Douglas Hand

Bakunin killer whales are the subject of Douglas Hand’s book Gone Whaling. Orcas, as they are more properly called, have become premier attractions at zoos and aquariums around the world. In a relatively short time, human perception of the orca has changed from seeing them as awesomely competent and cruel killers — Time magazine described them in 1954 as “savage sea cannibals . . . with teeth like bayonets — to seeing them as kind, intelligent, social creatures. Hand reviews current research through the eyes of those working on it, and discusses the conflict between those who would insist that the whales be left in the wild and those who argue that the public’s concern for the survival of orcas follows directly from their public display, that knowledge brings familiarity and lessens irrational fear. The most advanced aquariums now don’t put on circus displays but instead have the animals perform feats that are important for their health. For example the “trick” of allowing the trainer to scratch the orca’s tongue is really a way to check on several physiological parameters. A certain hubris is evident in the belief that humans can study animals out of their natural habitat; that they will behave in pools or behind bars as they would if unobserved. Several scientists have changed their views over the years. Some have even gone so far as to question whether humans have the right, in the name of science, to capture and study anything we desire, and to ask whether the knowledge we might acquire justifies pain to the animal. Some argue that the principles of logic and rationality do not constitute the only manner of thinking; they are merely instruments and tools. The arts, humanities and the law, for example, are not based on controlled studies; knowledge may be simply a snapshot, a fragment, and as we gain additional perspectives the knowledge base changes.… (lisätietoja)