He says: "In the case of the question "Can giraffes swim?", we just aren't able to use real giraffes, so our approach is - at the moment - the only one we can use to test it."
That made me laugh as well. I mean, you're right why don't they just put a giraffe in a tank? Of course that brings to mind imagery of a 19th (or earlier) century scientist that would likely not have any care for the animal's wellbeing.
I'd imagine it's a combination of two factors. Firstly cost and secondly public image. I'm guessing a giraffe tank would be quite unjustifiably expensive and I could well imagine a university funding board rejecting this idea purely from the bad PR potential of scientists killing of giraffes rather pointlessly.
That made me laugh as well. I mean, you're right why don't they just put a giraffe in a tank? Of course that brings to mind imagery of a 19th (or earlier) century scientist that would likely not have any care for the animal's wellbeing.
I'd imagine it's a combination of two factors. Firstly cost and secondly public image. I'm guessing a giraffe tank would be quite unjustifiably expensive and I could well imagine a university funding board rejecting this idea purely from the bad PR potential of scientists killing of giraffes rather pointlessly.