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Essays on the captivity of killer whales
What should be done with the killer whales in captivity
The effects of captivity on whales
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When I was younger I always wanted to be a trainer at SeaWorld and work with Shamu, but of course I didn’t know how controversial captivity was. As I got older I started researching the issue and came to the realization that Orcas, also known as Killer Whales should not live in captivity. In captivity Orcas are in danger as well as the trainers who work with them. Orcas are the largest of the Dolphin family and are found in all oceans. They range from 23 to 32 feet in length, and can weigh up to 6 tons. They are one of the world’s most powerful predators, and have even been known to prey on whales (Whales.org). These magnificent mammals are born free and should remain in the oceans. It’s easy to understand that people love Killer Whales and want to see them up close, but putting them in tanks for our entertainment is wrong. When hearing the facts about Orcas in captivity I was shocked. It has been proven that Orcas in the wild have a life expectancy of 30 to 50 years and their maximum being 60 to 70 years for males and 80-100 for females. Sadly the life expectancy in captivity is only 9 years. The mental, emotional, and physical stress that a captive whale suffers can weaken their immune system and make them prone to disease (SeaWorldofHurt.org). Even though they are kept in an environment free from predators, pollution and other threats, they die young. In captivity Orcas often break their teeth chewing compulsively on metal gates. These broken teeth, even drilled and cleaned by vets, are clear routes for bacteria to enter the bloodstream (Killer-Whales.org). These are the obvious factors, but there are many others contributing to the mortality seen in captivity. Besides the concern about the Whales there is concern for the trai... ... middle of paper ... ...ate of Captive Orcas in 2014.” Whales and Dolphin Organization. February 2014. Whale and Dolphin Organization. February 19, 2014. http://us.whales.org/issues/fate-of-captive-orcas-in-2014. Zoological Team at SeaWorld. “Our Letter.” SeaWorld Parks and Recreation. November 2013. SeaWorld Parks and Recreation. February 20, 2014. http://seaworld.com/en/truth/killer-whales/letter. “Killer Whales in Captivity.” Killer-Whales. 2014. Killer-Whales. February 20, 2014. http://www.killer-whale.org/killer-whales-in-captivity/ “’Blackfish’ Director: Killer Whales Don’t Belong in Captivity.” The Daily Beast. October 20, 2014. Blackfish. February 20, 2014. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/24/blackfish-director-killer-whales-don-t-belong-in-captivity. “Incidents Between Orcas and Humans.” Orca Home. 2014. February 20, 2014. http://www.orcahome.de/incidents.htm.
The trainers along with Cowperthwaite believe to have them in a captivity like SeaWorld is inhumane. I agree with this documentary, Blackfish. This documentary gave a perfect visual representation on why I do not like having animals in a cage or in a small area. Having animals captive, working hard, and hardly fed is wrong, especially only allowing them in a small area to roam. Watching this documentary made me feel sympathy toward these poor animals that must go through with this harsh life style. Just like Cowperthwaite, I strongly believe the orcas shall not be held in these small areas and be allowed to live in their natural
Second reason why they shouldn’t be kept in a captivity. You can’t recreate on orcas natural environment. The pods sea world cannot hold 40 or more whales which are usually in a pod. If it holds 40 orcas they will make more babies and after their gonna be so much whales and the water won’t hold that much whales. Because whales are the size of bus school and is just like 40 bus
I am sure almost all of you have either been to or heard of SeaWorld. Today I am going to tell you about what they do to their orcas that they are trying to hide. I chose this topic after watching a documentary called “Blackfish” that goes into the behind the scenes of how SeaWorld treats its animals. I have since done further research online to prepare for this presentation. This is an important topic because you should know what kind of company you are funding and behaviors you are endorsing when you go on your vacations to this destination. Today I am going to persuade you that SeaWorld is corrupt and maltreats its animals, specifically the orcas. First, I will talk about the specific way the orcas are treated and how it affects them
7 of the 10 Orcas were born in captivity and they would not be expected to live in the wild. Plus, the other three Orcas have very very low chances of finding their pods ( families ). So the alternative would be to stop breeding or capturing Orcas. We also need to retire the ones we already have in captivity. Then the Orcas would be allowed to be in a somewhat more natural environment. Instead of having to do stupid tricks 24/7. After the
Family therapy is often needed when families go through transitions such as separations between parents and divorce. According to research, “the power of family therapy derives from bringing parents and children together to transform their interactions” (Nichols, & Davis, p.18), as problems need to be addressed at their source. The children who are the most vulnerable, when parents decide to separate, exhibit symptoms which are exaggerations of their parent’s problems (Nichols, & Davis, p.18). Frank and Walt Berkman are the examples of how children cope and adapt to the stressors of family separations such as marital separations and
Orcas are meant to be in the wild and swim close to 100 miles a day. Instead SeaWorld decided to capture them and use them solely for entertainment purposes. Orcas in captivity behave nothing like those in the wild and it is due to the fact that the living conditions in captivity are not suitable to keep such an active animal healthy. Tilikum is a prime example of what happens to an orca when they’re kept in a tank against their will. Tilikum ended up killing 3 people, not because he was actively seeking to kill them but because the unnecessary stress on him caused him to get increasingly more aggravated and decided to take it out on the cause of his stress. If orcas were not held captive none of these tragedies would have occurred. SeaWorld is a horrible place and needs to be shutdown for good to stop torturing these immensely intelligent
The issue of keeping Orcas in captivity and under the care of man has been a controversial practice ever since the first dolphins and whales were taken into aquariums for the amusement of humans. In more recent times, the documentary Blackfish (which has been recently broadcasted on popular TV stations such as CNN) that focuses on Tilikum, an orca held by SeaWorld, has brought to light the controversy over captive killer whales. Orcas are majestic, beautiful, and intelligent creatures that should not be kept in captivity for our entertainment because of the harm it causes them.
