What would the ocean be like without whales? One thing that is never thought about when whales are being hunted is how important they are. For humans, to understand the purpose of the whale and going off the information one has learned may be different, understanding the whale may be more complex than thought out to be. There is more to know about whales other than they can be big intimidating creatures. It is important to make sure whales are being protected. When an individual enters in to a different environment they do not think about the potential danger that could be caused. Because whales are important to the food chain and also the marine life ecosystem, individuals should consider saving the whales. Whales are sentinels of the health …show more content…
There is an estimated amount of two hundred and seventy thousand tons of plastic floating in the ocean (Main). When a whale eats plastic it sits in the stomach and eventually clogs the flow of the digestive tract. After the digestive tract becomes blocked the whale is unable to digest any real food. Not only does that threaten many marine animals, it is the main role of rising extinction rates for land animals as well. In 2010 an estimated sixteen sperm whales have been killed from gill nets (Kirby). Gill nets are mile-long nets set up overnight to catch fish. Any sea animal that encounters a gill net typically gets tangled. The purpose of the gill net is to catch the fish by their gills, but not having gills does not ensure the animal’s safety. The act of whaling is when whales are being hunted and then killed. Each year, thousands of whales are being killed from whaling. Several whales across the world are being killed by commercial whaling. Over the past twenty-five years, ten thousand minke whales have been killed. Of the ten thousand minke whales there has been no research or data collected about them. These whales were killed and their meat was sold for human consumption. It is important for individuals to know the importance of whales because they are an important aspect of the …show more content…
Whale hunters kill whales for their blubber which is used for many different products. Whalers throughout history have killed whales for the money, they have had huge economic growth increases in many countries. Blubber from whales turns into many different things that consumers buy like candles, soap, and cooking oils. Whales have long since been killed for their meat. Every year it is estimated that one thousand five hundred whales are being killed in Japan, Norway, and Iceland. Many whales are also killed for research purposes each year. In 2016 Japan killed three hundred and thirty-three whales for research. Whales killed for research are not just used for research, their meat is also able to be sold through a loophole in international rules. Whales are killed and their parts are sold off for many reasons, but to prevent this whales need to be understood
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.
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.
What needs to be addressed regarding the release of captive whales is their survivability in the wild6. Many killer whales are bred in captivity now, and thus have depended on humans for the entirety of their lives7. If a captive bred whale were released into the wild, it is likely that he or she would approach humans which could be dangerous for both the human and the whale. Captive bred killer whales would also likely have difficulty hunting, as their food was always provided for them by humans.
Peter Brannen started out with a simple question of what it was like for whales on 9/11.? How did it impact the marine life? And while it may have seemed like a silly drunken thought, let loose in conversation during a night at the pub, it turned out to be a real question with uncharted answers. He set out with Lisa Conger -a biologist to the Bay of Fundy to discover that Argentine whales have been slowly increasing the volume of their songs in order to adapt to the heightening levels of man-made noise in the ocean. As it turns out the low frequency noise of commercial shipping has been slowly drowning the sound of the whales, making it very hard to mind mates, therefore causing a drop in population.
However, word leaked out that the program was for commercial purposes. The meat then would be sold, ‘in food markets or given away free or at low costs to schools and hospitals to encourage the consumption of whale meat.’ Japan
Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest in their dolphin family, and a powerful predator in the ocean. Orcas are generally found in the North Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Oceans, and the Arctic Sea, however since 1961, 151 orcas have been taken into captivity from their natural habitat. These glorious animals are taken into captivity by marine parks all around the world, for profit and increased customer revenue. Orcas in captivity suffer from habit-caused medical issues which in result leads to shorter life spans. In contrast, orcas in the wild don’t suffer from medical issues caused by their habitats, and in turn live longer.
In conclusion Blackfish is gives audiences a shocking, aggressive and deeply compelling look into cruel practices of marine parks for decades that will change the way you look at captive/trained killer whales and other animals. In watching this documentary has significantly opened my eyes regarding the brutal treatment and methods of capturing wild animals giving me a greater sympathy for orcas in parks such as SeaWorld. This startling documentary will surprise audiences as Cowperthwaite is unrelenting in showing the fatal consequences of keeping killer whales in captivity while also critiquing of the cruel and immoral practises of
The documentary Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite is about killer whales at Seaworld specifically Tilikum who was captured and held in captivity and responsible for 3 deaths. The purpose of this essay is to describe the objectivity and subjectivity of this movie and how it impacts the overall message. The movie Blackfish presents its message using both objective and subjective methods, Such as when Tilikum killed Dawn Brancheau. This essay will describe the objectivity of the film “Blackfish” By stating facts on how both subjectivity and objectivity impact the film and the viewers feelings.
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.
Furthermore, this can be the cause of all the incidence including to what happened to Dawn Brancheau who was completely mutilated by a whale. Despite the interview with a former trainer, from a document which was published after the release of Blackfish by SeaWorld to object
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
The bull whale’s suicide was a sign for us to remember our culture. I felt worried about the future of my people since, the ancient whale meant everything to us. If he dies, we die and if he lived we live. He is our strength. If we are able to return it back it will proof that the oneness is still with us and if not, it means we became weak.
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).
As whales partner off, they get to experience different aspects of life with their significant other. By letting someone into one's life- something that is only possible with a vulnerable heart- its quality can be improved because it helps decrease one's
There are many whales in the sea, but this particular whale called Moby Dick is the desirable catch for the whalers and captain due to its legendary proportions. In the novel, Moby Dick, it offers an allegorical story of humanity’s dangerous search for meaning. The monstrous, white whale represents that “meaning” humans have been hunting for their entire lives, but at the end one will discover that one can do so much but still end up not finding their answer. The entire plot to Moby Dick is directed towards the final confrontation between Ahab, his crewman and the White whale. At the end, the whale wins the fight and the rest of the crew on ship all die, demonstrating the fact that the whale cannot be defeated, hence signaling how the laws