Just two days before a captive orca killed a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando in February, a neurobiologist, a marine scientist and a philosopher gathered to discuss the intelligence of big marine mammals at the annual meeting for the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Because of their brain-size-to-body-size ratios, dolphins and whales, rather than the great apes, are considered closest to possessing “human” traits of intelligence, such as self-awareness and awareness of others; understanding symbols; using language; creating complex social networks; and feeling and thinking.
But smart scientists think that looking just at the brain-body ratio seriously underestimates the brain power of larger marine mammals, The Orlando Sentinel reported. We just don’t know exactly how intelligent they are yet.
Philosopher Thomas White of Loyola Marymount argued that the marine animals should be considered “highly evolved, non-human persons,” according to Groundreport.com.
White said most people easily give dogs and cats this status — so what about the far more intelligent citizens populating the seas?
Not surprisingly, and not for the first time, this question was partially answered by a captive orca killing a trainer. In this case, the orca, Tilikum, had killed two humans before. The behavior — which is aberrant; killer whales don’t attack humans in the wild — shouts: The best thing humans can do for highly evolved, non-human persons is to not keep them captive.
Lori Marino, a neuroscientist at Emory University, told the Orlando Sentinel that she wonders about the extent to which a captive orca could grow frustrated with being cut off from the cultural richness of living among an extended family — grandparents through calves.
At the gathering of scientists and philosophers, Marino argued that even the best captive conditions offer an environment one ten-thousandth of a percent (that’s 0.000001) the size of their native habitat, Groundreport.com reported.
In other words: “Living in a tank and having to splash people with your tail every day for 27 years would make anyone go nuts,” Marino told the Orlando Sentinel.
Arguments that SeaWorld and other shows are educational don’t hold any water.
Watching a majestic orca do tricks with a human trainer is not educational. Sadly, watching one snap and kill a human is educational, but only if the lesson is taken to heart.
The digital age offers an excellent argument against zoos, SeaWorlds and such. A cameraman with KING-5 News’ helicopter recently captured wonderful footage of three orcas swimming side by side between Fauntleroy at West Seattle and Vashon Island. (www.King5.com) Watching them in their real sea world is educational and thrilling.
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