The whale controversy has returned with a vengeance with thedeath last week of a killer whale in San Diego. But the renewedcriticism from animal rights advocates should not kill off SheddAquarium's plans to bring whales to its new Oceanarium in Chicago.
What happened at San Diego's Sea World was a terrible tragedyfor the marine park and for whale lovers. Kandu, a 14-year-oldfemale killer whale who had given birth to a calf just last year, waskilled in a performance after she collided with another female whale.
The death was a freak accident, according to Sea Worldveterinarians. But the incident has renewed the debate from someenvironmental and animal rights advocates about the captivity ofwhales and other exotic animals in zoos and in entertainment parks.
A distinction should be made between projects like SheddAquarium's Oceanarium and commercial theme parks like Sea World thatuse the large killer whales for entertainment shows and that haveexperienced problems with whales in the past.
We hope the interest in whales leads to further evaluation ofhow all animals are treated in captivity. They shouldn't beexploited as lovable marketing items - or as propaganda against zoosand aquariums.
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