Last night, I watched a program on National Geographic where a group of Marine Biologists were studying sharks, catching, measuring and weighing them, taking blood and sperm count samples and then tagging them before releasing them back into the ocean. They followed the sharks they tagged to find out their feeding and breeding grounds in order to later protect those areas from poachers.
I am totally supportive of that… but I find myself worried about the shark and his chances of survival after being caught, probed and all. Several questions popped into my head… Will tagging the shark decrease his chances of mating? (Since there would be a weird looking abnormal device hanging from his dorsal fin). If the shark was somehow injured, how would that affect him feeding? If the shark was exhausted after the whole ordeal of being caught and poked, would that put him in danger of being attacked by other sharks? I found myself worrying about the shark…
In the episode I was watching, and after all the above questions swam in my head, I saw, and to my horror, that while the Scientists were capturing the massive male shark, it bit the big red buoy and it got stuck in its mouth. When the men dragged the shark onto a platform to have it measured and all, they needed to immediately flush water through its gills to keep it breathing and alive.
They had a tough time taking the buoy out and in the end they discovered that the balloon’s large hook was stuck on the roof of the poor thing’s mouth… They tried getting to it from the gills but they were unsuccessful. Their last resort was to cut the chain that was connected to the hook and releasing the shark back into the water after 11.5 minutes of being out. They later said that the hook would disintegrate after two or three weeks in salt water.
After they had taken blood and sperm samples they discovered that the shark was ready to mate and was probably on his way to his mating grounds.
I know that they were trying to help protect the sharks in the long run but they had not made studies to check what happened to these sharks after they were released back… I mean, this shark would not be able to eat properly for two to three weeks because of this hook… he might lose weight and this might cut his chances of mating… He was totally exhausted because of the ordeal of staying out of the water for 11.5 minutes…. Would he have the energy to defend himself or mate? Would he be shunned and refused to be mated with because of the tracking device on his fin?
I am all for saving animal species from extinction... protecting them from being poached and killed for a few body parts and then left behind to rot or be eaten by other animals. I am all for studying them in their natural habitat to discover the different ways of guarding them and saving their environment.
BUT….
I find myself confused … what about this particular shark then? Maybe the chances of this shark surviving, due to what it went through, are slim. So in order to save others, he had to sacrifice himself? I hope that he and all the others are ok and living happily. Many of the sharks that were being tagged were healthy ones and would be able to reproduce. Let us hope that these sharks would be taken off the list of endangered species due to the efforts of these marine Scientists.
If we never had poachers and people who destroyed our Earth, we would not need to catch those beautiful creatures to study them.
4 comments:
It is a tough one isn't it? I live where there are lots of black bears and I have had the same concerns. I watched a program where a mother black bear was sedated while in her den with her babies. She was taken out, tagged and weighed and blood samples were taken. The cubs were also weighed and examined. What surprised me was how much the scientists cared for her and her babies. They took great care and when they put her back they made sure each cub was near a nipple for nursing. They also remade her den.
I think in the end it is a good idea. I think the people that study the creatures love them very much and want what is best for them. With so many crazy things going on our environment we need to take aggressive actions. We can't just sit back and let nature be destroyed by man. This one shark may save thousands.
I guess it is like anything that is experimental. At first is seems wrong but the end results can have great benefit.
I agree Barbara... I know it is for the good of the species, and I know that the scientist deeply love those animals they are trying to protect... I just could not stop feeling sorry and hurt for that poor shark...
That story of the bear you shared is heart warming... loved it... especially the part where you said they placed the cubs close to their mama's nipples to feed... adorable. Thanks so much for sharing...
I love to watch animal shows on TV. I think I watched the same one you did. I thought your observations were very interesting especially how in order to save others, he had to sacrifice himself? Kinda reminded me of what Jesus did for us :-)
This is all so confusing. Nature and humanity. How does a hook, asuming it is some kind of metal, disintegrate? How does that shark feel while it desintegrates. I am totally in agreement with you Lana about all this research, however necessary and well meant. And Birdie's bear story. So touching. These poor animals must be so terrified when they are being tagged and having blood drawn. All your points are so well made. This is the one area where Man is not ruled by Nature. Both the poaching and the saving. I think I haven't been very coherent - I'm really upset by all the damage we do. maybe the Creator should have stopped the day before He created Man.
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