I am not sure what to make of this. It is
the most significant and far-reaching animal welfare announcement in years. SeaWorld and the Humane Society of theUnited States (HSUS) are now partners, “working together as advocates and educators for the
ocean and its animals”. The partnership follows Seaworld's decision to end its orca breeding program.
I
have long been troubled by the keeping of orcas in captivity, so SeaWorld’s
announcement that it will end its orca breeding program is welcome news. I
suppose the animal rights lobby can claim a victory of sorts. I have always
assumed HSUS was part of the consortium of animal rights organizations that opposed zoos, aquariums, and
marine parks, but I can find no evidence of that on their website. Their main
opposition, it would appear, is the use of animals like elephants, whales, and
dolphins as entertainment.
Fortunately,
this agreement appears to support what is good about SeaWorld and, by
extension, the reputable zoos, aquariums, and marine parks. It includes
collaboration and advocacy in the areas of wildlife conservation and the humane
treatment of animals.
Nobody,
however, should be surprised if HSUS continues to lobby against the practice of keeping whales & dolphins and apes & elephants in captivity
at all. It is far better, I suppose, for us to be negotiating
these issues as partners rather than as enemies, but I just can’t help but be
suspicious that things are not as they appear to be. I am reminded of the
apocryphal story about showman, P. T. Barnum.
Early
in his career, the story goes, Barnum created an exhibit he called The Happy Family. The remarkable display
consisted of a lion, a tiger, a panther, and a lamb all inhabiting the same
cage. It was an amazing scene and when asked about his future plans for The
Happy Family, he is said to have remarked that he would make it a permanent
feature of his shows, “if the supply of lambs holds out”.
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