I think that killer whale shows should be banned because killer whales can protect themselves in the wild,they can lose natural abilities to hunt and feed themselves, and that killer whale shows can ruin the population of killer whales. My first reason is that, that killer whales could protect themselves in the wild because from a website called “animals.mom.me,” it said that “Orcas in the wild have an average life expectancy of 30 to 50 years-their estimated maximum lifespan is 60 to 70 years for males and 80 to over 100 years for females. The average age of death for orcas that have lived in seaworld is 13 years old.” So this shows that if you do not capture orcas (killer whales), they will have a longer life span because they can protect themselves in the wild and can survive much longer than 13 years in an aquarium.
Image sitting on the beach one July morning. The sun is beaming down and decide to go for a swim. As you approach the water, you see a whale unusually close. You begin to get nervous as it continues to approach the shore. However, you aren’t worried because you know that they are confined to the sea. As the whale comes near you can see it clearly. Just as you think that it will turn around, the whale walks out of the ocean!
Killer whales are one of the most fascinating displays of ocean life. The killer whale has characteristics that are important to its survival in the ocean. It is interesting to know that killer whales have a plentiful diet. It is astounding to see how killer whales behave in the ocean. I plan to tell you about the killer whale, its characteristics, its diet, and its behavior in the ocean as well as the predation of the orca.
In recent years, humans have gained the ability to tame and train these creatures. Killer whales should not be kept in captivity simply because it is cruel, unnatural, and dangerous. Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually
The origin of modern day whales, a mystery that has puzzled paleontologists for years, may have just been solved with the discovery of an ankle bone. This discovery might sound simple and unimportant, but the bones of these ancient animals hold many unanswered questions and provide solid proof of origin and behavior. The relationship between whales and other animals has proven to be difficult because whales are warm-blooded, like humans, yet they live in the sea. The fact that they are warm-blooded suggests that they are related to some type of land animal. However, the questions of exactly which animal, and how whales evolved from land to water, have remained unanswered until now.
An orca, more commonly known as a killer whale, is currently one of the largest marine animals held in captivity. Countless arguments are being made, supporting and opposing captivity of orcas to be exploited as circus animals in theme parks around the world. Throughout recent history, Sea World trainers have been injured and killed by the orcas and the whales, and the whales themselves have been observed as severely depressed. If Sea World releases the whales, they would undergo an immense economic downfall and the whales would be too weak to survive in the wild if they were freed. Since the first Sea World park opened in San Diego, California in 1964, common questions have arose concerning the well-being of orcas in captivity, the dangers of humans training them, the physical capability of whales theoretically being released, and the psychological differences between whales living in the wild versus whales living in Sea World's confinement.
The Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, is part of the marine mammals group. They are found in oceans all over the world, they live in open waters. Even though they are mammals, they do not live on land (Monterey Bay Aquarium). Humpback whales are known for their magical song that can travel great distances. These gentle giants are omnivores, their main diet is krill. They are mostly found near coastlines feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton and small fish. Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding water closer to the Equator. Humpback whales are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke to propel themselves through or even out of the water! Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appears to be gestures of affection. Even though it takes more than one year for a humpback whale to grow fully, mother whales leave them after one year (National Geographic).
They claim that having Orcas in captivity is a good thing because the population is endangered; they say that the research they can do is just not possible in the wild, but at the same time how are they helping the population? Yes they breed them, increasing the population but what good does that do when they keep them locked up and use them to make money? SeaWorld. From the Animals: Captive, but not Contained article by Talal Al-Khatib. Animals may be captive in cages and pens, but that doesn’t mean they are contained, as was demonstrated in 2010 at Sea World.