Survival of the cutest
Survival of the cutest
August 28, 2008
Section: Opinion
Amanda Beadman – Editor
The nation was recently gripped by the plight of an orphaned whale initially named Colin, later renamed Colette in keeping with its actual gender.
It’s difficult to say exactly why the incident had people so fired up.
There is something undeniably innocent and cute about an orphaned animal who thinks a boat is its mother, so it is understandable that the story would tug on our heartstrings for that reason.
But just as cute and innocent as an orphaned baby whale are the baby calves delivered to our plates as veal.
Just as cute and innocent as an orphaned baby whale are the chicken hatchlings who will go on to spend their lives in cramped inhumane and filthy conditions as battery hens.
Just as cute and innocent as an orphaned baby whale are the bears who are tortured to perform in Asia and the scores of abused and abandoned animals that fall into the care of the RSPCA every day.
Could it be that we don’t care about what happens to animals unless it’s broadcast on a television screen, or unless the subject of the drama is given a name?
Or do some people not understand that animals are orphaned every day by natural circumstances and that death is a part of life, and suffering a part of life every day for the animals that give us our food, footwear and fashion?
Rather than spending money on a memorial for Colette, the best form of remembrance to honour the deceased mammal may be a donation to the RSPCA, or a trip to the local pound to offer a home to one of the many cute, innocent, unnamed animals who are waiting there anxiously on death row.
Comment count: 1
A memorial? Who’s paying for that? Keiko, the killer whale, star of the Free Willy movies died back in 2003 was buried on the banks of the Taknes fjord in western Norway. "We think it would be a mistake to build a grand memorial or a tomb stone at the place where Keiko is buried," said the mayor. "It is not a man but an animal that rests here. So we thought we should do something more realistic, without pomp or excessive cost." For 24 of its 27 years spent interacting with humans and earning millions of dollars, he has stones brought to the burial site by the hands of local school children who piled them to commemorate his passing. Any of Colette’s fans jump up and down then? I am an animal lover and adopted a kitten from my local pound only weeks ago but I also support the decision made by National Parks and Wildlife Service. These people want a memorial for a baby whale who was humanely put to rest to spare her further pain and who the public knew of for a few days…?? I have seen petitions, but I wont sign. Its over the top for people to spend money and time on a now dead whale when organisations are crying out for people to support unwanted pets as suggested by Amanda.