Stopping SeaWorld: What happens behind the bars
A massive black and white 10,000 pound animal glides through the water and jumps up out of the big blue sea to get its breath; it then sinks back down into the mysterious waters and keeps swimming with its pod in the wild. Unfortunately, not every orca has this freedom. SeaWorld is a very popular place for young children to experience animals that they may never see again; however, as we get older we realize that these animals may not be getting everything they need to survive. Killer Whales should not be kept in captivity because they could get a disease, the orca population is decreasing, and they are more likely to die sooner in the tanks.
Orcas have a fin on their back called a dorsal fin, and they can often get hurt because of it. Twenty-five percent of all orcas have a condition that affects their dorsal fin. This condition is called pathogenic condition but is more likely referred to as Flaccid Fin. In the wild their fin stands tall and proud; however during a performance the fin flops over. This condition happens more in captivity than in the wild because the water provides pressure to the fin, keeping the tissues inside healthy and straight, and encouraging the dorsal fin to remain straight. In the wild the orcas have the whole ocean to swim around in but a captive orca only as a a 36 foot deep tank. It most often happens in males because the male’s fins are taller than the females.(Jennifer Kennedy)
Orcas in the wild
Have you ever gone and seen orcas( killer whales) at a park like sea world. Do you really know how they feel. Sure you might be happy, but are they? At sea world they have not been taken orcas from wild, but instead they have been over breeding the ones they have already have. That is a lot of over breeding and in which can hurt the orcas. Orcas should not be kept in captivity because they have shorter life spans, it gives them health problems, and when forced to live in captivity they become killing machines.
Another reason why orcas shouldn’t be in places like SeaWorld is because the habitat is bad and small for them. One example is that often the orcas get bored when they are in captivity and start to chip of the paint on the side of their enclosure’s walls. This then ruins their teeth, which then means regular dental check-ups. (B) In a way, orcas are similar to humans because they get bored. When whales are in the wild they can swim freely and for as long as they want. This shows that they aren’t as active as in the wild. For example, often there are dominant females and sometimes those dominant females can get violent. They get so violent that they start to hurt other whales. According to article Killer Whales Should Not Be Kept in Captivity,”
Many people go to SeaWorld or other marine amusement parks to see these animals that they have never seen before for their own pleasure and wonders. Some people don’t know or care how these creatures even got there in the first place. Taking these orcas from the wild is depleting the population in the wild and it is killing them by keeping them in captivity. There is no way to mimic the ocean so that these animals can live comfortably and happy in captivity. Orcas do not thrive in captivity despite claim’s, they often suffer deadly physical, psychological, and social side effects. (My thesis-made up before I did my research)
Since 1961, 157 orcas, or killer whales, have been ripped from their homes and shoved into captivity. 127 of these orcas are now dead. With the number of captured orcas plus the number of those born into captivity, The W.D.C. (Whale and Dolphin Conservation) reports that, “At least 162 orcas have died in captivity, not including 30 miscarried or stillborn calves” ( “The Fate”1). Out of the 127 taken into captivity, 44 have died in SeaWorld. There are currently 58 orcas residing in 14 marine parks in eight different countries. 24 of those orcas are held in SeaWorld’s three parks in the United States. Since 2002, 14 have been taken out of the wild and put into these marine parks. (“The Fate”1) It is not fair for these innocent creatures to be physically and mentally manipulated and damaged. Such brutality would not be condoned if it were targeted towards a human, and it should not be condoned when targeted toward an animal. Orca whales should not be held in captivity because they are forced to live in subpar conditions, they are mistreated while in captivity, and they are led to aggressive behavior.
For many years, we’ve been going to such places like, SeaWorld, and Six Flags, to see vast animals, like Orcas, also known as the killer whale, which we wouldn’t normally see out in the wild. Orcas have been around for millions of years; it’s known to be one of the smartest mammals, closest to humans. Since of their friendliness, people have taken advantage of them. For the past sixty years people have brought these massive creatures into their aquariums to make profit out of it, but never thought about their lives. What if you were kept in a cage for years, and was pushed to do such activities, you wouldn’t do in your normal life. While being in captivities, killer whales are forced to do plentiful tricks, which they normally wouldn’t do
Get out of line and take a stand to stop the unjustified capture of killer whales. Orcas, also known as killer whales, have been imprisoned, against their will, for years. Evidence proves many Orcas are inhumanly captured, from the ocean, for the sheer pleasure of human entertainment and profit. Irrefutably, these majestic, intelligent, marine creatures belong in one place, and one place only, the ocean. Clearly, documentation proves, these magnificent mammals do not thrive in captivity, become irritated, and have injured or killed hundreds of humans.
