@adv3ntur3t0k: Visited the Okinawa Aquarium in may. Seeing one of the world’s biggest fish up close was incredible, but I left feeling a bit conflicted. Watching such a huge whale shark swim the exact same route around the tank over and over just didn’t sit right with me. 🦈 I know everyone has different opinions, so I’m genuinely curious… what do you think? Is it worth it for conservation and education, or should animals like this never be kept in aquariums? #Okinawa #WhaleShark #Aquarium #MarineLife #Ocean

Anne :

yeah, the one(s) at the Georgia Aquarium have all been rescued.

tinuke__22 :

the okinawa aquarium is better then the georgia aquarium. the georgia aquarium learned everything and created the whale shark tank after the okinawa tank. both only rescue whale sharks that are injured and can no longer survive in the wild. i promise you that whale shark has so much space, you just happened to be lucky that they weren’t in the back where you wouldn’t be able to see them at all

aristoddles 🪐✨ :

georgia aquarium would never. they’re also saving 2 of the orcas from the canadian aquarium that were left there when the facility closed down. such a wonderful aquarium and rehabilitation program

briannasroom :

They don’t belong there unless they can’t survive in the wild

🪼🐬Crystal Mae🦈🪼🐳 :

You know he was rescued from a Taiwan fish market right? He was injured and can’t return back to the ocean

Grace 🌷 :

I saw the whale sharks at the Georgia aquarium behind the scenes being fed it was beautiful

🙈 :

That one isn’t able to survive in the wild, he’s safer in captivity where he can be cared for :)

Leah :

whale sharks actually do something similar in the wild. They normally stick to familiar areas and can return to the same places alot. The main times they change their routine are when food availability or water temperature changes with the seasons, which then they'll find another set of preferred areas, swimming between them until conditions change again

Ari🍃 :

Georgia aquarium could never. if you are an aquarium or rehabilitation center for marine animals this big please please please!!!! make sure you have adequate room for animals this large or do not keep them! this is wrong on so many levels!!! the Georgia aquarium previously had 2 beautiful whale sharks and had PLENTY of room for both of them.

αѵεɾყ۶ৎ :

Guys.. the whale sharks in aquariums are in conservation aquariums, they were rescued and would likely not survive in an ocean setting, they have large enclosures that are the right size for them and their needs are catered to

📚 Chey Bonelli 🪴 :

I asked about this & at least at the Georgia Aquarium.. they told me it was Yushan’s preferred swim pattern & that they actually do therapy with him to get him to swim the opposite direction & swim around his whole tank.

Ashlie with an ie :

Before social media I think it was somewhat beneficial for animals to be in zoos. It helped people care. With social media and the ability to experience animals easily, it’s no longer necessary. These large aquatic animals are so in tune with the world, the weather, gravitational pull, etc. and swim hundreds of miles a day with tons of enrichment. Being stuck in a small pool doing the same thing in and out, fighting their natural instincts hurts my heart for them.

melou_ :

no animals ever should end up in such places , but humans made it happen and now closing the zoo , the aquarium without another solution is not better either .It's worth it for conservation even if it means sometimes capturing them instead of letting them naturally die . it's a very complicated subject because there're so many aspects to think about ..... I think we should let those places be because now they're home for all those beautiful animals 💕

☀️Flexi Tape☀️ :

fatimuchis67 :

I saw on in Georgia and he was just swimming in circles

Elize :

These large aquariums are actually designed in a figure-8 so the fish move constantly without bumping into corners or swimming in circles, which overdevelops muscle on one side and underdevelops muscle on the other side. Thats why he keeps swimming the same route over and over. Because it keeps him healthy since he turns both ways evenly

sharkie °•☆ :

sometimes we don't deserve animals, but they deserve us to do better 💔

SailorRemy :

Maybe they’re nearsighted like Destiny in Finding Dory? 😭✨

emily burns :

I got to see one this year at the Georgia Aquarium. it helps knowing that he would of been killed for food if the Aquarium didn't buy him

D’8 :

Am going to swim with them tomorrow

iamaiko12 :

but what?

⋆ 🧟‍♀️ 𝑀𝒶𝒹𝓈 🦈 ⋆ :

I PERSONALLY don’t agree with aquariums and zoos, personally I think they shouldn’t take healthy wild animals and keep them in tanks and cages their whole life, I understand if it’s just for a bit like healing them or studies, and I think that they should only take the ones that physically couldn’t survive in the wild and need long-term recovery, or if it’s for breeding purposes in endangered species to then release them into the wild to grow in numbers. Coming from a marine biologist in training here 👋

🥱 :

but what