Dear Friends,
A couple of weeks ago I wrote the Monterrey Bay Aquarium about their new
interractive Whale exhibit which shows baby bottles (and provides them for
play) as the measure of comparison for feeding of baby whales. . . This is
their reply:

"Dear Mrs. Escobar:

"Thank you for your coments concering our choice of baby bottles in
discussing the topic of nursing in baby whales and humans.  By using this
analogy (which is well-tested and commonly used technique in science exhibit
design), we are not promoting the use of formula over natural lactation -
this is simly a metaphor to help people understand the volume comprison.
 This was a deliberate choice, of course, and I'l like to share with you some
of the reasoning that went into this decision.  Nowhere in the exhibit do we
imply that whales nurse from bottles, or that bottle feeding should replace
natural nursing in humans.

" A couple of years ago we developed MATING GAMES, an exhibit on various
aspects of the biology of reproduciton.  We conducted focus groups at that
time, and came to realize that for our diverse public audience, some subjects
are sensitive - particularly as we present them to young children.  Many
parents want the choice of what biological realities to present, and when.
 Being surprised by the informationin an exhibit removes that prerogative of
choice from the parent(s).

"  Mammary glands, at least in the human species, are one of these sensitive
subject for some aquarium visitors.  Making volume comparisons with reference
to human or whale mammary glands and nursing equipment or adaptations would
be very difficult without including some graphic images that could easily
affront some parents.  In addition, reference to cups, pints, quarts, ounces
or even bathtubs, etc. is more abstract to a child, and less directly
connected with nursing, that is a reference to a baby bottle.

"  We realize that the bottle analogy, too, is controversial.  We have
reviewed the accompanying graphic text and are making adjustements that make
it clear that this is a volume comparison only, and that whales do not nurse
from bottles, and that we are not promoting the same for humans.  As there
are also indicaitons that mother's milk often contains PCBs, dioxin and other
pesticides used in agriculture, this seems to be a less clear-cut call than
it once might have been.  We feel it is prudent to let the parent make this
choice, and we prefer not to suggest, of promote, one alternative over the
other.

"Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts,
Very truly yours
Steven K. Webster
Director of Education
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940 -1085
(408) 648-4800
(408) 648-4810 (fax)"

I will let you let your conscience decide if these people need to get an
education from you :  the experts.  The line about the contaminants really
got to me and you can bet he will hear back from me (of course I will be
polite and professional).

Any other thoughts?

Norma Escobar, irate in KY