In light of what is going on with the Vancouver Parks Board decision and how it affects the Vancouver Aquarium and the Marine Mammal Rescue Organization, I would like to share how we feel about this. For any who are unaware, the Vancouver Parks Board has recently decided not to allow any future cetaceans (whales) to live at the Vancouver Aquarium.
However, several years ago, the Vancouver Aquarium developed a policy not to bring in any new marine mammals that weren't rescues.
Where other aquariums around the world buy and breed whales, the aquarium committed to only housing marine mammals that were rescued and deemed non-releasable, phasing out its breeding program.
Other aquariums have followed suit but there are still many around the world that capture marine mammals for the sole purpose of display and profit.
As it is, the federal department of fisheries and oceans is who determines if a rescued and rehabilitated animal is able to be released back into the wild. The Vancouver Aquarium does not even have a say in this.
Fisheries also determines where the best permanent home for that rescued mammal would be.
The ramifications of the Parks Board ruling is that any further injured or weak cetaceans may be euthanized rather than rescued. If rescued by and deemed non-releasable, they would then have to be shipped to another facility which may not be as proactive and committed to the health and well-being of the animals.
I have spent many hours at Vancouver Aquarium with my son Lucas and have toured the facility behind the scenes.
We have met all the trainers and interpreters and many of the management. I am continually impressed by the quality of care, compassion of the employees and dedication of the whole team to creating a top-notch world-class aquarium and science centre.
We have shared Chester's rescue story with hundreds of school-age children and teachers in B.C. and as far away as New Zealand. For any who don't know who Chester is, he is the baby false killer whale that was found washed up on the shores of Tofino at North Chesterman's Beach in July of 2014. He was very weak and starving.
The first responders were a parks ranger and a fisheries officer, who decided to call the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue Centre rather than euthanize him.
They realized he was a baby of some species not known to B.C. waters.
MMR came, rescued him and brought him back to their Vancouver facilities. Thousands of hours of rehabilitation and countless dollars later, (paid for by the non-profit Vancouver Aquarium), he was a healthy and adjusted juvenile of his species - the only one to have ever survived an abandonment so young.
Lucas's online presentation can be seen online at pgc.cc/2qGRGLO and is also mentioned on the Vancouver Aquarium Aquablog at pgc.cc/2sjs6tp.
There is a Facebook page chronicling Lucas's experiences with Chester, and sharing his story online at pgc.cc/2qGRRGY.
The whole experience of getting to know Chester and the other marine life, learning about the aquarium more intimately and getting to know the human family that stewards the aquarium and cares for its inhabitants, as well as some of the scientists that work with the aquarium, has been the most incredible experience.
I have come to understand and appreciate how challenging it must be to run a non-profit organization like the Vancouver Aquarium with its incredible overhead costs and funding of the Marine Mammal Rescue program, all the while constantly being in the media spotlight.
The Vancouver Aquarium has a strong commitment to conservation, research, education, rescue and rehabilitation, while keeping us amazed and inspired with its informative dynamic interpretive shows and beautiful displays.
As many people don't know or care about what is happening under the water bodies of our planet if they have not experienced some sort of interaction or exposure to the creatures that live there, The Vancouver Aquarium offers this opportunity to get up close and personal with various marine life.
All the aquarium presentations are highly informative, incredibly engaging and we learn many new things with each visit.
Conservation and educating the public definitely seems to be the main goals of the Vancouver Aquarium and because of what I have learned there, I am much more conscious of my own choices and how they impact the environment (such as our over-use of plastic packaging).
I think the Vancouver Aquarium does a great job of amazing us with its beautiful and engaging exhibits and inspires us to be better stewards of our natural environment.
Our membership has been the best thing we have ever invested in (and we aren't even residents of Vancouver) providing hours of education, entertainment, peaceful presence and connection with the natural environment.
Please research and fully understand the ramifications of the Vancouver Parks Board decision and how it will adversely affect the lives of animals that need rescuing and rehabilitating in the future. They deserve a fighting chance.
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Claire and Lucas Nielsen,
Prince George
