Great suggestion. We have one here as well! Two in the area!

I certainly agree this would help kids more than watching wild animals in captivity perform in over sized chlorinated swimming pools to bad music for long hours.

Erin

Anyway, I do live near Sea World and would never set foot in that awful place. Forcing animals to perform is not green nor do I believe it’s helping with conservation issues. It’s a money making
crud hole.

If they were truly concerned they’d be doing conservation programs in the wild (like non profs do – not this awful concrete theme park in Orlando puleez)

Also, have any of you ever seen the videos they take overhead with helicopters at night of the animals just lying there not moving depressed and sad? some separated from their mates? (like the whales) they don’t swim or move but just lie there in their concrete enclosures until they are forced to perform for oversized tourists the next day. It’s pathetic, not green and if anything it teaches kids it’s ok to force animals to put on cheap shows. (not to mention there are claims some of their animals who died were abused)

Take your kids on a nice sail boat and do whale watching in the wild to teach them about conservation. It’s a joke to suggest taking them to that concrete jungle is teaching them anything positive.

Hell it’s worse than a zoo. At least there they aren’t forced to perform.

Erin in Florida

You’re welcome. Good luck

Motherhawk…

“there are times when research and study of animals has helped Mans understanding of them.”

I’m sorry but it’s already consensual in the scientific community that scientists actually learn more about the behaviour of animals when they observe them in their natural habitat.
After all, animals in captivity don’t behave naturally (most of the times), especially if they don’t have similar conditions to their habitat in the wild.

“It’s obvious you don’t see the value in kids being able to get up close to animals.”

I didn’t write that! I know that the impact on children, and adults in general, of seeing a live animal is much more intense than looking at pictures or watching a documentary. What I wrote was that it’s not necessary to see an animal in front of you in order for you to feel he/she should be protected, that’s all!
However, they will never see the real magnificent nature of animals if they only see them in tanks or cages…

“when kids go to Better marine facilities, they are taught that the animals are happiest in there natural habitat,”

Isn’t that a contradiction? “Hey kids, we’re sacrificing this animal so you can see him/her, but remember… they are happier when they are in their natural habitat!”
Besides, aren’t there field trips? Why not take them to see animals in their natural habitat? Obviously each place has its autochthonous animals. Not everyone needs or will be able to see a whale or a dolphin!
Also, there are animal parks where animals roam free (this doesn’t include marine creatures). At least they’re better than the conventional ones.

larry…

Where do I begin!?

“ya’ll think that these animals are FORCED to be in these parks”

I don’t care if they were forced, bred or rescued!! It still doesn’t make it okay to keep them in tiny unnatural places…

“THAT WOULD HAVE DIED WITHOUT THE CARE OF MAN”

Oh, now humans are the heroes? Do you have any idea how many tens of millions of animals are hunted, fished, killed in factory farms, tested on and experimented on every year by humans!?
Do you live in the same planet as the rest of us?
Have you ever heard of a list of worldwide endangered species? Guess what… humans are the responsible ones for that!!!

“You people sit around and bitch about all these animals while you allow millions of people to die each year in third world countries.”

First of all, no one is ‘bitching’, except you!!! We’re debating this issue as civilised people (apart from you of course).

“while you allow millions of people to die”?

!!!???
This argument is so absurd and it’s been used so many times that it’s actually becoming pathetic and only illustrates the lack of valid arguments by those who use it!
What does one thing have to do with the other?
Evolved, intelligent people can tackle several issues at the same time.
Just because we care about animals, doesn’t mean we “allow” people to die!!
Furthermore, some people are out there saving other people and others are saving animals! So? Each side is doing its best to save lives (human and non-human).

“Why don’t you help your own species out before you become so concerned about these other species which would likely not be alive had man not stepped in.”

Probably you can only do one thing at a time and therefore you cannot understand how one can help people and animals at the same time!
And what are YOU doing to help you own species Larry? It’s so easy to point fingers isn’t it?
I for one talk about animal issues, but at least I volunteer at the local animal shelter which has hundreds of animals!
Tell us what you’re doing to help humans Larry!!!
Oh, and “these other species” would be better off if humans didn’t exist. All the species on this planet contribute to the perfect balance of nature… Wait! No! There’s one that is actually destroying this balance – humans… So maybe “these other species would likely” be better off “had man not stepped in”!!

Humans must stop being so arrogant! We’re destroying our only home and we’re the ones that ultimately will suffer the most…

“And by the way Michael if your going to bitch about”
BTW – (it should be ‘you’re’, not ‘your’!!!)

If you want to be respected, start respecting others and treating them with the proper respect they deserve, will you? And you’re the one preaching about helping our own species? What a joke you are!!!

Heck, “Finding Nemo” is more educational than any visit to a marine park, and it’s not only fiction, but animated. But remember what Gil said: “Fish aren’t meant to live in a box, kid. It does things to ya.” I imagine this holds true for marine mammals as well.

Seriously, stop with the some kids have no access- having no access is a parental choice not a reality of where you live. Giving these same parents an aquarium to take their children is only adding to the problem. No one ever says Sea World or the zoo led to their taking action to help save the environment- NO ONE. That is an over used typical manipulation said by the owners of animal profit facilities to rationalize to people why they exist, half the public believes it as expected.

Apparently we need independent thinking establishments to take children to also.

I can teach my kids about whales (and wildlife) by showing them wild animals, not marine animals in little human made pools. We already have the greatest aquarium available to us, the ocean, lakes, and rivers to tell ourselves we can make some place better is ignorant.