I am someone who likes to see Discovery Channel or Animal planet, and always impress the effort of researchers, who spend really long period for observing animals’ behavior. My most memorable documentary about animal’s behavior is The Emperor’s Journey, The Oscar Winner in 2005. It tells me about the story of Emperor Penguins, which spend more than 5 years to follow Penguin group, and it influence me to fall in love with Penguins. However, after I read the article from New York Times named Penguins Harmed by Tracking Bands, Study Finds, It leads me to have questions about study or following any creatures. Yes, the study can influence knowledge, but whether it is worth if the study violate the creature’s life?
The article says about the effect of Penguin studies to penguins’ lives. It is show that penguins tagged bands for following or studying them produced 39 percent fewer chicks (their children) and penguin tagged no-band have 44% more than flipper-banded penguins. For the reason, bands can drug while they swim, so they can gather food less than others, and it affect both parents and baby penguins. However, the researcher confirms that the studies about penguins have to continue because penguins is the good indicator for global warming, so researcher might solve that problem by replacing bands with chips, which is small and located inside their body but hard to know which one are tagged chip.
When I finished the news I start to have a question. Is it OK if the study change or kill some creatures?
OK! I understand that every knowledge have to exchange something such as operating frogs in the high school lab. However, I still have suspicion about the morality. I might not concern if other animals was violated, such as Coyote or Kangaroo (Sorry Peter!), so my suspicion might be discriminate like most people who cannot accept eating dogs but they can eat other animal.
However, I think for this situation we have other effective tool for investigate global warming, so killing penguins is unnecessary. In contrast, if purpose of study is for understand behaviors of penguin it should not kill them. In my opinion, the good study should change objects minimally as you can, no matter how important objectives are. However, that is just ideal study. In fact, every particular studies always changed any thing. For the example, in the past when anthropologists studied a tribe, no mater how carefully they try not to change the society of that tribe, it still occurs. They might bring outer knowledge or capitalism to traditional communities something like that.
Now, I understand more why some people protests for animal rights because they thing most of thing run by general societies is unfair for other creatures. However, it just a notion you can care or not or have other reasons for explain why we should kill or disturb other creatures for the knowledge.
Do you agree or not for the penguin studies from the news?
We have more kangaroos than we want. They are well adapted to the Australian climate and reproduce much better than cattle.
ReplyDeleteThey also taste good, are leaner meat than beef, and are becoming increasingly popular in butcher shops in Australia.
This isn't my real comment on the issues Poome has raised. It's just a very quick one while I have my morning coffee, and do some work on this morning's lesson plan.
I don't know of anywhere that sells kangaroo meat, or even emu, in Bangkok.
When I finished Poome’s article, I start to answer with the seriousness. In contrast, I saw Peter’s response which he mentioned it not the real comment :D A funny answer emerges in my head. So sorry Poome !! Let me respond Peter just for1 minute. For selling kangaroo meat in Bangkok, I never see it because it’s expensive import from Australia and the nutritional value of Chinese belief does not discover. I only see crocodile meat in Bangkok but I do not really like the test of it which seems like cooked chicken meat.
ReplyDeleteBack to my real response, it’s not surprised what human beings always do to protect themselves. They do not care this began to change the creation more or less. Yes, I disagree for the penguin studies. They are correct that the penguin are more effective for investigate global warming but they do not help to decrease the natural disasters which human done. I think they try to do something good but it’s not the real cause. It seems like exorbitant cost to detect global warming. I mean they can try other way by high technology which we have and we can create with intelligent human knowledge.
Another point of my view which is completely different. Nowadays, I realize that we face the giantic natural diasters. It might be that this way is the last and the effective one. All of us do not like and disagree because the penguins are really cute. The thing is scientist should decalre why they choose this option. I think when we see their options and opportunity we maybe accept it. I understand the point of disagreement but I think when you blame someone you should give a better way which it's worked.
ReplyDeleteScientists have to do research to find out a good way or new knowledge for humankind even though it is immoral. In case of medical experiment, experts do not want to hurt anyone but sometimes is necessary such as doing research in patient. As a result they find out new medicine for treatment. Therefore. we should not kill other creatures for happiness. But it is necessary to do to find out a good thing for everyone.
ReplyDeleteSo, I agree that the penguine reserch is continuing.
scientist should do both way like the arcticle. i mean,
ReplyDeleteFirst, they not have to stop experiment on them. they should keep searching for new knowledge that can help human solve global worming. Because this thing is happening, our global already warm by human's behave and it lead to many other effect to the nature and to other creature as well. Finding the solution to solve the problem is the best way that scientists try to save our world. They should keep doing it. They should not stop. Experiment is an experiment if they not found the best way yet they have to keep trying on and on just like Edison.
In between, the scientist should try to create new tag that they can do research with no harm to an animal. Or at least course less effect to their life cycle. If they let's the problem continue it's may lead to extinct. if they concern the process as gentle mind, the penguin will live with happily among the researcher since the animal cannot protect themselves from them.
They have a good aim to innovate new knowledge to protect our world by using them as case study in delicate way is a plus.