Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Age: 41 Gender: Male Posts: 18,779 Location: Right behind you...
21 Aug 2008, 6:37 am
ShadesOfMe wrote:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/20/baby.whale/index.html Why can't they just let nature take it's course? why do humans always have to interfere???
Because it'd be crueller to let nature take its course. Though how you put a baby whale down humanely is beyond me.
Joined: 28 Jul 2008 Age: 50 Gender: Female Posts: 1,606 Location: at my computer
21 Aug 2008, 8:24 am
Is this the same whale that was trying to suckle a ship?
It is a shame it can't be saved. I'm of the mind that the marine biologists must have good reason and if they could save it, they would.
I'm not sure I would draw a comparison between this and abortion. A more apt comparison would be pulling the plug on a failing preemie. Which is still sad.
I hope they can take the baby out to some other whales and it will get adopted. A female adult whale would hear it crying and come and help. Whales are clever and can communicate somewhat to each other by sound.
Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Age: 32 Gender: Female Posts: 16,983 Location: California
21 Aug 2008, 2:00 pm
slowmutant wrote:
What if this baby were human? I think it would be a different discussion altogether.
Aborting a human baby just isn't that big a deal.
Yes it would be a different discussion. Because it is not a baby that is being aborted it is a fetus. and also, they are not talking about aborting a whale fetus. They are talking about putting down a whale who thinks a yacht is his mother.
Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Age: 45 Gender: Male Posts: 8,430 Location: Ontario, Canada
21 Aug 2008, 3:59 pm
ShadesOfMe wrote:
slowmutant wrote:
What if this baby were human? I think it would be a different discussion altogether.
Aborting a human baby just isn't that big a deal.
Yes it would be a different discussion. Because it is not a baby that is being aborted it is a fetus. and also, they are not talking about aborting a whale fetus. They are talking about putting down a whale who thinks a yacht is his mother.
Does the baby whale deserve to die or does it deserve to live? Isn't incumbent on us as human beings to protect life? I think it is. I think we ought to do everything in our power to ensure that this baby whale finds a surrogate mother.
Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Age: 41 Gender: Male Posts: 18,779 Location: Right behind you...
21 Aug 2008, 5:55 pm
It's literally up a creek without a paddle, and there is thought that its mother abandoned it. Unfortunately, it's too far away from any decent aquarium, feeding it will cause more problems than it solves, and do I need to go on?
Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Age: 32 Gender: Female Posts: 16,983 Location: California
21 Aug 2008, 6:19 pm
slowmutant wrote:
ShadesOfMe wrote:
slowmutant wrote:
What if this baby were human? I think it would be a different discussion altogether.
Aborting a human baby just isn't that big a deal.
Yes it would be a different discussion. Because it is not a baby that is being aborted it is a fetus. and also, they are not talking about aborting a whale fetus. They are talking about putting down a whale who thinks a yacht is his mother.
Does the baby whale deserve to die or does it deserve to live? Isn't incumbent on us as human beings to protect life? I think it is. I think we ought to do everything in our power to ensure that this baby whale finds a surrogate mother.
Yes. I agree, they should do everything possible to find it a surrogate mother, and then putting it "down" would be the very, very, very, last option.
Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Age: 45 Gender: Male Posts: 8,430 Location: Ontario, Canada
21 Aug 2008, 8:25 pm
The animals we kill for food deserve some posthumous gratitude and respect. The American Indians actually worshipped as gods the animals whose flesh and hides allowed them to live. There's so much we can learn from aboriginal societies.
Joined: 27 Apr 2006 Age: 41 Gender: Male Posts: 18,779 Location: Right behind you...
21 Aug 2008, 8:39 pm
slowmutant wrote:
The animals we kill for food deserve some posthumous gratitude and respect. The American Indians actually worshipped as gods the animals whose flesh and hides allowed them to live. There's so much we can learn from aboriginal societies.
Unfortunately, I think this whale has been killed with more respect and kindness than most livestock.
Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Age: 45 Gender: Male Posts: 8,430 Location: Ontario, Canada
21 Aug 2008, 8:43 pm
Livestock go through a mill. They are not slaughtered one-by-one. Thanks to Temple, the disassembly line is compassionate. A direct hit to the brain kills them instantly, no suffering.
Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Age: 40 Gender: Male Posts: 186 Location: Washington, DC
22 Aug 2008, 11:25 am
slowmutant wrote:
Livestock go through a mill. They are not slaughtered one-by-one. Thanks to Temple, the disassembly line is compassionate. A direct hit to the brain kills them instantly, no suffering.