Dwayne Johnson 'The Rock' slammed for going to aquarium

[Belsnickel]

(08-07-2018, 02:28 PM)GMDino Wrote: I always try to give the activists a bit of leeway if the zoo is not well kept, the animals are abused, etc.   It doesn't hurt to have someone watching them.

But so many go so far to the extreme that I just can't support them.

Absolutely. Aside from social programs, conservation is one of my favorite policy topics and so I think about these sorts of issues on a regular basis. I have had people argue with me that zoos and aquariums should not be and there is certainly room for discussion when animals are mistreated. However, there are some animals that we need zoos and aquariums for to facilitate the conservation process. Most importantly, though, they also serve an educational purpose.

Many people will never experience the places these animals exist in the wild, but because the earth's ecosystems are so intricately tied together, what we do here in the United States affects the rainforests, the tundras, the oceans, etc. Zoos and aquariums allow people to see animals they would otherwise never see, creating a connection to places that are far off but feel impacts from what we do. Using this to educate the public on the choices we make and how they impact animals all over the world is something that has an immense value. Sure, menageries don't have the best reputation in history, originating from wealthy assholes doing shitty things, but they have evolved into something important for our society in modern times.

/rant