In Blackfish, one of the most critically acclaimed documentaries of 2013, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite asserts that the inhumane practice of keeping killer whales in captivity is not the right thing to do. They are animals and they like to be open and free. Keeping killer whales in captivity is dangerous to the animals themselves, it makes them more aggressive, and also has the potential to harm and even kill the humans who work with them. Orcas are simply not meant for confinement. They are very calm and happy when they are in the ocean.
The documentary “Blackfish” focused on killer whales in captivity, specifically Tilikum; a wild orca who was caught and exposed to captivity and its environment which eventually lead him to violently turn on his trainers at SeaWorld and even took some of their lives. This documentary examines how the difference from living in sea life to captivity can cause these whales and orcas to live up to their names. Blackfish discusses and argues how life in captivity for these whales is cruel and dangerous, not only for the whales but for their trainers as well. The information throughout this documentary was all painful to watch in my view, but it also had a positive approach.
I think that SeaWorld is an amazing facility. I love the fact that they rescue sea creatures from their inevitable death. I love the fact that children love to come here. I love the fact that this place causes children to subconsciously learn something. I love to bring my kids here on the weekend to watch the shows that the trainers put on with the orcas.
For many years, people have enjoyed going to SeaWorld to see the shows they would present. However, based on the documentary, Blackfish, that has changed drastically. People are now opening their eyes and seeing the inhumane treatment that these whales are being put through. Tilikum, a SeaWorld-owned killer whale, would attack the trainers during shows and, most of the time, kill them. SeaWorld denies that they are responsible for the cause of the Tilikum’s behavior by saying that the trainers should know the risks of working with killer whales.
Without a doubt, killer whales (Orcinus orca) are by far among the most intelligent and socially complex creatures on the planet. They live in close-knit family units each with unique social structures, hunting techniques, and even vocalization. A wild orca is a sight to behold, gracefully gliding through the waves, enjoying being the powerful, elegant creature that it is. However, some orcas are not so lucky. The captive killer whale industry is mainly monopolized by the SeaWorld corporation, which has made billions off of the exploitation of orcas and their “Shamu” shows.
These whales are friendly in the wild and it’s been reported of them saving humans and interacting with them, as “to this day, there is no record of an orca doing any harm to any humans in the wild” (Wise). Orcas actions could not be more different in captivity. In all, violence has become a common yet horrific scene in aquatic parks. The real horror is between these captured creatures. Orcas with different backgrounds and dialects are placed together without much thought about how this could affect them.
It is a common misconception of natural instinct and imaginative onlookers; these whales are not people they are wild marine life. It is no secret that killer whales have a bad reputation, however what earned the reputation was sheer unintentional killings. Orinus Orcas are wild marine life that should not be prosecuted like human beings, and the name “Killer Whales” is the result of false
Whale sharks like to hang out together and eat together. Now you know about whale sharks.
Marine parks in the country like SeaWorld, have orcas in tanks that they live in captivity. They use most of the killer whales for their performances in the pool. We all know that orcas are social, and intelligent creatures, that live in the oceans of the earth. We also know that many scientist are trying to study these animals in captivity where they are in tankes. I think Killer Whales should not be in captivity because, of the injures they can get in their tanks, how they get stressed out and they are better in the wild.
The Killer Whales should be in small tanks, if an animal in captivity then is should have space to roam around and run. Parents should be able to take their kids to zoos and see healthy animals behaving
Director, writer, and producer, Gabriella Cowperthwaite, in her documentary, Blackfish, describes the shameless hunting and treatment of killer whales. Cowperthwaite’s purpose is to persuade us into opening our eyes to the reality of what we are doing to killer whales by confining them in captivity. She invents an emotionally wrenching tone in order to transmit to the adult viewers that living in captivity may not be acceptable life for the whales. The film effectively showed that the whales should not be kept in captivity by giving the audience examples of their signs of aggression and displays of emotion. Cowperthwaite begins her documentary by showing how killer whales can become barbaric when held captive.
Simple as that. These animals are pretty much just like us, they feel the same way, they love, they grieve. “All whales in captivity have a bad life. They’re all emotionally destroyed. They’re all psychologically traumatized.
This film about these extremely diverse mammals shows true footage of the whales and what they are capable of in captivity. It also talks about a lot of wrongs that are done to the whales in captivity by people who were there and done it or witnessed it themselves. The film gives out a lot of good information and statistics that have been proven by others as well. Because this source focuses on captivity and the poor treatment of whales, as will my paper, It will come to great use when the time comes to use
Andre Cole Ricardo Acosta G. English 101 September 22, 2015 Do Killer Whales Actually Belong in Captivity? Ever since wild animals such as Killer Whales have been captured and kept in theme parks and zoos as amusement, there have been issues on whether they should or shouldn’t be kept in captivity. Killer Whales, otherwise commonly referred to as Orcas, have regularly been taken away from the sea at a very young age so they can be trained, raised and kept in theme parks for exhibition. Although theme parks no longer capture whales from the wild, they are still bred in captivity for public display at marine parks such as Sea World (Gorman).
However, lack of information on past populations makes it difficult to compare the current recovery in this species, to that of pre-exploitation abundance. Estimates based on genetic diversity suggest they are still only a fraction of their pre-whaling numbers. The purpose of this paper is to examine the humpback whale’s role in the oceans, their populations, and the need for it’s conservation and the manor in which to do
