Ever since I was a little girl I loved animals. One of my favorite things to do was to spend the day at the zoo or visit an aquarium where I would have the chance to see some of my favorite animals. Each time I would go there it would be a breath-taking experience. Watching wild animals from up close, see them interacting with each other was just amazing to me. But as I got older I started realizing that it doesn’t matter how much I am pleased to be able to see these animals through a glass or cage, it is not natural, it is not the way they would choose to live if they had a say. We humans, unfortunately, have the cruelty to capture these animals from their natural habitats, against their own will, and separate them from their families for …show more content…
Their diet consists of fish, squids, sea birds, turtles, and other big mammals, like sea lions, sharks and whales (Alina Bradford par.7). These animals are easily found because they have a very good adaption when it comes to experiencing different climates; orcas are the most widely distributed mammals, other than humans, according to SeaWorld. Weighting up to 6 tons, and growing up to a size of a typical school bus, killer whales are acknowledged as the largest species of the dolphin family.
Killer whales are captured in the wild for a number of reasons: fisherman feel the need to kill them because they might eat all of their means of support, other cultures capture them for alimentation, and lastly they are captured to be used as attractions in amusement parks such as SeaWorld. Years ago, a group of killer whales were captured in Puget Sound, in the state of Washington. Knowing that men might try to capture them the orcas used a technique to keep their young ones safe. The pod would separate, while the male adults would go west, the adult females with the young ones would go north, but this tactic did not work because the fisherman also had air control so they were watching every movement in the sea. Using seal bombs and a net, they trapped only the younger whales leaving their mothers on the opposite side making high vocals of grief. Three whales were found dead in the net, so the fisherman cut them
Zoos, rehabilitation institutions, and many other environmental centers provide opportunities for the public to witness animals that cannot be seen on a daily basis. Whether to keep animals in captivity is morally hard to decide, especially for me personally. In the essay, “Against Zoos,” by Dale Jamieson, he writes about the positives zoos provide, and then reiterates them; making positives turn into negatives. Jamieson makes statements about humans being superior over animals, and how we should not be thinking that we are better. We tend to take a lead role over other species, because of our “higher intelligence.” That should not mean that we treat wildlife as if they are something lower than us. In more ways than one, we as humans are
Orca whales are the largest members of the dolphin family. Orcas are very curious creatures, they like to sky hop, which is when they poke their heads out of the water and look around, and they can also dive to as much as a hundred feet. These social animals live in pods and stay with them for their whole lives. They are so family oriented that they can may sleep together in a tight circle and have synchronized breathing. Orcas can grow up to thirty-two feet and can weigh nine tons. They typically eat five percent of their body weight and are amazing hunters. The lifespan of an orca in their
There is so much we can learn from Orcas in captivity. Biologists have limited understanding about killer whales in the wild. We cannot observe them 24/7 and we cannot live in their environment. Being with these mammals up-close could give us some clues about how they interact with each other. This would include physical behavior, their dialect, and how their families work together. These are things we would never have to chance to do with the killer whales in their natural habitat. (Teen Inc., 2010) However, when a whale is placed in captivity it is stripped of its ability to communicate with the whales in its pod. In essence it would be like placing someone in a completely different culture with no means of communicating with anyone around them. Imagine the stress of not being able to communicate any needs or feelings with those around you.
Killer Whales, otherwise known as Orcas, are not designed to be held in captivity. Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in Orca captivity, which also allows us to see a decrease in the quality of life in these animals. Within captivity, Orcas will experience a decline in mental health, limitations to it’s natural instincts as a wild animal, and in extreme cases, their behaviour will lead them to inflict harm or even kill their human companions.
Killer whales are confined to tanks that are far too small for them. This can trigger unwanted and dangerous behaviors out of the whales (Humane Society). Would you want to live your life in a bathtub or a small pool? In 1987, trainer Jonathan Smith was performing with one of the orcas in a full audience. One of the orcas took a hold of his foot and dragged him to the very bottom of the tank. The whale brought him back to the surface and let go, but another orca then slammed into him and dragged him back under water. Smith eventually escaped with a lacerated liver, ruptured kidney, and cuts all around his torso. He thinks what may have triggered these behaviors is that fact that he was wearing a uniform that looked similar to a seal.
They can swim up to 100 miles per day playing and hunting, while they cannot do anything of the sort in a tank. (“Whales and Dolphins in Captivity”) Entire pods of Orca Whales, up to 40 individuals, can be hunted at a time. Only the young and fit are taken, and during the process, many creatures are injured or killed. Overall, the wild capture of whales is brutal and unsafe for, not only Orca Whales, but sea life itself. (“Whales and Dolphins in Captivity”) When captured, they are put into holding tanks, often smaller than show pools.
