Among other attractions in Charleston SC last week for us was the South Carolina Aquarium. It's a fine showcase of largely aquatic life from the mountains to deep ocean (you actually "move" through the progression). And it aimed to include the full scope of wildlife, including birds. We found a full baseball team's worth in the open air saltmarsh exhibit: Laughing Gull, White Pelican, Great Blue Heron, White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black Crowned Night Heron, Purple Gallinule, and this fellow--a Green Heron. My gut was mixed feelings: on one hand they're easy to study and appreciate, and are certainly well cared for, but the open view to the greater world, cut off only by cage wire, left me unsettled. I'll admit to leaving with haunting images of the Laughing Gulls and Great Blue Heron gazing outside to the greater world. Turns out I just didn't think it out clearly enough: I'm now reliably informed that these birds are no longer nature-competitive either through birth or injury. While I'm never entirely comfortable with "confinement" of wildlife, points go to SCA for making more space. I have definitely seen the dark side elsewhere.
3 comments:
Hello!
My name is Kate Dittloff and i'm the public relations manager at the Aquarium. I'm very glad to see that you enjoyed our Aquarium. I just wanted to address your concern about our birds in the saltmarsh exhibit. At the Aquarium, all the birds you see can't be released into the wild. They were either born in captivity or have been injured and in both cases wouldn't be able to survive on their own. Because of that we try to accomidate them in the most natural environment possible. They are no serving as ambassadors for their species. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions. kdittloff@scaquarium.org. Thanks and we hope that you'll come back!
Kate
I attended a "Harry Potter" owl event last fall in Blacksburg, VA. 'Hagrid' presented a nice slide deck on owls and included two live owls from Mill Mountain zoo. They had been rescued and rehabilitated but deemed significantly disadvantaged to the extent they would not survive if released back into the wild. That is how they came to live at the zoo. It is not a perfect world, but they are alive, well fed, and cared for.
Thanks for the point-outs! I certainly had no doubt the denizens of the salt marsh were very well taken care of. I will confess to overlooking the possibility the birds are unable to return to the wild. I merely reacted to the seemingly unfortunate architecture...but that's just a gut impression.
Kate, again, we loved the aquarium and particularly the concept of cascading habitats. I put the link in to encourage others' visitation. I'd go back!
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