Orcas, also known as killer whales, are amazingly intelligent and are a top predator, much like humans. However, when the top predator of the ocean collides with the top predator of land, the situation can become fatal for both humans and the whales. Holding these incredibly massive marine animals in captivity is not only inhumane and detrimental to the whale’s health, but also a potentially fatal activity for humans to participate in.
Orca trafficking is the equivalent of human trafficking: kidnapping a child or pup from the mother to be used for the entertainment of others. Killer whales are family oriented, and all of a mother’s offspring stay with her their entire lives (spong). When a pup is being taken or captured the entire family of orcas follow until they cannot keep up anymore. Transporting the young orca is terrifying to them; they do not understand why they have just been taken from their family and they are kept in shallow water without any light with other orcas who they have no family ties, which causes psychological stress (Killer Whales in Captivity). Some of the orca pups died from the stress of being captured and they were cut open and filled with rocks so they would sink to the bottom (Blackfish). Taking any child away from its mother is immoral no matter the species, especially to be used for the enjoyment of others.
When an orca pup is taken away from the ocean and away from its supporting family and sent to a small chlorinated pool with strangers it can cause many potential health hazards for them. The most noticeable health related problem is whale on whale aggression. Hardly any of the killer whales in captivity are related by blood, therefore, most of them are all strangers and will fight or even kill e...
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...ho live in very close families in the wild. However, when humans interfere they disrupt the lifestyle of these majestic animals by kidnapping the orca pups and bringing them into captivity to entertain a crowd of humans. The stress of bringing them into captivity causes many health issues and also brutal sometimes fatal attacks on humans. Captivity of killer whales should be phased out until there are no more of these beautiful animals left to be tortured in captivity.
Works Cited
Blackfish. Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Magnolia Pictures, 2013. DVD.
Jett, John S., and Jeffrey M. Ventre. "Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity."
The Orca Project. N.p., 20 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
"Killer Whales in Captivity." Killer Whale Facts and Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Spong, Paul. "Orca (Orcinus Orca)." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.
Orcas should not be kept in captivity because of mistreating other orcas in captivity. For example corky killed kandu by fracturing it’s jaw
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
For 50 years SeaWorld has entertained park guests with numerous stunts involving the majestic sea creature, the orca, also referred to as the killer whale, and their human trainers. What the on-lookers don’t see at these shows is what goes on behind the scenes: how the whales got there in the first place, and the conditions in which they are housed.
Orca whales do not like to be taken from their family, held captive for many decades and put with other whales that they do not know. No other living organism on this planet would like to be put through the same thing. Orca whales are highly social animals, they are very intelligent, and are very emotional. If they are kept away from other whales, fed intermittently and received little attention from staff makes them get very emotional and can lead to death of people and the whales. Orca whales should not be held captive; they are beautiful creatures that are not great for people’s amusement and if they are treated poorly, they will act poorly.
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.
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
Different from orcas in captivity, orcas in the wild will work together to herd and encircle small prey near the water’s surface. By staying in a tight formation, killer whales will work together to obtain a seal or sea lion perched on top of an ice cap. Together, the orcas will charge the ice cap to create a wave that will push the seal or sea lion into the icy waters. In order to obtain much larger prey such as a blue whale, orcas will target calves and injured or ill whales. The orcas will work together to wear out the much larger prey; biting, colliding into, and pulling on the whale’s pectoral fins. This particular strategy can last for hours until the worn-out whale drowns. Orcas have also been known to purposely beach themselves on shore in an attempt to catch prey such as seabirds, seals, and sea lions. The diet and habitat of an orca will determine the longevity of its life
One common issue with Orcas in captivity is the “killer” aspect of the orca. Orcas are commonly referred to as Killer Whales because of their fierceness in the wild when catching their prey, yet there has never been a recorded incident of an orca attacking a human in the wild. In captivity, it’s a different story, “In front of a crowd of visitors, Tilikum dragged his trainer Dawn Brancheau
Captivity is holding animals whether aquatic or land and keeping these animals confined in areas that are not their natural habitat. Holding sea mammals captive for human amusement is completely unethical. In a report prepared by Naomi A. Rose she mentions that orcas are far too intelligent and family-oriented creatures that are never able to adjust to captivity. There are many reasons as to why sea mammals should not be held captive because these animals are not in their natural habitat, the animals overall health is jeopardized and animals can become increasingly aggressive which can cause death or serious injury to not only the animal but also human beings.
