3 or 4 years ago I was really really excited whenever I would hear something about the Georgia Aquarium (http://www.georgiaaquarium.org) being built. Then they got the whale sharks, which never had been capable of living in captivity, and 2 of them died. Then they got buluga whales, and 2 of those died (one was 25 years old).

Today there was an anouncement that The Georgia Aquarium will be expanding and building a new tank for .... dolphins...4 to start with and then more than 10.

My very first job was at The Gulfarium in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. (http://www.gulfarium.com) One of the oldest live sea animal venues in the country. I really enjoyed seeing the dolphins (I had gone there on a field trip when I was in first grade too and I LOVED it) and other sea life on a daily and first hand basis, but I know that no matter what these places say about "research" and "protecting the anmimals" captivity sucks for them. They like to swim around in the ocean. Dolphins are extremely intelligent and they know they are not living their lives they way they could be (unless they were born in captivity and maybe they still know anyway). I could watch dolphins all day long. I have dolphin software and a dolphin theme (I changed it even before I knew I was going to write about this). But I hate the idea of so many of them giving up the lives they are meant to lead....free and in the sea, so tourists will come and pay upwards of $30.00 each to see them swimming in a tank.

The Georgia Aquarium will also be offering a "Swim with the Whale Sharks" program for rich people to swim with sea animals that are trapped and/or not as healthy as they can be, just so the swimmers can get bragging rights. I don't like or support the Georgia Aquarium.

Here is a link to the wikipedia with info about Ralph and Norton the whale sharks that died:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Aquarium