I don't think there is a valid comparison between showing a full grown Apex predator in it's natural environment vs. showing the birth of another predator in it's most vulnerable state. In the first,
Now, if you are saying we should respect a Great White giving birth and maybe not get between the mother and her pup, I would say yes, the videographer should be much more careful and respectful in that situation and maybe it is filmed in captivity.
Thanks for assuming a minimum of decency on my behalf... of course I am not suggesting that it is all right to frighten polar bear pups or put them at risk. I just note that it was apparently OK for the BBC crew to perturb the pups in a zoo (a prison for wild animals, if you want my opinion).
I was just hinting at the fact that observation, especially the one done with very bright lights and bubble emitting humans, is perturbation of the native environment. There is an impact to it, be it one that may not be immediately obvious. I recently linked to a video showing scuba divers diving with Great Whites in Guadalupe. I suppose that this *may* change the attitude of sharks with respect to divers (for the worst or the best, I don't know), but it certainly changed my perspective on these magnificent animals.
I just note that it was apparently OK for the BBC crew to perturb the pups in a zoo (a prison for wild animals, if you want my opinion).
Yeah, I don't like that either. Sorry if I came off as judgemental, it's difficult to convey opinions on the Interweb sometimes I think we are on the same page.
I don't think there is a valid comparison between showing a full grown Apex predator in it's natural environment vs. showing the birth of another predator in it's most vulnerable state. In the first, it's a controlled risk to the videographer only, in the second it endangers the predator's offspring and the videographer both to a much higher degree. Perhaps you think it's okay to get the cubs killed as long as they "get the shot"?
Now, if you are saying we should respect a Great White giving birth and maybe not get between the mother and her pup, I would say yes, the videographer should be much more careful and respectful in that situation and maybe it is filmed in captivity.
I seem to remember a sequence in another BBC production where they drove a mother and calf grey whale out into the open sea where a pod of orcas was waiting so that they could record what happened. Everyone involved was said to be 'very emotional' about it! But maybe I'm just dreaming that happened. I know Cousteau's Calypso killed a baby whale and then the crew killed the oceanic white-tips that came to feast on the corpse - but that was a different era. (The commentary said they were 'avenging' the whale but I'm not sure how the sharks were to blame.)
I think we are on the same page.
