and made a decision on the final disposition of the animals. It was DFO that in many cases alerted the Aquarium to begin with as reports for e.g. Daisy went to DFO rather than the rescue centre. Only one release permit was ever issued, for Levi, in 2013.
(And yes, I did watch the Senate testimony.)
(Can't be bothered to comment on the rest of your propaganda... but this bothered me the most.)
@Sad
1.
"Daisy [died] like most, by unknown causes and younger than in the wild."
That's a lie. She had a pulmonary disease in the last stage of her life; you know, the kind of illness old animals (and people) get. Harbour porpoise in this part of the Pacific get to live to about 8-10 years on average; a few get older. For an animal that as a result of her stranding sustained tissue and organ damage, Daisy, who died at age 9, therefore lived to an average age for her population, especially considering her history as an individual.
Background: There are several sub species and sub populations of harbour porpoise (BC's smallest cetacean) with varying life spans. In British Columbia they live 8-10 years on average.
"The life history of Harbour Porpoises features rapid growth, a high calving rate and a short lifespan compared to most other cetaceans. They reach sexual maturity at three to four years of age, males become physically mature at five years and females at seven, and both sexes have an average life span of only eight to ten years." (Marine Mammals of British Columbia, Volume 6: John K.B. Ford, Royal BC Museum, p. 334)
2.
"Scientists working with wild cetaceans simply do not cite studies done on captive cetaceans for the very reason Mr. Cousteau stated."
That's another lie. In fact, there are countless papers that cite research on captive animals, as that's where much of our knowledge originated. The vast majority of papers cite captive studies actually. Almost everything we know about echolocation comes from captive studies. Think of echolocation and communication, which these animals rely on for survival. Contact calls in many species were discovered in captive animals first and then validated with follow-up research in the wild. Recent studies with harbour porpoise into ocean noise and how that changes behaviour were done in Denmark with captive animals. Similar studies were done with a false killer whale in recent years, discovering how toothed whales can modify their hearing threshold if exposed to noise, and what that means for wild animals like e.g. our local killer whales who have to expend more energy to communicate. That is research that is not only important for our knowledge of these species, it has direct implications for conservation.
3.
"One cetacean every 9 years Richard. 6 actual rescued cetaceans in 53 years. That leaves plenty of time to build a sanctuary for the same price as new tanks."
Another half-lie at the very least. The Aquarium responds to 1-2 cetacean strandings on average per year and has responded to dozens of strandings over the years. Unfortunately, the survival rate is low as cetaceans on land sustain tissue and organ damage very quickly, and response time is vital. Many animals never make it to the rescue centre. Every one of their lives counts though, and if there is a slim chance of saving a life, that is absolutely worth it.
The first whale sanctuary in Iceland, under the leadership of conservation and anti-captivity giant WDC, just had its first loss. Of the 3 beluga whales sent there, 1 has died from chronic stress as a result of social mismanagement. That's the kind of quality of care you get when you have amateurs without zoological expertise run a whale sanctuary. And WDC actually had better experts on their panel than the Utah-based Whale Sanctuary Project that is planning for sanctuaries here. Those sea pens offer no benefits for the animals, they are tanks made from nets; they don't allow for intensive care of animals, they are expensive to build and to maintain and pose risks for both captive and wild animals. That money is better spent on conservation, where it is actually needed given the dramatic decline of so many species.
4.
"All cetacean rescues have to be authorized by the DFO. In fact only 1 permit has ever been issued by the DFO to the VA. 5 of the 6 "rescues" were illegal."
That's another lie. DFO and the Coast Guard we
"When we deprive them of their natures, we do them great harm."
Apart from nutrition-deprivation studies that resulted in the starvation death of magnificent Stellar Sea Lions, and perhaps those beautiful belugas?, studying animals in captivity is not a true study of Nature....
this poll isn't going to be accurate, as it allows multiple votes, so it cannot reflect any real public opinion. Only who has the time to sit around clicking multiple votes on the computer. The Vancouver Sun should either rectify this or discard the whole charade.
Anyone who has done thorough research on this subject and truly understands what you are asking will vote NO. That is, unless they are among those who profit financially by keeping dolphins, Orcas and other cetaceans in these cruel, abusive and inhumane situations....under the false and deceitful guise of "education and science." People, please, before voting "yes" read the in-depth reports by true Orca biologists; we've learned all we need to know; that keeping these sentient creatures captive any longer (and drugging/tranquilizing them daily) only continues to cause them serious physical and psychological damage, including deep depression & anxiety. It's time to allow them to retire in spacious, supervised ocean sanctuaries. We can no longer allow greed to dictate this issue.
