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This is a no-win choice. The real mistake was done 50 years ago. Now there are two bad choices, both with potential unacceptable outcomes, and only hind-sight w

This is a no-win choice. The real mistake was done 50 years ago. Now there are two bad choices, both with potential unacceptable outcomes, and only hind-sight will prove one wrong or right. In some respects, a return to the wild is a hail-mary. Is 5 years free better than another 50 of confinement? I'm inclined to agree that it's worth trying regardless if the outcome. While fully understanding that the outcome can turn sour, there are valuable lessons to be learned - both in re-introduction techniques, and in the moral long-term aspects of capturing and using them for entertainment. Like Keiko, if this helps solidify the reasons not to capture again, then at least some good comes of it.

geuis 3y ago
I'm not sure if I agree because you have good points, but I'm also hesitant. If you were captured by aliens as a kid and then later "trained" on how to act human at 57, how would you judge your ability to remotely survive in your native society? Personally I think it's way too late to try a 100% repatriation idea. Based on the observed behavior of other releases whales, she's going to require continuous human interaction and care until her death. Let's maybe move her from Miami, but setup a scenario where she comes back to home base on her own. Let her interact with her old family pod if she wants, but still have people around when she comes back to port for food or interaction. She got stolen from her family nearly 60 years ago, the least we can do now is to provide a bridge to make her comfortable. I don't like how the article makes it seem like an all or nothing scenario. But I barely know anything about the topic, so beware of the giant grains of salt on the road.
- bruce511 3y ago
  From the article I got the impression this was exactly the process they are doing.
akiselev 3y ago
This a commercial operation with tiny pools, not a natural sanctuary with a giant habitat for them to freely roam. It’s not a choice between likely death after five years or a cozy life. It’s a miserable existence in solitary confinement in a tiny cell.

geuis 3y ago

I'm not sure if I agree because you have good points, but I'm also hesitant. If you were captured by aliens as a kid and then later "trained" on how to act human at 57, how would you judge your ability to remotely survive in your native society? Personally I think it's way too late to try a 100% repatriation idea. Based on the observed behavior of other releases whales, she's going to require continuous human interaction and care until her death. Let's maybe move her from Miami, but setup a scenario where she comes back to home base on her own. Let her interact with her old family pod if she wants, but still have people around when she comes back to port for food or interaction. She got stolen from her family nearly 60 years ago, the least we can do now is to provide a bridge to make her comfortable. I don't like how the article makes it seem like an all or nothing scenario. But I barely know anything about the topic, so beware of the giant grains of salt on the road.

bruce511 3y ago
From the article I got the impression this was exactly the process they are doing.

akiselev 3y ago

This a commercial operation with tiny pools, not a natural sanctuary with a giant habitat for them to freely roam. It’s not a choice between likely death after five years or a cozy life. It’s a miserable existence in solitary confinement in a tiny cell.