Readers fear about shark's future

Dubai: It has been 35 days and counting but there is still one less whale shark in the ocean. Growing concern among Gulf News readers has them all asking the same question - will Sammy the Shark ever swim to freedom?

Sofiane Boufas, an Algerian expatriate, was optimistic. He "I have heard of such incidents happening occasionally in places such as Canada. However, once the animals are treated, they are usually returned to their natural habitat and that is how it is supposed to be," said.

According to Fiona Mindonca, a Dubai resident, sharks and whales cannot be domesticated or treated as other animals. "Sammy should be swimming in the direction of the sea, instead of going around in circles in a tank," she said.

The issue is becoming more serious with the passing of time, as concerns about Sammy's future keep readers on tenterhooks.

Mohammad Ebrahim, a Pakistani expatriate, said: "Right now, Sammy is a baby and is just about 13 feet long. When she grows up to be the size of a school bus, with physiological needs and a predator's appetite. How can it possibly remain in the aquarium?"

He questioned the experience of medical professionals handling the 'vulnerable' species of fish at the Atlantis. Ebrahim added: "Personally, I do not think the shark can be well taken care of in a tank, simply because it is not her real home."

For Chris, a Gulf News reader, the fact that "one of the rarest creatures on the planet" is in captivity, was hard to digest. In his comment on gulfnews.com, he said: "I have been an active diver for over 14 years in many places around the world, but I have never seen a whale shark in the wild. Sammy must be released, so that future generations of the same species can exist."

According to David Pereira, a Dubai resident, Sammy should have been set free a long time ago. "If released too late, it may not be able to settle in its natural habitat and learn to hunt," he said.