People like Richard are in the minority and that is a good thing. See, the problem with Richard and his gang is that they fail to recognize that only 6 cetaceans have ever been rescued by the Vancouver Aquarium in 53 years. That is about 1 every 9 years. Building a $20 million tank that is only 12m deep that will only be used until 2029 (the VA's own mandated end of keeping cetaceans captive) is insanity when you consider it costs the exact same price for a sanctuary which is far larger and can be used in perpetuity.
Richard, I will go through each of your claims to debunk you:
"...if you vote 'yes' you are voting to ensure that cetaceans who are rescued but cannot survive if released again will receive life long care rather than being killed."
One cetacean every 9 years Richard. 6 actual rescued cetaceans in 53 years. That leaves plenty of time to build a sanctuary for the same price as new tanks.
"...you are voting so rescues will be authorized by DFO."
All cetacean rescues have to be authorized by the DFO. In fact only 1 permit has ever been issued by the DFO to the VA. 5 of the 6 "rescues" were illegal.
"You are also voting for the end of research both in advancing the field of first aid and rehab care of rescued cetaceans as well as physiological research which is helping inform current and future conservation work."
1 cited study on cetaceans in 53 years (that was cited by Seaworld) is just not reason enough to continue the cruelty to animals. Keep in mind the following quote: "There is as much educational benefit in studying dolphins in captivity as there would be in studying human beings by only observing prisoners in solitary confinement." ~Jacques Cousteau
"Those claiming that research is useless and we will learn nothing that we can't learn in the wild, clearly have zero understanding of research."
Scientists working with wild cetaceans simply do not cite studies done on captive cetaceans for the very reason Mr. Cousteau stated.
"Rhetoric and anger wrapped up in emotional outbursts based on an unrealistic and misinformed perception of animal care and the scientific process for research will not help either the individual animals or the thousands of their species that need our help in the wild."
The rhetoric you are using here is very sad and your duping of the public is much the same as the Vancovuer Aquarium putting out statements like "we were not allowed to give our evidence FOR captivity," when in fact in March, the Vancouver Aquarium had two full evenings to bring out their best evidence to support their want of captivity. All 7 park board officials voted against captivity Richard.
I really do hope you take off the blinder$, there i$ a better way to make money than from torturing cetacean$ for ca$h.
Peace to Daisy, #42 in 53 years to die at the Vancouver Aquarium, like most, by unknown causes and younger than in the wild.
The comments here so far illustrate that the zealots are voting against the Aquarium with zero understanding of what is really at stake. They say if you vote 'yes' you are voting for enslavement, NO not true, if you vote 'yes' you are voting to ensure that cetaceans who are rescued but cannot survive if released again will receive life long care rather than being killed, you are voting so rescues will be authorized by DFO who have already publically said that future rescues likely will not be authorized even for animals that could potentially be re-released because in the event that release is not possible, a long term care option no longer exists. You are also voting for the end of research both in advancing the field of first aid and rehab care of rescued cetaceans as well as physiological research which is helping inform current and future conservation work.
Those claiming that research is useless and we will learn nothing that we can't learn in the wild, clearly have zero understanding of research. Not all research is behavioural, physiological research is just as important if not more so as it helps us understand and explain the behaviours seen in the wild, it helps us understand how human influences impact the biology of the animals and how they can and cannot adapt. Example: hearing studies, diet studies and metabolism/energy requirements, perception of hazards i.e. nets etc.
Rhetoric and anger wrapped up in emotional outbursts based on an unrealistic and misinformed perception of animal care and the scientific process for research will not help either the individual animals or the thousands of their species that need our help in the wild.
How can there even be any "science" when the sentient, aware creatures they are apparently studying are completely outside of what would constitute as a normal habitat in the wild?
What can be gained by watching highly intelligent being suffer in a for-profit prison? All you can learn about cetaceans in captivity is how detrimental captivity is to their well-being. It's time to #EmptyTheTanks
If you want to know how much the Van Aquarium cares about "science," take a look at how much $$$ they've spent on advertising vs research.
This is a cruel enslavement of highly intelligent and sentient beings.
Do people from Vancouver understand the question ? If you vote yes you are saying that you approve of keeping sentient non human beings in a prison. Understand ? They are intelligent, they are self aware. They have emotions like we do. They feel loss. They get depressed. They grieve over the deaths of their loved ones. Will you approve of ripping apart these families so you can touch a dolphin or watch it do tricks? This is on the same level as the residential schools disaster except we have a chance to stop it now. Justin Trudeau , you need to apologise to all sentient species for the way Canadians have treated and abused them.
Funny that this poll is published on the same day that the Vancouver Aquarium is faced with another death in their tanks... #emptythetanks #endcaptivity
Unbelievable that these intelligent mammals are kept in captivity - learn from them in their natural habitat
There will not be a loss to science if they are kept in tanks. We can learn more from them in the wild. #emptythetanks
It's a cruel practice.
Stanley Park belongs to the public and for too long we have allowed the aquarium business to make us complicit in this harm to living creatures.