Diana Reiss: "Dolphin in the Mirror"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-09-15/diana-reiss-dolphin-mirror
Dolphins have fascinated humans for centuries. Some ancient cultures even worshipped dolphins and condemned anyone who harmed them. Despite that historic connection, dolphins around the globe are often mistreated and even slaughtered. It’s long been known that dolphins possess keen intelligence and self awareness – a trait once thought to be uniquely human. One pioneer of dolphin research has joined a crusade to save them from being butchered by Japanese fisherman. The National Aquarium’s director of dolphin research talks with Diane about understanding and protecting dolphins.
Guests
Diana Reiss
Director of the Dolphin Research Program at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Professor in the Psychology Department at Hunter College and in the Biopsychology and Behavioral Neuroscience Program of the Graduate Center, City University of New York.
Comments
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We may never fathom the mind of a dolphin. Yet, this fascinating interview aptly shows that we can learn from such creatures and should treat them with respect.
Read more here:
http://brainmindinst.blogspot.com/2010/05/about-us-other-minds.html
I would like to know Diana's thoughts about dolphins being used for military purposes as depicted in the movie, Day of the Dolphin.
Hello!! I live in Indianapolis. I'm a professor and editor at IUPUI and I'm a long-time supporter of animal rights--particularly whales. Cousteau and John Denver and the ocean of my hometown (San Diego) have encouraged this. I'm landlocked now and so one day I walked down the canal to visit the Indy Zoo. They have a dolphin show and I went in and... there they were swimming in circles in a dark tank... with amazing strength and peace and high-energy beauty. They are healthy and clearly have wonderful trainers and keepers. But the darkness hit me very hard. The tank is dark.. the roof is completely closed and not one drop of sunlight reaches them. They can never see the sky.. never see the sunlight dancing on the waters. A dolphin who can never leap into the air to see the sky!!! Never see the moon or the stars. The dolphins should be moved somewhere else, or Indianapolis should build a new dolphin house with a retractable roof. My god, They do it for the Colts football team (a huge multi-billion $ stadium stands within view of the zoo)! It's beyond tragic to see them here, I know there are many many urgent issues, but this could easily be addressed. I work in a basement when i edit.. and I hate it. But I can go outside anytime. The dolphins can't. I started a Facebook page "Save the Indy Dolphins". What else can I do?? What more can I do to help these wonderful creatures?? Thank you for what you are doing. Terri Bourus
My wife and I scuba dive and we had an encounter with a curious mother and calf in St. Croix which I shall never forget. Could you please comment on the frequently heard stories of dolphins protecting divers and swimmers?.
Brian from Cincinnati
I would like Dr. Reiss to share what US facilities may be doing to address the issue of wild captures, and whether she believes it is possible for US facilities to agree to no longer import or acquire dolphins that were taken from the wild.
With so many of my comments loaded with criticism of a system I consider gone overboard, its a pleasure to encourage someone with what I consider to be a spiritual link to life. Humanity has such a high regard for itself, yet we could be doing so much more to enhance our existence on this planet opposed to a disproportionate investment on death and destruction. Keep up the good work....
As an animal lover and animal rights activist, I wonder if the guest has some advice on how to help stop the Japanese killing. I have signed each petition that I get and I send money to every organization, and yet nothing has stopped this terrible tragedy that takes place every year. It is astonishing to me that we cannot bring some action to bear on the nation that does this. Any suggestions for those of us who want to do something?thanks
I would be interested to know whether or not your guest has done any research into the sentient nature of animals that are factory farmed. I'd also like to know if her work with animals has influenced her personal food choices.
I would be interested to know whether or not your guest has done any research into the sentient nature of animals that are factory farmed. I'd also like to know if her work with animals has influenced her personal food choices.
Do dolphins ever kill other dolphins? Many other species do kill their own kind.
Dr Reiss mentioned that there are no dolphins that are Endangered, in fact the population of "southern resident" killer whales (the largest member of the dolphin family) found in the Pacific Northwest are listed as Endangered in both the U.S. and Canada. The population of Hawaiian insular false killer whales, a large species of dolphin, is proposed for listing as Endangered and may be listed in November this year.
The slaughter of these wonderful animals is so difficult to comprehend. Is there a way to alert the Japanese people of what is happening? Would they not be as appalled as we are? Perhaps they themselves could shame their government into outlawing this killing.
I know we in this country do terrible things by way of animals, but it seems that many Asian countries are incredibly insensitive to their treatment.
I have never really seen a dolphin but I've heard they may be smarter than humans. It so awful that people mistreat animals. If anyone has ever had a pet they have loved, I don't understand how people can think that they don't have feelings.
I've owned many kinds, dogs, cats, ferrets and more. my favorite has been rats.