For several years, Americans have been visiting amusement parks, like SeaWorld and Six Flags, to observe large animals like orcas, also known as killer whales. These whales are quite difficult to view in the wild, but can now be seen for a simple fee. Orcas are known to be one of the smartest mammals. They are friendly, and this has caused people to take advantage of them. For the past sixty years, people have brought these massive creatures into their aquariums to make a profit from their exhibitions. Often, without considering the orcas' quality of life. While kept in captivity, killer whales are forced to do many tricks they normally wouldn’t do in the wild. Over the years, there have been numerous controversies regarding killer whales
The wellbeing of orcas kept at SeaWorld has raised a few eyebrows over the years. Individuals soon began to question if keeping these mammals away from their natural habitat was ethical. Many people think the orcas living in the amusement park have become accustom to these harmless living styles. The animal activist that stand behind Blackfish assume the orca living conditions place a danger on them, as well as society. Blackfish and SeaWorld argue about the effects captivity has on the physical and mental health of the whales as well as the safety of humans who interact with them.
Everyone loves going to marine parks such as SeaWorld and Marineland. They offer many spectacular shows with dolphins, sea lions and birds. However, the main attractions they offer are orcas, or as they are better known as killer whales. Highly intelligent and with acute senses of sight and hearing, they are apex predators. Recently, the possession of orcas has been a big topic of controversy. Many people believe that the animals are being mistreated in captivity. Their captivity limits their freedom and enjoyment. Many orcas suffer from poor physical and mental effects in captivity. Killer whales will usually travel between 50 and 100 miles per day in the wild, but in captivity all they can do is swim in circles or float for no reason. In the wild, killer whales live in pods of
Persuasive essay Have you ever been trapped in a box against your will with complete strangers who don’t speak the same language as you? That’s how the orcas live at sea with many parks. The conditions they live in lead to many physical problems and countless mental/emotional traumas. There have been multiple tragedies at these parks resulting in the loss of human and Orca lives. So why has nothing been done about it?
It’s a average, nice summer day and you and your family decide to see killer whales at SeaWorld. Once you arrive to the place and see the large animals in the tank you’re fascinated by their large size. Killer whales, or orca whales, are large marine mammals that can be found in every ocean around the world. They can swim for hundred of miles and “routinely dive up to 300 ft” (“Should Orca Whales Be Kept in Captivity”). They also live in large family groups known as pods that they will rarely ever leave. Seeing these large animals in the tanks that they make seem small due to their large size and with other whales along with marks, mainly bite marks and flopped over dorsal fin for the males, make it questionable if they even should be here and if these other whales are family in the seemingly makeshift pod. Orcas should not be in captivity because of health problems, lack of space in the tanks, and most of them are taken from their homes in the wild where their true family is.
“ Imagine if the world you lived in, the space you breathed in, and the freedom you played in were suddenly taken away from you.” (Free Willy). This is unfortunately the case for much of our marine wildlife, specifically Orcas. Over 53 Orcas live in captivity at 12 marine parks around the world (Orca Project). Innocent Whales are being captured and tortured all for the use of our own enjoyment. I grew up going to Sea World, as I’m sure most kids in the San Diego area did as well. It was relatively inexpensive and fun for the whole family. What five year old kid doesn’t wanna see a giant whale doing tricks? It was Shamu up close and personal! Little did I know back then that “Shamu” wasn’t really Shamu at all. It was an innocent whale who
They say that long-captive orcas can’t withstand these conditions.” In addition, the Los Angeles Times mentions “Blackfish,” a documentary featuring one of SeaWorld’s orcas, Tilikum, and a petition used to free Tilikum to a sea pen: “A petition on change.org has collected more than 220,000 signatures. It calls for SeaWorld Orlando in Florida to release an orca featured in ‘Blackfish,’ Tilikum, to a sea pen.” Moreover, the Los Angeles Times describes how maybe one reason SeaWorld wasn’t inclined to free Tilikum is because one free orca’s story, Keiko’s, didn’t turn out so well: “Keiko was captured off Iceland in 1979 and trained to perform at theme parks…. the killer whale was transported to a sea pen in Iceland in
Sea World, is well known for its dazzling aquatic shows that attract visitors of all ages. These shows involve trained animals performing tricks that electrifies crowds day in and day out. One of the more known shows involve killer whales. An average size for adult male whales is 21.7 feet (“Physical Characteristics”). Females are known for an average size of 18 feet (“Physical Characteristics”).
Earth's oceans are dying. “About 80% of the ocean around the world is polluted with chemicals industrial and residential waste, all of which comes from the land” (“Marine Problems…”). Pollution is mainly coming from the people. Marine pollution should be stopped because it is the cause of many problems and if something is done about it, people will see an increase in sea life and healthier waters. It makes its way into the ocean and kills marine life. Ocean pollution is affecting the way of fisherman and their everyday lives. It is also very bad on the community because pollution is very bad on tourism. Ocean pollution should be stopped because it is poorly affecting marine life, it is not good for fishermen, and is very bad on tourism.