Why Do Seaworld Keep Animals In Captivity

I believe Seaworld should close down because the animals are kept in captivity, which is very harmful to all of these animals. Furthermore, at SeaWorld, the life expectancy of killer whales is 30-50 years, but the average death at SeaWorld is 13 years old. Also, these mammals are supposed to live with their pod their whole life, but at SeaWorld, they take baby whales from their pods and take them to be an animal for the orca show. Additionally, there have been at least 150 orcas taken captive, but 127 of these animals that got captured are now dead. Also, all captive male orcas have collapsed dorsal fins, because they do not have enough room to move freely around in their cage, but SeaWorld claims this is a common condition in the wild, but it rarely happens in the wild. These whales are supposed to swim up to 100 miles a day, but to reach that goal they have to swim 1,208 laps each day

around the perimeter of the tank.

Orcas in captivity live in close quarters with other orcas that they have never seen, so this causes a lot of anxiety and stress, so it results in fights between these animals and a lot of animals can get injured. Also, these animals that are supposed to be lean killing machines have killed only 1 person in the wild, but orcas have killed 3 people so far in captivity.

SeaWorld is best known for premature deaths for orcas. From the article “8 Reasons Orcas Don’t Belong at SeaWorld” states “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 for females. The average age of death for orcas who have died at SeaWorld is 13 years old.” Furthermore, these mammals are irreplace, and when their life expectancy goes down

by almost 220% at SeaWorld, it could cause these animals to be in danger of becoming extinct if SeaWorld continues to have its killer whales show. Also, these animals are very wonderful and they are supposed to be seen as lean, killing machines, but they are not. Orcas are said to be very playful and very kind, but when they are not inhumane conditions and their life expectancy is very short at SeaWorld, we could not have orcas on this planet anymore. Also, almost every male orca in captivity are said to have a collapsed dorsal fin that is partially collapsed or is completely collapsed. A collapsed dorsal fin is when the fins of the whales are curved, and this can happen for many reasons. Also from the article “8 Reasons Orcas Don’t Belong at Seaworld” claims, all, or most, captive adult male orcas have collapsed dorsal fins, likely because they have no space in which to swim freely and are fed an unnatural diet of thawed dead fish.” In addition, SeaWorld claims that this is a common condition in the wild, but studies have shown that it doesn’t happen in the wild that often. They have this condition, because they cannot move freely, but in the wild, they can so it doesn’t happen that often. The tanks are too small for the orcas, and they do not have any room to swim freely like in the wild. “8 Reasons Orcas Don’t Belong at SeaWorld” states “They would need to swim 1,208 laps (around the perimeter of the tank) or 3,105 lengths (back and forth at the longest part of the tank) in the park’s largest tank to equal what they’d swim in the wild.” Additionally, the orcas swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild, but at SeaWorld they would can not swim meet that expectation daily, because there is no room for the Orcas to swim around freely in their tanks.

Orcas are taken from their pod, whom which they are supposed to live with their whole life, to go to SeaWorld. “The Fate of Captive Orcas” states, “Killer whales, more properly known as orcas, have been kept in captivity since 1961, helpless victims of a blatantly commercial experiment which has seen dozens of wild orcas plucked from their families and forced to live in artificial social groupings which bear scant resemblance to their natural order.” Moreover, these whales were just doing their own life one day, and then the killer whales got captured to live another life with other whales from different pods that they have never seen before. Also, it is shown that orcas put with orcas they have never met causes more aggression to people and the other animals. “The Fate of Captive Orcas” says, “At least 150 orcas have been taken into captivity from the wild since 1961.” As a matter of fact, 127 of these orcas that got captured are now dead, and the captured animals still alive still have to do shows, and they breed for other orcas. So, they usually capture these mammals to use them to breed, so once they are captured they have to breed their whole life. “The Fate of Captive Orcas” also states, “At least 163 orcas have died in captivity, not including 30 miscarried or still-born calves.” For instance, almost 30 whales have been miscarried, and that would be very unhealthy for the whales carrying that calf. Also 163 orcas have died, which is a very big number, and if they were in the wild the number of dead orcas would be less than the orcas that have died in captivity. “The Fate of Captive Orcas” states, “At least 13 orcas have been taken from the wild into captivity since 2002, most recently in Russia.” Additionally, 13 new orcas have been taken, and if they live up to their life expectancy at SeaWorld, which is 13 years old, they could die very soon, and then they would just have to get new orcas.

At the San Diego SeaWorld location they are closing their orca show at the end of 2016 and early 2017. “SeaWorld closing killer whale shows at San Diego park by end of 2016,” says, “Shows at the San Diego park will stop by the end of 2016, said CEO Joel Manby, while a “new orca experience” will debut in 2017 with a “strong conservation message.” However, It is a great thing that SeaWorld is stopping it’s killer whale show, but their are also different locations in the United States that are not closing down. Yes, San Diego is one of the most popular SeaWorld locations, but what about the other locations, and nobody will know what they will do with the whales, and if they will keep them in captivity or send them to a different location. “SeaWorld closing killer whale shows at San Diego park by end of 2016,” states, “California authorities banned breeding killer whales in captivity last month, and SeaWorld says it does not capture new animals from the wild.” Furthermore, breeding is banned only in California, and again their are different locations than just San Diego. Also we know that SeaWorld has captured at least 150 orcas, so SeaWorld does capture orcas. Also, they should ban orca breeding in all the other locations in the country, so SeaWorld could not breed any of their orcas any more. “SeaWorld closing killer whale shows at San Diego park by end of 2016,” says “The company said Monday it plans to reinvent the attraction that’s been the center of animal-cruelty claims against SeaWorld.” In fact, SeaWorld is the center of animal-cruelty, because it is said that they keep the orcas in cages, and it is not healthy for the orcas. “SeaWorld closing killer whale shows at San Diego park by end of 2016,” says, “To help its boost the company’s image, Manby also said the company will “aggressively communicate” its animal care and rescue efforts.” SeaWorld has said many times that they the animals are in humane conditions, but studies have shown that these wonderful mammals are not, so they have lied before, and nobody can trust them now. Also, if SeaWorld would close down, many people would lose their jobs, and in today's economy there are not a lot of jobs unless you have a degree in the job, or you would have to go to college again when they already had a job.

Seaworld has been the attention for animal cruelty, and they might change, but they most likely will not. Let alone, the poor orcas who have done nothing wrong to deserve what conditions they are in now, and the size of tanks as a bathtub. Would you like to be in a bathtub the whole time being crammed and can't walk freely? Well that is what the animals feel like in their tanks. Moreover, would you want to be taken from your family and be forced to live with another family? That is what the orcas are forced to do, and they have no choice if they want to or not. As a final point, we can truly stop Seaworld if we really want to, but first something has to be done to stop them.