The Great White Shark

I just got done watching a show on PBS about the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. Apparently no one has ever been able to keep a great white shark in captivity for more then 16 days without it dying or having to release it back into the ocean because it wouldn't eat. But, I guess these geniuses at the Monterey Bay Aquarium were able to successfully keep one in captivity for some 6 months before they released it back into the ocean. What's interesting though is why they released it.

For starters a great white is a predatory fish (the largest predatory fish, reaching lengths more then 20ft and weighing over 5,000lbs... the one they had was smaller... 5ft or so). And, being a predatory fish, it naturally eats other organisms for food. Now, I'm no fish expert, but, 1+1 being equal to 2, if I put a great white shark into a tank with other fishes... I'd expect, no, I'd count on the fact that that great white is going to kill the other fishes. Eatem, attackem, whatever.

But, the difference between me and fish experts is that they would put a great white into the tank almost like they weren't sure if it would eventually attack the other fish... And when it does start attacking the other fishes... use that as their excuse to release it back into the ocean. Almost like they forgot that great white sharks are apex predators (top of the food chain), and that they have been known to eat tuna, smaller sharks, among other things (all of which were in the tank they put the great white in). What the fuck kind of logic is that? Were they just sitting their with their fingers crossed hoping that the great white wouldn't act like a great white?

Well, unfortunately, regardless of what kind of logic it is... it's the same logic people use when it comes to soldiers and war. And as a sat watching this program on PBS, I found myself asking the television the same question I ask it every time I see and hear someone reporting on soldiers and the war...

"What the fuck did you think was going to happen?"

No, I'm no expert... but I know enough to know that these so called experts don't know shit... However, I'm glad the shark experts knew enough to let that great white shark be a great white shark... Just wondering when these soldier experts el do the same.

- BIGNEAL


The show was "Oceans in Glass: Behind the Scenes at the Monterey Bay Aquarium"
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