Since the beginning, Orca captivity and displacement has been a highly controversial issue. With some in support of educational value behind venues of captivity such as Sea World, and others opposed to the neglectful treatment and confinement of these behemoth mammals. Killer whales, more commonly known as orcas or blackfish in popular culture, are known to inhabit all oceans on the earth from tropical regions to both arctic and Antarctic areas. In nature, the Killer whale has been designated as the world’s largest apex predator, lacking any predatory threats from above. Accompanying their vaunting presence in the natural food chain, these complex species have been scientifically designated as mammals that
Though often seen as fierce killing machines, Orca whales, more commonly known as killer whales, are much different. In some ways, these mysterious creatures are much like humans. Many people are fascinated by these whales when they see them perform in marine parks such as SeaWorld. What most people don’t realize is that the life of these whales is not as great as it may seem. There is much evidence that proves captive life will never be adequate. There is no doubt that life in captivity is no match for life in the wild.
The documentary “Blackfish”, directed and produced by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, discusses an Orca whale named Tilikum. The documentary demonstrates the capture of Tilikum in 1983 off the coast of Iceland, the harassment that follows, the testimonials of SeaWorld officials stating why this marine park is a beneficial thing and the death of three individuals, one patron and two trainers. The film emphasizes the brutality of having Orcas live in captivity. Blackfish was very knowledgeable about the Orca whale species.
On July 19, 2013, Cnn films released the documentary Blackfish. A documentary that covers the killer whale Tilikum who killed his trainer Dawn Brancheau in February. This film has gotten the attention of the public and Seaworld has to face the backlash of it’s effects. The public has good reason to be mad. Putting whales in captivity for entertainment is wrong and is a dangerous and inhuman practice. In the trailer to the movie Blackfish it was stated that when they caught these whales from the wild “we stored them in what we call a module which was 20 ft across and 30 ft. deep and the lights were all turned out”. From being completely free in the sea to being stuck into the equivalent of a bathtub is very cruel to an
Killer Whales, better known as Orcas, have been kept in captivity since 1961. Victims of the entertainment industry, these Killer Whales were captured from their families in their natural order and forced to live in small artificial tanks, killing and hurting a lot of whales.
According to the blackfish documentary the animals’ wellbeing is not taken into consideration, either at the point of capture and their time in captivity. In one of the segments it is successfully exposed when a captor of the orcas give their regrets saying, “It’s just like kidnapping a little kid away from its mother.” and again repeating this act 39 years later when the Orca in captivity, kasatea has a calf, they then proceed to take the whale away from its mother to a different park, because takara disrupted the shows, “how can anyone look at that and think its morally acceptable. This proves that SeaWorld has not taken into consideration that these orcas have feelings. They see them as no more than a money bag. Presenting us with a feeling of helplessness an a dire need to protect them from these barbaric an inhumane practices. Providing us with a feeling of disgust and hatred, giving us a feeling we can connect
"Killer Whales: Gentle Giants, or Viscous Killers?" Killer whales are an important subject of mythology for many indigenous peoples, especially the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. The whales have not been hunted extensively by humans, although they have been hunted by some shore whaling operations, and some individuals have been taken as aquarium show animals from the waters around the Pacific Northwest and Iceland. Killer whales are perceived by many near-shore fishermen to be in competition with human fishing activity (Anheiser Busch 1). The killer whale, or Orcinus orca can be found worldwide in all seas from both tropics to Arctic and Antarctic oceans. They are one of the most well known whales because of the captivity of Shamu
Some people agree that animals should be kept in the zoo. They said it would be safer for the animals and they won’t be extinct. The amount of possibilities of them dying, shot by hunters or any other reason, still higher than the chances of their survival. Food and shelter are provided, medicine, and their breeding is being controlled. And many of the wild animals in zoos are ones that are on the endangered list as their amounts are rapidly diminishing. Letting them loose and returning them to the wild is not necessarily a safe option. (Mylot, 2007) In fact, zoo can be one of the educational studies for children and people who are interested with animals. Zoo is the only place that we can have an opportunity to see animal’s life really close and sometimes we can touch them. Zoos also provide lots of information about certain animals, children can have chance to get out of the classroom and learn so they can see natural beauty from different species of animals. Even children can see them from discovery channel but that’s really different if you see animal in real world, for an example, if you see crocodile, snake or shark in the movie, maybe you won’t afraid than you see the real one. According to Tudge, (1992, p.56) Zoos are the place where people can study animals and their habitat, even scientist don’t need to go
In homes, zoos, aquariums, and circuses across the world, animals are being caged and treated poorly as if they were nothing more than garbage. Many people are oblivious to the truth of what goes on behind zoos, circuses, and aquariums. They enjoy seeing exotic animals behind fences or glass, but never realize how it is from the animal’s perspective; from behind the glass or fence. Not only are animals being trapped in small steel dungeons, but they also are starved or beaten. Zoos such as Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch, New Zealand (pictured above) provide a positive, unique view of animals; one