It is interesting to me the concerns and protections that people express for the dolphins and also the similar ones that are being implemented for the whale sharks i.e. the regulations against touching them while diving with them and limiting the number of boats that can be in the area at any one time where the whale sharks congregate.

But then again, those same concerns are ignored when it comes to areas like Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley where guides routinely feed and handle the marine creatures and there is no limit on the number of boats and people.

I guess some people feel certain animals in nature have a higher status than others. I bet Mother Nature just shakes her head at us and then goes about her business despite our inconsistent efforts. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately some animals do have a higher status amongst humans than others. When is the last time you shot a dog and barbequed it?

Interesting analogy. Although I tend to differentiate between domesticated animals and wild animals when it comes to our approach towards them.

Personally, I prefer dog roasted and cat deep fried.

http://slate.msn.com/?id=2060840

That's cute! Although I tend to differentiate between animals and humans when it comes to our approach towards them. Nothing's better on a cold Texas hill country night than a steaming hot bowl of tofu chili. Seriously though, snorkeling guides and other people molesting the critters at hol chan (sharks, rays, sea cucumbers, etc.) is just as way out of line as penning up a pack of wild dolphins for monetary income to a family foundation. Pretty warped.

Hey, watch the cat ref's there, bw.

"Canine Seoul food"...man, you're killing me!

MA I agree with you.

And if my vote counts, I am against the dolphin idea.

Leave the creatures alone and in the environment they live in and that includes the bull_ _ _ _!
that goes on at Hol Chan with the nurse sharks and others. Let's face the real issue,it's all done so someone can shove some money in the old pockets. Something tells me that unless there is a real loud cry about this dolphin issue, the money will change hands and before you know it it will happen. Just look at what is happening now in Belize with all the development raging ahead on some of the cayes and on AC. The money grubbing officals will always turn their heads when the money is put into the offshore accounts.

By the way who is Teresa Parkey & the Hugh Parkey Foundation? Just the fact that she thinks this is a great idea makes me think she doesn't really care about the dolphins or the environment.

If you have to go to another country to get the dolphins to bring to Belize doesn't that say something in itself. That's no different than getting wild animals from Africa and putting them in zoos all over the worls for idiotic humans to gawk at. Hey is there anything better than looking at an animal out of the element they were meant to be in that lloks like it's ready to die.

Just my opinion, but zoos are one of the dumbest ideas we have ever come up with. The last time I went to a zoo was about 30yrs ago and they had a Gorilla locked up behind bars and heavy duty glass. He was the saddest looking creature I had ever seen.The area he was in was about 40ft x 25ft.Yeah,that's close to the wild. I cried and have never set foot in a zoo since. By the way, that Gorilla died an early death and I can only thinks that a lot of it was from the torment of captivity and total loss of his natural habitat.

Screw the people who want to hold wild animals captive for their own selfish and monetary reasons.

OK, I'll bite.

Sure, I'll jump on board with the dolphin-pen-swim concept is a bad idea. But one shouldn't, like many things in life, make blanket condemnations of entire industries. Saying that zoos are horrible places may be true in certain situations, but I encourage you to look past that at those who are working not only to provide us humans (top of the chain, most people admit) with exposure to animals we might never experience otherwise, but to save and maintain the populations of those animals.

Several zoos are much more than a collection of cages of sleepy animals. The San Diego Zoo, www.sandiegozoo.org, The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, www.henrydoorlyzoo.com, and the Gladys Porter Zoo in Harlingen, Texas, www.gpz.org, all come to mind. Each of those facilities, and many more like them, work in the areas of animal genetics, propagation, preservation and, most certainly, education. They provide access to animals in very nearly natural surroundings and go a long way toward improving understanding and creating environmental awareness. I believe there's a fairly-famous zoo near San Pedro that, without the resources of major facilities like those mentioned above, has been a comfortable and nurturing home for some animals that, without them, would have surely perished.

Just working on the record here, is all. I'm certainly not endorsing Rusty's Roadside Reptile Retreat; I'm simply saying some very good people are doing important research to assist animals--some of them in zoos.

it will all boil down to $$$.
have any of you ever patronized a bar in sp that cages up sharks in the water for viewing???

Lan,

I'm not sure who you think you are, but most people that I know, DO NOT LIKE YOU. You are a very opinionated "self proclaimed authority" on Belize.

Regardless, the issue on hand is dolphins.

First of all, for all you people jumping on Lan's bandwagon, you need to know Ms. Parkey.

I refer to Teresa, a friend, as Ms. Parkey, and Lan, you should also, because I know you are not her friend and Mr. Parkey (God bless his soul) never cared for you either.

The Parkeys are true pioneers of the Belize tourism product. The BTB, BTIA and BHA all are indebted to their efforts. I worked with them both. I owe them also.

So before you start to place them (and the foundation) in the spotlight of this very controversial topic, make sure it is more than just a "proposal"!

I am not an authority on marine biology (you nither), but am very inclined to respect Mr. Cousteau (a true authority). But, please keep in mind that fishing, snorkeling and diving all interupt the "natural" environment of the sea creatures.

Lan, if you ever wished to keep Belize "natural" you should have never published any of your books. Yes, you are not a lover of Belize, but a businessman who profits on the tourism product here.

Ms. Parkey would never do anything to harm animals or the environment.

I'm sure this will be resolved properly.


Do those folks actually know you are broadcasting their private emails to you on a very public forum?

SIN