Speech On Blue Whales

Keeping whales in captivity is a very brutal way of making money. Many people do not realize that whales are not just fish; even though they live in the ocean, they are actually considered as mammals, and are part of the dolphin family (Killer Whale 1). Unlike goldfish and turtles that we can keep in aquariums, killer whales are huge, wild animals that are meant to live in the sea. It has been documented that “no fewer than 21 of the world total of 42 orcas held in

What exactly happened in the whaling industry that had such a detrimental effect on the whale populations?

and they are dangerous in captivity. It is clear that whales should not be held in captivity. Whales

Whales are large aquatic mammals. Like every other animal they did not start off like that. Whales came to be after millions of years of evolution. Every aspect of the current whale was decided by nature. The blowhole, dorsal fins, lack of teeth and tail fluke all came from years of other creatures such as the Mesonychids and many other animals.

Of course, no whale is more important than the other. However, the Humpback Whale is the most marvelous creature of all of them. A typical Humpback Whale is 40 tons, and grows up to 40 to 60 feet long. It is known as the fifth largest whale in the world. Humpbacks are known as omnivores. This means that they eat fish and plants in the ocean. The worldwide population of a Humpback is at least 80,000 whales in all. They are known to be migrants just like other baleen whales. Unfortunately, these innocent Humpbacks are currently endangered. Many of them are endangered, because whale hunters kill them for the supply of oil and baleen. Humpbacks are compelling mammals because they have a detailed body, odd habits, a diverse diet, and a vast habitat.

Did you know that when an whale is kept in captivity its lifespan is cut almost in half? (Smolowe, par. 3). Whales in captivity are often abused, underfed, and poorly cared for. They become much more aggressive and develop completely different personalities than if they are left in the wild. They are a danger to the trainers that work with them, one whale at SeaWorld has killed 3 people. The whales are captured and forced to live in swimming pools that are barely bigger than they are and perform shows.

Killer whales were first captured and separated from their family group (pods) to be put display for the public 1964. After years of research in their natural habitat and at marine parks throughout the world, it has become obvious that they belong in the ocean and not kept in captivity (Rose). The stress that killer whales feel at being kept in tanks for the general public’s amusement changes their natural behavior and makes them a danger to anyone who has direct contact with them. I feel that after so many years of having marine biologists and veterinarians studying these animals in captivity that little can be left to learn about the killer whales to justify breeding killer whales and keeping them in marine parks.

They are removed from their natural habitats and deprived of the ability to take advantage of their intelligence as well as freely engage in behaviors that come natural to them such as choosing when and what to hunt, their social groupings, when to mate etc. which consequentially leads to both physical and psychological damage. These showcases of whales desensitize both children and adults to animal mistreatment and inhumanity (Born Free USA). The exploitation of Orcinus Whales is an act motivated solely by greed and carelessness. These animals are being held captive and taken advantage of so that humans can be entertained for a short time and so that organizations can continue to feed off of their publicity and make millions of dollars a year off of their pain and suffering.

In the 1800s the Northern Right Whales were killed mainly because their bodies have oily fat, which was used as a fuel at the time, they were also killed to make umbrellas, and whips (Endangered wildlife of the world). Other reasons for the Northern Right Whale being endangered is due to habitat pollution, Toxins, Climate and ecosystem change, Ruckus from whale-watching activities and noise from industrial activities. Also the death of the whales now is due to ship collisions and entanglement in fishing gear has limited the population’s recovery

Are times changing? Records dating back to the 1931-1932 whale-hunting season (ten years before the International Whaling Commission was put in place to protect and stop whaling), 28,325 blue whales were slaughtered. In 1946, the Whaling Commission was formed; however, even with protection, thirty years later (1963-1964) over 29,255 sperms kills were hunted for their meat and other products. Today, even with protection, it is estimated that only 5-10% of the original whale population remains (Carwardine, Hoyt, Fordyce, & Gill, 1998).

Human destruction makes these Killer Whales a victim beyond traditional nature versus wild survival of the fittest. As the human population has grown, hunting has evolved and personal achievement is arisen importance, this causes whales to be on a kill list above their apprehension. Orcas have been observed in the wild for many years and have increasingly gained threats. Orcas suffer from commercial hunting, habitat pollution, decreased prey from overfishing, and the most popular: capture for entertainment.

Ocean giants that have captured the imagination of humans for centuries, whales are among the largest mammals on earth. This diverse group of animals has over 75 separate species, and are considered by scientists to be some of the most intelligent animals on the planet. While modern whales spend their entire lives in water, they are air-breathing mammals whose ancestors roamed land millions of years ago. With so many interesting facts about whales, once question can be easily overlooked: Do whales have (teeth)?

To date the killer whale is considered in the group of most successful predator. Not only throughout the world, but definably in the oceanic world; Pods, the family of orca, range from 20 to 200 members (NOAA Fisheries). Seen inhabiting all oceans of the world, orca whales dwell from the cold water upwelling’s of the Artic to the warm waters of Hawaii. In 1964 the area, killer whale appeared in public display for the first time the criminal making a 180 degree turn from “wolf of the sea to cute cuddly sea panda.

The endangerment of the Blue whale has come as a result of not only direct harm such as hunting, but also indirect factors like environmental changes and boat collisions. However, none have drove the Blue whale to endangerment as much as commercial whaling, which is still practiced today by three remaining countries: Japan, Norway, and Iceland. Through various controversial studies on whether whaling should be illegal word wide, one must constantly question the importance of the Blue Whale for success of the planet’s future.

Before moratorium of whaling, there was a high demand of whale oil from blubber. In 1946, International