Marine Mammals under human care.

I look forward to a fun and fulfilling debate. I will format this debate as follows. In each round, I will present rebuttals to my opponents arguments in the form of numbered clauses, first presenting a quote from my opponents argument followed by my rebuttal. Under each clause, I will establish a contention constructed on my rebuttals. These contentions will constitute my arguments. At the end of each round, I will summarize my rebuttals and contentions under counter argument and conclusion headings. I again thank my opponent, and wish her luck. Before I begin, I will post a clarification: "I noticed that you mentioned AZA - which also applies to zoos. I do not support zoos either, however, since the topic of this debate refers to marine mammals rather than land mammals I will not go further into why I do not support zoos unless you want me to. " Here my opponent restricts this debate to aquariums only. This excludes zoos, wildlife parks, laboratories, and any other venue or institution that houses animals under human care. I agree to this restriction. This discussion will apply only to AZA accredited aquariums. Clause 1: "I believe that animals have the right to be free from human entertainment. For some reason, humans believe that it is our right to take an animal out of its natural environment (in this case referring to oceans) and exploit them for our own benefit. Humans use animals for entertainment at circuses, zoos and aquariums alike. " Here my opponent argues against AZA aquariums, asserting that they are venues established for the purpose of human entertainment at the expense of the marine mammals. My opponent constructed this argument on the assertion that marine mammals have the right of freedom. I will present two separate rebuttals for each section of this argument. 1. My opponent asserted that the AZA institutions are established for the purpose of human entertainment. This assertion is highly erroneous. Please note the following. AZA aquariums are established and accredited for four main purposes: Animal care and welfare Public outreach and education Scientific research Conservation. This is established by the AZA itself. Note the following quote: "AZA Accreditation provides assurances to the public that the facility they are visiting meets the highest standards for animal care and welfare; visitor amenities and safety; science education; and wildlife conservation and science. " - AZA Aquariums standards and goals. [1] Not only is this the established goal of AZA and all accredited institutions, but it is also their largest legacy. I will use the Georgia Aquarium to illustrate this point. As the worlds largest aquarium, we* receive an average of 10-12000 guests per day. Because of this massive source of revenue, the GAQ is the world leader in marine conservation. Examples of GAQ's work are numerous, and I will list a few here. 1. The GAQ runs the worlds largest dolphin research and conservation program, including oceanic field stations, numerous rescue-rehab-release centers around the world, and a number of education venues. The only dolphins held in GAQ are those deemed unfit for release into the wild. 2. The GAQ, along with the IUCN, also runs the worlds most expansive research and conservation program for Beluga whales. From their field station in the sea of Ohkutsk, the GAQ churns out the highest quality data on beluga conservation of all scientific and conservation organizations. 3. The GAQ partnered with two other AZA accredited, non-profit aquariums, the Shedd and Montery Bay aquariums, to run the worlds only Pacific Sea Otter research and conservation program, and have been responsible for bringing the species back from the brink of extinction. I could go on to discuss their efforts regarding Kelp, Coral, Right Whales, Asian Small-Clawed Otters, Whale sharks, Manta Rays, and countless others, but this debate round does not allow the space for them. In light of the previous statements, I will establish contention one. Contention 1: AZA accredited aquariums are the single most crucial element in modern research and conservation efforts. The funding generated by such institutions is vital to the survival marine mammals in the wild. Clause 2: "Did you know that dolphins in the ocean can swim up to 100 miles per day? How can they do this when they are trapped in a tiny aquarium? How can they live a normal life when they literally are not able to do the thing that comes most naturally to them - swim? "Here my opponent makes two separate errors in her argument. I will tackle them each individually.1. My opponent makes an argument based solely and entirely on Pathos. In order for any argument to be accepted as legitimate and given any weight, it must be supported by at least three of the four principles of rhetoric, being Pathos, Logos, Ethos, and evidence[2].2. My opponent equates the act swimming to happiness of the dolphin. Her argument consists of "This is what dolphins do in the wild, therefore it must make them happy". My opponent gives no thought in the slightest to the reason dolphins swim such long distances. According to experts, dolphins travel for two reasons only. They are following their food, and fleeing from predators. Meaning that the only reason dolphins swim so far is to prevent themselves from starving and being eaten. In the event that the dolphin is safe from all predators, and prey is stationary and plentiful, the dolphin will not stray far from that location at all[3]. This is highlighted by the numerous occasions of rehabbed and released dolphins trying to return to human care[4]. In light of this, I will establish contention two:Contention 2:Individuals under human care in the AZA system are better off then their wild counterparts. Clause 3:"What if I took you away from all of your family and friends, placed you in a house and made it physically impossible for you to leave? Surely if I provide you with enough entertainment, enrichment and of course the space that you need to survive that you will be happy and able to live comfortably. Would you miss your family? Well, you'll get over it eventually. Would you miss being able to travel? Well, I guess you'll just have to get use to pacing back and forth. "Aside from the previously addressed issue with Pathos, my opponent again makes two separate errors in her argument. I will tackle each one individually. 1. My opponent falls into a very widespread fallacy in this issue. My opponent is actively anthropomorphizing marine mammals. This is something that should be avoided in these matters, because it is based on a fallacious anecdotal comparison of two very different psychologies. This can lead to a number of negative results, for both the person performing the anthropomorphizing and the animal that might interact with said person[5].2. My opponent asserts that the AZA "takes" animals "away from their families and friends". This is highly erroneous, as the AZA acquires its marine mammals from a number of sources, the wild not being one. The AZA takes marine mammals from rehab centers if they are deemed unfit for survival in the wild. The AZA takes marine mammals research facilities and entertainment venues that are not affiliated with the AZA, especially if it is discovered that said venue is less than ethical. The AZA does not acquire marine mammals from the wild. Conclusion:In this round, I have clarified that my opponents arguments are based entirely of Pathos and anthropomorphization, as well as misinformation regarding the methods and ethics of the AZA. I have asserted that AZA institutions are crucial for the long term well-being of these marine mammalian species as a whole, and are better for the individual animals kept in these facilities. I thank my opponent for presenting an excellent argument, and I look forward to her reply. Sources:1. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums . https://www.aza.org...2. Durham Tech University. http://courses.durhamtech.edu... 3. Schiavini, Adrian. "Food Habits of Lagenorhynchus Australis; Review and New Information. " International Whale Journal 47 (1997): 827-33. Print.4. MBAQ SOCAR. http://www.montereybayaquarium.org...5. Duke University, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science. https://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu...*Pro is directly related to the GAQ. However, no profit is made from the work I do at the aquarium (97% of AZA work is done by volunteers). My statements are mine alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the GAQ.