The closure of SeaWorld shows was met with sadness for some, joy for others and with indifference to the beautiful, but dumb, creatures it housed.
 
Activists won this round. Still not satisfied with the death of San Diego SeaWorld shows, warlike, they march on to protest, complain and destroy all SeaWorlds around the globe.
 
Stop. Consider the topic of abortion. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? A divided answer with many in betweens. Have there not been divided answers to debates in life?
 
If you make two people cohabit—there will be arguments and disagreements, and if anyone denies this fact, he is either a liar, lagging in some way, or is denying himself to please another. Does that make marriage wrong? No. People who don’t marry but live together disagree and argue more; statistics point out, especially when kids are involved.
 
Push the protestors aside and consider the consequences of their recent achievement:
 
* An expensive establishment closed, money was lost. There will be consequences for that loss somewhere.
* Jobs have ended, and many will be unemployed and their families will suffer.
* Highly trained, specialised people have nowhere to go.
* Presuming the animals are returned to the sea, will they be any safer there? Will they be better fed?
 
How safe is the sea? Pollution is severe in certain waters. Animals get tangled up in discarded ropes, nets and refuse. Some swallow plastic and harmful objects that cause suffering before a slow and painful death. Some whales beach themselves. Others get hunted in the ocean by whalers. Some of their offspring are preyed on by sharks, and some do die from disease and injuries.
 
Numerous videos are available on the internet depicting Killer Whales hunting seals. They toss their live prey into the air and torture it for ages before devouring it. Not unlike cats, playing with mice before killing them. Sickening, but natural.
 
Whatever your conclusion, it’s yours to make. You see, you have a choice. However, it seems that the ‘Kill Joy Police’ want to take our choice into their hands and dictate to us what we should think about these matters.
 
Consider the image chosen for this article. Look at it. Impressive, right? The sheer size of that Killer Whale boggles the mind. Can you smell it? Can you hear it? Is your heart beating any faster? Did you think it was going to jump out of the picture and land in your lap? No. You answered ‘no’ to all of those questions. Why?
 
The reason all your answers were no is because it’s a one dimensional image. The picture is not a whale. It is a flat, lifeless colour image.
 
Consider the fact that most of us have never seen a Killer Whale in real life. Some of us have not seen dolphins, sharks, seals or penguins either. None of us saw such creatures until we went to SeaWorld. Have you ever taken kids to SeaWorld? Have you seen the pure pleasure on a child’s face when it saw the awesome, spectacular splendour of nature at its best right before their eyes?
 
Children and adults used to be excited by the thrilling proximity of nature. They could see it live. They could feel the water spray, they could smell it, hear it up close, so tangible. They enjoyed some scary moments too as the whales leapt up.
 
The children who went to SeaWorld were impressed by nature. Most kids got an opportunity to treasure a personal experience close to nature. That is exactly how the love of animals and of nature is born—in the heart of a child.
 
Children become adults and they will be the new leaders. Removing exposure to nature and animals from children will cause indifference in the following generations. No amount of pictures will compensate for the impression of a great personal experience.
 
Very soon, such wonderful experiences will be reserved for intellectuals and the elite alone. No longer will ordinary people, who are in the majority, be able to see a Killer Whale. Only scientists who study them and the wealthy will get that chance.
 
Take a look at your old family photos. Do you remember your granny? If you met her, you will remember special moments as they come flooding back when you see her image. Delve deeper into your box and pull out another photo of a family member, one you never met who has long since died. How important are they to you? Not important at all, simply a fact, and one that the next generation might not even consider worth keeping.
 
What has really been achieved by isolating marine life? When the masses no longer care, marine animals will no longer be cared for.
 
For the sacrifice of few, many are spared and gain freedom. This is so, even for humans, that’s why there have been wars.
 
Thank goodness for rhino conservationists in Texas. In Africa, poaching is almost out of control.  Maybe the day is near when Texan rhinoceroses will be the only ones left.
 
Food for thought:
Conserve—to support, safeguard. A way of using wisely while ensuring constant replenishment.
Preserve—to pickle and bottle, to leave on a shelf, remaining untouched, but no longer breathing.