Colin the whale and ethics

[SlothHead]

Most people by now would know about Colin the grey whale, just want to see some opinions of people for the decision to interveen and put the whale down later tonight.

Cheers
Dustin

 

[mckellar007]

man are they gonna feel bad if they put it down and a pod of whales come by tomorrow looking for it.

 

[fishbot]

What about all the animals that feed on dead whales? If we save all the injured animals what will the scavengers have to eat? Why don't people worry about their needs?

Nature is harsh but fair, leave it to die I say.

 

[SlothHead]

I would love to know Attenboroughs take on it as there are so many interesting implications of it.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

If they put it down it will have to shot wouldnt it?
The green dream in that amount would make for a deadly meal for the scavengers.
I reckon they should let nature take its course or failing that shoot it.
Very sad but thats probably the best.

 

[spilota_variegata]

I'm stunned that they haven't figured out a way to feed it - maybe put a teat on the bottom of one of their boats. It's going to be sad when he dies, but nature is sometimes cruel.

 

[Jewly]

I can't understand why after all this amount of time, that they don't know what a baby whale eats. Surely with all the supposed 'research' that the Japanese are doing, they could have come up with something. I don't feel that enough has been done. Also don't think they should be putting it down. If they aren't going to try and help it, then they should just let nature take it's course and at least give the poor guy a chance to find it's own way in life.

 

[Smellie]

I think letting it die should be the last resort. If they have a chance at saving it, as slight as it may be, it's a chance none the less. If we could just keep it alive until the migrations, that would be great. But if we couldn't feed it, and couldn't keep it alive, we should put it down, not let it die, because for it to starve to death seems a little crule. I know we can't do anything about it, but I guess the one thing we could do, after trying to feed it, would be to do it ourselves.

I don't know, that's just me. But I think any chance at saving him is better then none at all

 

[cris]

what happened?

 

[Jewly]

They are going to put it down tonight.

 

[CodeRed]

Depends. How much you can get for 2 tonnes of sushi?

 

[888lowndes888]

Its wrong! That marine biologist bloke made up a teat and had 4 litres of milk ready to go feed him and got turned away by authorities. He had dairy milk and crushed up fish and stuff blended, authorities said it may be ahrmful to colin.... so is killing him. Why not just give him dairy milk and see what happens and if worse comes to worse euthanaese. They have done nothing to try and help this guy.:evil:

 

[alex_c]

I'm stunned that they haven't figured out a way to feed it - maybe put a teat on the bottom of one of their boats. It's going to be sad when he dies, but nature is sometimes cruel.

i was thinking the exact same thing. but it may be hard to get the milk formula and teat right.

 

[Jewly]

On Channel Nine right now they are talking about how the American's have worked out how to feed baby whales so there is something they can do. Someone needs to pull their finger out and do something instead of just giving in and taking the easy route. The marine biologists at Seaworld can surely do something to help this little guy.

 

[Whisper2]

Did you see the thing on a current affair?
Many great ideas but the people with the power arnt willing to help or even try.
Then again they have only a day so i guess that they have to be rational.
Poor Collin.....

 

[xander]

I think that the mother rejected him for a reason. Probably happens a fair bit, only we dont see it. Its ironic that the people who are whinging about the whale getting put down(people Ive been talking too)are pro shark nets?????(I asked them of their views on this)It really should of been euthanised first thing. 4 litres of milk would do bugger all for a whale that size. It would need 100s of litres a day of milk. Cows milk is unsuitable, as its not high enough in fat, and how the hell would you keep the milk warm or make the whale suckle, and suckle with what?

 

[Jewly]

They've had days to do something. One phone call to the marine parks in the US and they would have had the information they needed. Also, a guy did a search on the net and found the recipe for a formula that would have been suitable to feed it. Their efforts are pathetic!!

 

[spilota_variegata]

Its wrong! That marine biologist bloke made up a teat and had 4 litres of milk ready to go feed him and got turned away by authorities. He had dairy milk and crushed up fish and stuff blended, authorities said it may be ahrmful to colin.... so is killing him. Why not just give him dairy milk and see what happens and if worse comes to worse euthanaese. They have done nothing to try and help this guy.:evil:

What's very frustrating is government bodies are so often tied up with bs beaurocray that they can no longer think outside of the box. A little sustenance surely must be better than none?? If a marine biologist suggested feeding from a teat, surely he/she must be better informed that some government twit. :evil:

 

[spongebob]

To not do anything is I believe irresponsible. As a society Australia tries to help injuried/orphaned native wildlife. Why is a whale different? Attempts have been tried to reunite with a pod. That didnt work so the next line would be to try to nurse it. OK it's never been tried before but that does not mean it cant be done. If it prolongs the life but then it dies at least we (as a society) gave it a shot. IMO the worlds opinion of us we would be better viewed than letting it die or putting it down. A life, our self worth ,and how we are seen are all at stake.

 

[Jewly]

spongebob....It has been done before in the U.S. They managed to nurse a baby whale and were eventually able to release the animal. They designed a number of different teats and offered them and the baby whale picked the one it wanted.

xander ....Cows milk is suitable and is the base of the formula that they can use to feed it.