... such as sea pens, due to inability to become self-sufficient for various reasons, such as inability to hunt. Following the retirement of all orcas currently in captivity, no more should be captured and retired individuals should be allowed to live out the rest of their lives in semi-wild habitats. While it is indeed a process that will take significant amounts of time, dedication, and financial support, for the well-being of both killer whales in captivity and those who work with them, killer whale captivity should be banned and appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that whales currently in captivity are humanely retired and able to live out the remainder of their lives in an environment made of ocean water instead of a chemical cocktail, natural physical features instead of concrete walls, and other marine creatures instead of hordes of elementary schoolers.
In captivity, there has been four reported deaths and over a 130 recorded violent incidents. Aggression associated with orcas held in captivity has been rising over the years. Orcas are frustrated by their daily activities and get bored, resulting in lashing out at the trainers. Placing these large mammals in confinement is harmful for both humans and the orcas. Marine mammal veterinarian Jay Sweeney writes from his paper . It is evident that orcas act aggressively when placed in confinement and it is extremely dangerous, therefor it is apparent that hostility associated with orcas in captivity is a major issue.
Orcas, dazzling and exquisite, become one with the azure lustrous waves of the ocean as the golden crepuscular ray slowly sets. Nonetheless, on the other side of the world, sixty-one killer whales have no memoir of the salty essence of the sea, where they rightfully belong nor the fiery red sunset. These magnificent marine mammals earned their scientific name Orcinus Orca from Orcus, the barbaric Roman god of the netherworld for their ability to advance on larger sea creatures. A killer whale’s diet mostly consists of fish, squid, seals, birds, and reptiles, consuming “approximately 3% to 4% of their body weight in food per day” (Marine). Strikingly, scientists found remnants of orcas in their stomachs. However, it is
Big attraction parks such as Sea World should not keep orca whales in captivity because captivity is harmful for both the animals and the trainers. The earliest record of animals being used for entertainment goes all the way back to 2,000 B.C. This is the starting block of animal attraction parks and any form of animal entertainment. Captivity leads to numerous drawback. Drawbacks such as bad diets, high stress levels, abnormal pods and the danger of holding these animals at marine parks. However, there are a few advantages for orcas being held in captivity. For example, captivity provides educational gain, protection from predators, and rehabilitation centers. Although this may be true, the benefits of leaving orcas in their natural habitats
First, the term killer whale misrepresents the Orca. It makes people think they are predators seeking to cause harm to anything or anyone they meet. This could not be farther from the truth. The myth is mostly due to some accidents that have occurred while in captivity. While it is true that accidents have occurred. The truth is they are playful creatures and there was no intent for harm to their trainer to occur. The result is some people thinking Orcas are
Captive whales also suffer physically because they can damage their teeth by chewing on metal cage bars that they live in and all captive adult male whales have collapsed dorsal fins, which is a rare condition in wild dolphins. “Nakai, an orca at SeaWorld San Diego, sustained an injury on his lower jaw that was so significant that it was described as “a dinner plate-sized chunk” of ripped tissue.”(PETA) Wild Orcas can live for decades, but in captivity the median age is only 9. “At least 44 orcas have died at U.S. SeaWorld facilities from causes ranging from severe trauma to intestinal gangrene; none of them have died from old age.”(PETA) So, not only do wild orcas get harmed in captivity, but they also die from severe illnesses and they don’t live as long as they normally would out in the