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We just got back from the park. We had planned to stay longer but a squirrel came running over to us and tried to eat our snacks. A crow intervened and my dd chased them both off. Next thing we know the crow dive bombed my dd and tried to poop on her. I wanted to call 911 but didn't have my phone. We ran all the way home, even the baby. Adrenaline does crazy things to you when you're in that much danger. It was touch and go but I'm happy to report that we made it home safely without getting cut, scratched or with the plague. I did however get bit by a mosquito and may have contracted West Nile so I'm am typing this from the ER.
We just got back from the park. We had planned to stay longer but a squirrel came running over to us and tried to eat our snacks. A crow intervened and my dd chased them both off. Next thing we know the crow dive bombed my dd and tried to poop on her. I wanted to call 911 but didn't have my phone. We ran all the way home, even the baby. Adrenaline does crazy things to you when you're in that much danger. It was touch and go but I'm happy to report that we made it home safely without getting cut, scratched or with the plague. I did however get bit by a mosquito and may have contracted West Nile so I'm am typing this from the ER.
I know you're just being cute to make a point. But I don't consider any of that "danger", and one can buy mosquito repellant to protect themselves from West Nile and then still go and have just as much fun at the park.
If a shark attacks your kid, all you can do is watch them die... Yes, even if you're just a few feet away.
Now I'm wondering at what age you started. Old enough to make your own decisions about the dangers that come with surfing?
(Because I think most kids who surf young really don't understand the full implications of what could happen to them in the water. I didn't. But we did learn safety precautions from the older surfers.)
Good point but we usually don't feed the sharks when we surf, though I did barf once. It attracted a bunch of snapper blues.
I would actually like to see the per capita shark stats for surfing vs feeding sessions. I FEEL that they are higher for feeding situations but I really have no idea.
A link confirming that dolphins are generally less social than sharks?
A link confirming that sharks used in a similar way are any happier than dolphins?
Edited: Or are you suggesting people don't do either?
Where did I say any of those things??
Also sharks being fed for snorkeling are not generally kept in captivity while the majority of dolphin swim encounters are with captive kept dolphins.
As for the social nature of sharks vs dolphins I said dolphins are far more social than sharks. And social means with their own species. Sharks are not hanging out near people because they like them. It's for food. Dolphins have some of the most complex social bonds of any mammals. Many of them suffer stressed related to that loss of social group when kept in small numbers like those I the dolphin encounters.
I know you're just being cute to make a point. But I don't consider any of that "danger", and one can buy mosquito repellant to protect themselves from West Nile and then still go and have just as much fun at the park.
If a shark attacks your kid, all you can do is watch them die... Yes, even if you're just a few feet away.
Ok see this is also wildly exaggerated.
A lemon shark or grey reef shark has never killed anyone. The ones in the video are just not large enough. They could give a nasty bite. But sharks, especially reef sharks bite and let go. It just how they feed. Aggressive bites follow the same method.
Good point but we usually don't feed the sharks when we surf, though I did barf once. It attracted a bunch of snapper blues.
I would actually like to see the per capita shark stats for surfing vs feeding sessions. I FEEL that they are higher for feeding situations but I really have no idea.
I just watched that video on a bigger monitor. I hadn't noticed they were feeding the sharks to bring them in. No way I'd put a 5-year old in the water if they'd just done that.
BTW: The water off La Jolla was closed this week after several people spotted a great white off shore.
Also sharks being fed for snorkeling are not generally kept in captivity while the majority of dolphin swim encounters are with captive kept dolphins.
These are arguments that would have to be made to make one more justified than the other. And surely, you can see that as swimming with sharks becomes more popular (as much as swimming with dolphins), keeping them captive for just such a purpose is the next logical step. Either way, as a parent, I have to choose my priorities wisely. If dolphins are miserable in captivity, this is another issue. But I won't choose a dolphin's comfort over my own, and I won't be comfortable with the idea of my son swimming with sharks when he turns 5 anytime soon.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkb0714
As for the social nature of sharks vs dolphins I said dolphins are far more social than sharks. And social means with their own species. Sharks are not hanging out near people because they like them. It's for food. Dolphins have some of the most complex social bonds of any mammals. Many of them suffer stressed related to that loss of social group when kept in small numbers like those I the dolphin encounters.
So, in other words, find a place that keeps more than just 2-3 dolphins per tank. Gotcha.
As for what sort of shark can kill and what sort can just take a chunk out of a little kid's body, I don't find the difference all that important. Sorry?
As for what sort of shark can kill and what sort can just take a chunk out of a little kid's body, I don't find the difference all that important. Sorry?
Not strange dogs. And whether you believe it or not, this includes small ones too. Why would I? His grandma has a little dog he can play with. She's had it for years and so I can trust that this particular dog will be friendly.
Next question, most likely: What are you going to do when that dog dies and your son wants to play with a dog, maybe have one as his own?
We can get a dog someday, sure. But in addition to researching different breeds and how they differ in terms of aggression, I'll have to be cautious in having my son anywhere near it until we've gotten to know that specific dog's behaviors. Do all you can, you know? Swimming with sharks is different, however, in that you can substitute it with swimming with dolphins and the only difference is that it's safer. A win-win.
Not a problem. The world isn't childproof and there are a lot of things happeneing every day, every second, that puts kids and adults in "danger" that's called LIVING. There looked to be a lot of people in that water in that video so I'm going to assume kids swim with sharks all the time....you just don't get the opportunity to see it and comment on it and get all freaked out over it since it's got nothing to do with you.
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