Morris

You have probably seen the TV stories about the two whales, Mother and "baby" that have swam up the delta all the way to Sacramento. There is an armada of ships trying to coax them back to the bay and out to open ocean, but not having much luck. Some of the people and boats are government owned and operated. I read several days ago that it had already cost the government over a million dollars. Should taxpayer money be spent trying to "save" these whales, or should we leave them alone and let nature take its course?
Personally I would spend money to have one small boat follow them and keep other vessels away that could hurt them, but that's about the extent of it. When they left salt water and swam into fresh water they should have intuited they were going the wrong direction even if their navagation wasn't working. (Comment on that Dean) I prescribe to survival of the fittest. (exception- manmade disasters like oil spills etc and its effects on animals)
Too much or too little?

bluerooster

Whale is delicious when broiled and served with basmati rice!

Jumpy Guy

I agree Morris, let nature take it's course. Could the million dollars be spent on better things like healthcare, food, clothing, etc. for the poor? You decide

Kyras

So, I should look for them on the 12 bridge, next Friday, June 1st on my way to meet you?

dean

That ain't necessarily so. There are a number of hypotheses as to what causes this kind of behavior, but there's nothing much in the way of a consensus yet. In any case, swimming upstream into fresh water isn't always a bad thing. Many species of euryhaline marine animals do it intentionally in order to rid themselves of parasites that are susceptible to lower salinities.

Since the cause of this seemingly self destructive behavior is yet unknown, it's not unreasonable to assume that its cause(s) may also be anthropogenic in nature (in fact, many believe that pollution plays a big role in it). Although it may not be nearly as obvious, immediate, or dramatic as an oil spill, it still does not relieve us of all responsibility in the matter, particularly in light of the fact that whales are endangered because of human activity. Not to mention that cetaceans in general carry a great deal of cultural significance in this country.

To follow your "survival of the fittest" argument to its ultimate conclusion, humans are currently the fittest (in the true Darwinian sense of the word) species on the planet. Therefore, only humans should survive and at the expense of all others if need be, regardless of the overall consequences. I don't find such a position ethical from a personal view point or wise in terms of ecology and human survival.

As for the money being better spent on other things, that's a legless argument. The fact of the matter is that if the money had been spent on the poor, then it wouldn't now be available to spend on these whales. I have lived through several wars and at the conclusion of each I have yet to hear a political body state that the money "saved" should be spent on the poor or any other humanitarian action. It just doesn't happen.

Aren't you sorry you asked for my comments now?

Morris

Yes I am sorry, Dean, and may a thousand crabs infest your armpits.
You took my survival thought too far. I don't wish the demise of any creature, human or other, but how far do we go to make sure other creatures survive? You don't watch out for ants when you go for a walk, do you? Well the larger of these whales is injured. Maybe she is looking for a place to hide to die. (dogs do that) Sure we should stop killing whales, and animals (except for that little piggy I just ate for lunch). But how far do we go and to what expense? I also don't beleive that anything man did made those whales want to go up the river instead of out to ocean. Otherwise it would be more common. It's been 22 years since Humphrey wandered up the bay into the delta, and that was the last one I recall.
Yes Patty, 12 goes right over the course the whales took to get where they are. Whale watching 60 miles from the Pacific. Whodathunk.

bluerooster

I've lost my appetite...thanks, Dean

RC - Ryder

That's a round tripper for you, Dean.

dean

[QUOTE=Morris,May 23 2007, 04:17 PM]
Yes I am sorry, Dean, and may a thousand crabs infest your armpits.

dean

A round tripper?