I started a petition over 2 years ago to make the Georgia Aquarium RELEASE the whalesharks (the petition link is on this site too, you can search it, to sign) so it goes without saying that this ’diving with whalesharks’ is equally disturbing!
We, as divers have been certified and learned the responsible way to enjoy nature and it is ALWAYS a privilege (at least to me) to witness ANY marine life in its natural (and comfortable) habitat.
These people that PAY to do what we do for free are not only stupid and just got ripped off, but they are too lazy to get certified and enjoy nature the REAL way. NOT to mention, they are cheating themselves out of MANY more encounters in a beautiful unseen world.
I also see it as ANOTHER WAY for the Aquarium to make money, as you may or may not know they KILLED TWO WHALESHARKS last year, so I am sure this is just a way to try and recoup some of the money they lost in research and also the cost to buy two new ones (as if they are just broken toys, that you can replace, by buying new ones)!
The whole thing just makes me SICK and like I said in my petition: THE WHALESHARKS NEED TO BE RELEASED BACK INTO THE WILD. Keep only little fishies that are probably better off protected in the aquarium, but something so majestic has NO RIGHT to be kept for sheer entertainment value.
I was lucky enough to swim with TWO out in the open sea, and that was a gift alone from God, and a very rare chance. Why should these people get to see something so rare that most will likely later take for granted in an enviroment that practically serves it on a plate to them?
IT JUST ISN’T RIGHT.
THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO ’LEARN ABOUT THEM’ as the aquarium loves to use as an excuse to keep them.
STUDY THEM IN THE WILD!!! They might also act more normally in their OWN habitat!
What can we POSSIBLY learn from whalesharks in captivety EXCEPT that they HATE being in captivety?!?!