SYDNEY, Australia (a Apr 2003) -- Environment group Greenpeace says historical evidence does not support suggestions by a leading Australian scientist that some whale species could be commercially-harvested again. In an essay on environmental sustainability, Dr Tim Flannery says species such as the blue whale, have a low intellectual capacity and are abundant enough to harvest. But Quentin Hanich from Greenpeace says even though blue whales might have small brains, there are only around 2,000 left and they need to be preserved. | | "We don't protect trees because of intelligence or any other vulnerable species because of their intelligence, we protect them because of their importance in the ecosystem and because of their biodiversity values," he said. "To me it's totally irrelevant whether a blue whale is able to play chess or is a filter feeder." SOURCE - Reuters |
