What's so great about dolphins???

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know if there are mouth-breathing dolphins and whales? What about if they get a cold?

Just curious.
 
GreNME said:
Actually, I am concerned about overfishing of salmon (and despite my love of the meat I rarely eat it... same with tuna).

But the dolphin issue isn't one of them being endangered now. It's that Japanese hunting practices are akin to mass culling that kills a large number (and supposedly growing larger every year). Without population growth to counter this-- and I'm not sure, but as far as I know the population growth has remained relatively the same with bottlenose dolphins-- their numbers quickly will dwindle to the point where they are endangered. Addressing the problem at that point, like is now being done with some whale species, presents a problem of limited diversity of viable parents, which bottlenecks the species.

The problem with Japanese aquatic food sources-- as was hilariously depicted in South Park-- is that they hunt to flagrant excesses. Stupid 'Sea Shepherds' complaints aside, the Japanese have been known to go over quotas for hunting aquatic species that are regulated and when pressed by the world community they claim cultural prerogative and dismiss demands for sanctions. Japan isn't the only nation who does this, but they are located in a region where they do it with more species than other nations (except possibly the US, China, and Russia, if you count land-based species).
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I can see the validity of this worry, but it's not an argument to "Stop dolphin hunting" as most activists like to call for. It is an argument for sustainable dolphin hunting just as other Japanese fishing practices need to be made more sustainable.
 
Cavemonster said:
I can see the validity of this worry, but it's not an argument to "Stop dolphin hunting" as most activists like to call for. It is an argument for sustainable dolphin hunting just as other Japanese fishing practices need to be made more sustainable.
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Yep, having regulations (that member states actually abide by) is my preference. I tend to be of the conservationist bent and dislike the extreme activists. Moderation and sustainability makes more sense to me than ideological poles.
 
GreNME said:
Yep, having regulations (that member states actually abide by) is my preference. I tend to be of the conservationist bent and dislike the extreme activists. Moderation and sustainability makes more sense to me than ideological poles.
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I'm pretty sure we're on the same page on this. I think what the OP was asking about though wasn't why people have a rational approach to conservation, but why there's an attitude that dolphins above other harvested animals are worthy of total protection.

http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
http://takeaction.oceana.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=5758

I've personally met more than a few people happy to chow down on a burger or a piece of salmon who passionately believed that dolphin hunting should be stopped entirely.
 
iknownothing said:
When was Flipper on? I'm 37 and it was before my time. I doubt it has anything to do with the attitudes of most people.
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I recall watching it in the UK when I was about 12- in 1967.


Cows may be intelligent, but all they do is stand around chewing. Dolphins and chimpanzees play, which we recognize as being like us humans, and in particular like young humans. And most people have a dislike for the thought of eating young humans.
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Mind you, in fairness to cows, if we had been breeding dolphins for docility for 4000 years, they might be a lot dimmer, too.
As for eating baby...I dunno. They do look tender. :eek:
 
GreNME said:
Are you seriously unaware of the actual problem-- that there are whale and dolphin species that are being hunted to near extinction (or endangerment)? Have you ever read about what happened at Easter Island? If not, you should-- and if you don't get the relevance it can be explained to you.



No, I refuse to help you do any such thing. If you want information on the relevance on the dangers of the Japanese practices of decimating sea animal populations, no problem and it's not anything that a few Google searches can't figure out for you. I have no desire to "help" you care about anything, though, because if you lack the empathetic skill to handle such things on your own I have zero desire to chase that wild goose.
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What's Google?

jk

Of course I can search for this information - I'm asking here because most people on this board are relatively intelligent and I was seeking some informed opinions. I didn't ask you to help me "care" about something - I asked that people help me understand why someone would "care" about this issue. It's two different things.

I thought that was the point of the JREF forums.
 
DC said:
what's so great about Humans?
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Just because they're "cute" and give off the illusion of having emotions. Of course they would kill you if given the chance.

I ain't no hypocrite.. I'll kill everything that moves!!!!
 
Nursedan said:
Someone help me understand why I'm suppposed to specifically care about dolphins.
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Because they laugh like the gopher in Caddyshack.

That was a great movie. Bill Murray was a hoot as Carl Spackler. It's interesting that Murray also co-starred with ground hog in Ground Hog Day. He must have a thing for subterranian rodents.
 
plumjam said:
I say save the dolphins and eat the Japanese.
I mean, when was the last time a Jap brought any kind of joyful expression to your poor, tired face?
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This Jap surely brings a very joyful expression to my poor tired face

aki-hoshino.jpg
 
Nursedan said:
It's hard for me to understand and beleive the notion that people have trouble with the slaughter of dolphins because they are "smiling" or cute. That can't be it, can it???
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I think it's got more to do with the mythos that been created around these cetaceans by the crystal-hugging New Age woo crowd. Did dolphins really how this place is popular culture before they became the subject of woefully bad paintings, surrounded by rainbows, fairy dust and pink unicorns?
 
my only problem is actually the Dolphin drive hunting,the way they are hunt seems horrific to me, it a huge bloodbath.
 
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