Rats are just as smart as dogs. They can be the sweetest little things and will lick you lick a dog, like to groom your fingernails, and are always happy to see you. THey are loving mothers to their rittens. If they were larger and had furry tails like squirrels They would be more popular, people are conditioned to hate and fear them. They can't even carry rabies, but I hear people say that.
There should not be any lab animals, specially chimpanzees. All lab animals suffer the most cruel tortures in the name of science.
I am only 27, and I remember seeing National Geogrphic footage of that cove where the ritualized slaughter of the dolphins occurs. I was a very young child and I was horrified. I'll never get those images out of my mind.
i love the show and listen all the time, but i had to turn it off, for i was in tears. how can we make people, like the killers that do such things, care?
how can we make others understand the preciousness of all life?
God bless the dolphins and God bless you Diane for bringing this very important subject to our attention.
Thank you for another wonderful show, and for bringing this host. It is so frustrating and I would say even enraging that after the release of "The Cove" nothing has changed. What can one do to help against so much apathy?
My first and probably only contact with dolphin occurred while canoeing along the shore of the Mosquito Lagoon near Kennedy Space Center. A mature, probably old, bull dolphin head surfaced nearby and lay there with one large eye fixed upon the canoe and myself. We lay there eye to eye for what seemed like a long time. Then he was gone and I thought that must be what it is like to meet an alien sentient being during first contact. Never forgot the moment.
This is such an important topic, I appreciate it being brought to our attention. However, the graphic descriptions of the killings made me cringe and finally change the channel. Perhaps some need to hear it, but I suspect those of us who care about animals could have done with a summary instead of the gory details.
In the interview, Dr. Reiss states that no dolphins have been imported for U.S. facilities in over 20 years. No dolphins have been collected from U.S. waters in that period of time either. That's good news!
I've been to facilities where they informed us of the horrible dolphin slaughters in Japan and gave us a great deal of other terrific information about dolphins and how we can help protect them.
In The Cove, they alluded to the idea that the meat of the slaughtered dolphins is being fed to the children of Japan for their school lunch "meat". It is not identified as dolphin AND it is loaded with mercury!- (At least in the small fishing village where the massacre was taking place) do you know if there is any truth to this?
Thanks,
Carmel, CA
Thank you for this show and for bringing on such a wonderful guest. The slaughter of dolphins is horrific. A nation's greatness and moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals -- Ghandi.
When will we as a species treat other species with compassion?
There are a couple of animals that have been on my mind. One is Lolita, the orca in Miami who has been living by herself for 30+/- years. She was captured in 1970 & placed with a male that was from her region, so I guess they spoke the same dialect. He died of a brain aneurism 10 years later. There has been a long-time push to have her rehabilitated & released back in the wild, but she seems to be in very good health, they even chill her water. I have mixed feelings about that because she has been taken care of by humans for so long, but your program kind of brings up questions I've had about her emotional & mental state. It would seem cruel to pipe in sounds from her pod and then she can't see or touch them - like waving a steak to alion when you're on the other side & have no intentions of giving it to him. But if she heard the sounds & could see herself in a mirror, would that be a helpful or hurtful thing, keeping in mind if it hurt her, there's no undoing it?
The other dolphin is Winter, the dolphin that lost her tail. Do you know what kind of companionship she has? If she can't be with other bottlenose because they might be too aggressive, would smaller, gentler dolphins be suitable companions?
Diane,
In the relm of discussion over animal welfare you continue to outdo yourself.
Thank you so much for the interview with Dr. Reiss. Although some of it
was so very painful to hear; that we need to is not in dispute.
I kept listening though for what we as individuals, can do about the
brutal killing of dolphins in Japan, and did not hear one solution for us as
private citizens to pursue. Is a letter to the Japanese ambassador helpful;
petitions? Would you consider another segment on steps we could take
to help these brilliant creatures? Thank you so very much.
I live, work and fish in Tampa Florida and see these animals in the wild every day. I would ask the listeners to the show to consider, if you will, a different way of looking at this issue. Every year I go to the Florida State Fair. There, you may get close up to all kinds of animals including their young. They are wonderful. They come when called, look into your eyes and respond to being petted and, yet, we eat them every day. What makes the Dolphin so special? I am afraid the answer is YOUR EMOTIONS DO! Because the animals have big round eyes and are so very cute. It's the same with baby seals and on and on. I am not saying it is bad to have emotions but you must realize that this is all it is. The Japanese have been killing and eating these animals for thousands of years and truly think your opinions are totally silly. And, indeed, the scientific community has shunned Dr. Reiss not on the basis of her research, which is respected, but her strong emotional bond with the test subjects. They feel, as they should, that this kind of emotion has no place in science. I am simply asking you to wonder how it is that thousands of school kids can go see the movie "The Cove" and then, on the way home, stop at McDonalds for hamburgers. These issues are more complex than they seem. Are YOU a vegan? If not, be careful what bandwagon you jump on!