I'm one of the posters, although I don't in any way feel "singled out" I do want to reply. And to more than just the previous post.
Ever owned a dog or cat? How did you feel when it died? Form an emotional attachment to it?
For me a a bond with an aquatic species is not much different. It's reinforced every time I see Whales breaching for the sheer exuberance of it or Spinner dolphins just having a good time riding a bow wave. Ever been on a boat when someone spotted dolphins? Did you rush over to take a look? Why?
And I don't see what's wrong with applying my concern selectively. I've chosen the abuse of Whales, Dolphins and Sharks as an area to be involved in being a diver. To a certain extent, I suppose it's also a selfish concern, they're animals I want to see while diving. For that reason I find the recent events in the Galapagos troubling as I'd like to see the remaining unfinned sharks if/when I ever get there.
Doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good steak or ham (Pigs are supposed to be smart aren't they?) Being the apex intelligence on this planet allows us to set our own parameters.
And there's good and bad in every species. I don't see how assigning gang characteristics to a pod of Dolphins removed from their natural environment and placed in an artificial habitat can possibly be representative of them in the wild. Maybe they're just bored and spinning turtles is fun...lol.
I watched a pod of Killer Whales harass a mother Humpback to the point of forcing her to abandon her calf which they then tore apart. Yet I'll still oppose efforts to kill them.
Yeah, ive had cats and dogs around me all my life, given the fact that im closing in on 30 years, obviously some of them have died and obviously when your pet dies thats not the best of days. However, its part of life. You get born, you live your life and you die. A bullet to your heart is still less painfull than dieing painfully from longterm illness, which is also why at times, we make the choice to put our pets to rest.
Natural death in most cases is not pretty, unfortunately and make no mistake about it, all creatures in the wild will die and most of them painfully.
And for the record, supporting hunting and supporting animal cruelty is NOT the same.
The problem in being selective about what you find it ok to hunt and not is quite obvious. If you select dolphins to not be huntable, maybe I choose pigs to be the next species that shouldnt be killed. Next thing we knows Kim selects cows (which IS holy in some regions of the world), maybe lock_washer select fish to be protected and maybe charile99 says sorry guys, no more killing rats. All of a sudden there is no creature we can kill or eat. Im sure the vegetarians would be happy about that, but I wouldnt.
Conservatism isnt about cute, intelligent or interesting. Yeah, ive rushed over to see seacreatures, ive stopped my car to watch the deer, the fox, the badger and the moose and I find them all to be interesting creatures in their own ways and I would not be cruel to any of them, but at the same time I have no problem with hunting moose, slaughtering it and cooking it for dinner. Infact, it only strengthen my respect for the food I eat.
To hunt or not to hunt a species is about wether there is a sustainable population or not and wether or not the hunter is as humane as possible.
Hunters that is not humane should not be allowed to hunt, those who are should.