I saw an article on beluga whales today that brought a smile to my face. The world's largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium, in Atlanta, Georgia, was told they can not acquire 18 more beluga whales. They currently have four such whales. The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration said that the beluga whales,which are very intelligent,should exist in their natural habitat, the polar oceans, and not in an aquarium. I realize that there are two sides to the issue. In captivity, scientists can study beluga whales and better determine how to protect their dwindling species. On the other hand, I favor wildlife being able to roam freely. What do you think?
Extension Activities:
1. Pretend you are a beluga whale. Write about a day in your life.
2. Learn about the beluga whale from the link below. Draw/color a picture of a beluga whale and write 4 cool facts learned about the whale.
3. Pretend you work at the aquarium. Give 2 reasons why you feel you should be able to acquire more beluga whales. Pretend you are a marine biologist, give 2 reasons why you feel beluga whales should not be allowed to be captured for aquariums.
Learn more about the beluga whale at this link:http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/beluga-whale/
Note: Photograph from animals.nationalgeographic.com
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