The topic of the abuse of Orcas in captivity is a widespread injustice that culminates in the biggest orca training water park in the country, SeaWorld. Unfortunately, this abuse is practiced all over the world and is a major issue that many people want to see end. The documentary, Blackfish, presents these issues by educating people on the abusive conditions that takes place in these water parks. In the movie, one can see just how significant this problem is and the impact that it has had on the population of the orcas around the world. Furthermore, it is a problem that it is too significant to be solved by simply attacking the problem head on. There are simple yet complicated methods and small steps that must be taken in order to solve …show more content…
Well, Never Mind.” by Kevin Roose. Roose stated in his article that, “SeaWorld 's stock is plummeting more than 20 percent today, after quarterly earnings that showed shrinking revenue and lowered guidance for next quarter.” (Roose). However, this is only a small victory. When everything is put into perspective, one can see that the decrease in SeaWorld’s attendance record is only one business that is suffering from the story of Blackfish. There are many more corporations in the world that are keeping orcas in captivity simply for the money from the shows. The effects of the movie, Blackfish, on this corporation is just a drop in the proverbial ocean when it is compared to all of the establishments in the world that keep orcas in captivity. There are many other establishments that still need to be investigated and possibly even shut down due to the mistreatment of these large …show more content…
Yet these people do not stop to consider what is going on behind the scenes when they are watching the dolphins and whales swim and dive through the water with their trainers. If one were to approach a trainer and ask about the abuse that these animals suffer every day in order for them to perform their shows and tricks, the trainer would say that it is an educational and necessary aspect to keep the animals in captivity. They would also defend these abusive acts by speaking of the information they are gaining of the animals and how they can use this information to help those in the wild. This is due to their own ignorance that they would say such terrible things about these intelligent yet helpless animals. These animals endure much more torture in captivity than most people would like to admit to themselves. Furthermore, the “facts” that the trainers tell the visitors of SeaWorld are untrue. For example, as one sees in the movie Blackfish, the trainers do not give accurate facts regarding life span in and out of captivity as well as the percentage of the collapsed fins
Blackfish is a documentary based upon orcas who are at SeaWorld. Throughout the documentary Blackfish, there were many rhetorical devices used. The documentary displayed very empowering rhetorical devices. The documentary also gave a great representation on why orcas should not be held captive. I strongly agree with the filmmaker,Gabriela Cowperthwaite.
How would you like to live in a bathtub your entire life? Never get to leave that tub, and the only purpose of your life is for the pure enjoyment and entertainment of others. You wouldn’t would you? So what makes humans think a twelve ton Orca, that in nature swims about an average of one hundred miles daily, would want to be kept in a pool its whole life? Keeping Orcas in captivity, strictly for show, when the pool is too small, and they are not kept in good physical or mental health. Some argue SeaWorld is not a problem that it is good enough for research, because SeaWorld gives them protection from the outside world where they wouldn’t survive as long, or that being kept in a pool simply doesn’t affect them physically or mentally. SeaWorld is inhumane to Orcas they do not take care of their physical or mental health, it causes the animals stress and anxiety, and causes them to be aggressive, leading to deathly situations.
Suppose you were kidnapped from your family as a child by an alien species while your family watched in despair, crying out helplessly for your kidnappers to not rip you away from them. Now imagine then being strapped down and transported to a place unknown and once you arrive, you see that some of the other children that were also kidnapped have died. You then witness something that will forever remain engraved into your mind; you witness those monsters that took you hostage cut the children open, fill their bodies up with rocks, tie an anchor onto their feet and throw them into the ocean. The monsters then throw you into a tiny cage; you learn that you will not only never see your family again and die in that confinement but you will also work for these monsters and perform as a source of entertainment for them. You spend every night locked away into an even smaller steel cage that gives no freedom of movement at all and aren’t fed if you displease your new masters. Although this sounds like an outline for a horror movie, it is not. It is happening in real life and in our world. It is horrific, not only unethical but inhumane. This depicts the capturing process and life in captivity for public display of Orcinus Orcas, popularly known as Killer Whales since 1961. Although some laws regarding the capturing of whales have changed, whales are still being treated unethically. Just as inhumane as it is for this to be done to humans, it is equally inhumane for it to be done to animals. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, inhumanity is “the quality or stage of being cruel to other people or to animals” (dictionary.com) and that is what their captivity is...
“You hear her just scream out, ‘somebody help me!’ It was such a bloodcurdling scream. She knew she was going to die,” commented John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer. There has been 21 attacks on humans by killer whales in the last 10 years. SeaWorld was associated with 12 of them. In 2013 SeaWorld was worth $2.5 billion, they would do anything to protect their business. They target adults and teenagers; or anyone who can pay. The purpose of the Blackfish documentary was made to inform people how wrong it is what SeaWorld is doing. Animals in captivity do not live as long and depending on the animal there is more complications. Seaworld is an unacceptable place to live, for orcas and any other animal. They do not have animals’ best interests in mind.
Blackfish is a 2013 documentary attempting to elevate public awareness regarding the orca that are being kept in maritime amusement parks, specifically SeaWorld, and the inherent danger of their captivity. The film is effective because it raises a set of important ethical questions for the viewer while presenting with a necessary fact-based style of documentation that does not evoke gratuitous scenes of abuse in order to inspire sympathy, unlike some of the other films that are intended to raise awareness about animal abuse.
I believe that killer whales held hostage, should be retired and allowed to live freely because of the unnatural punishment and torture that Seaworld is putting them through. There has been 151 cases of aggression between Orcas and their trainers. Also 100% of male Orcas in captivity have a collapsed fin compared to the 0.01% in the wild. In fact, every single mother within captivity has had its calf taken away around age 2. This isn't going to stop without your help. So, here are some more facts to convince you to SAS ( strike against Seaworld. )
“Blackfish” has had people thinking about the tragic events happening at SeaWorld and the reasons behind it. SeaWorld tried to cover up the deaths of trainers but, there are always people that find out the truth. The trainers who
Kirby, David. "SeaWorld's Worst Nightmare: Calif. Lawmaker to Propose Ban on Orcas in Captivity." TakePart. N.p., 6 Mar. 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. .
"Blackfish" might not make an airtight case against training wild animals for our enjoyment, but it very convincingly argues that those animals remain what they are, no matter how SeaWorld or any other corporation invested in presenting them as cuddly attractions tries to say otherwise.
Rose, Naomi A. “Killer Controversy: Why Orcas Should No Longer Be Kept in Captivity.” Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States. Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2013.
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
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.
Millions of people visit Sea World each year (The Fate). They crowd into Shamu Stadium to be entertained by the killer whales as they perform. Their eyes widen, and they sit in awe, as these enormous creatures effortlessly propel themselves out of the water. The children in the audience squeal with delight as the orca’s giant tail sends a wave of ice water over the crowd. But these fast-paced, high-spirited shows hide a darker reality. They are designed to mask the reality of the bare, cold concrete walls that the Orcas are forced to call home. It’s time for people to realize the plight of these mammals. Keeping Orcas in captivity is both harmful and cruel.
Millions of people come from across the world to visit Seaworld every day without thinking about the lives of the animals behind the scenes. Why would they have concerns? From Seaworld’s commercials to the website, they convince the general public that Seaworld is the place to go to see the happy sea animals perform. If Seaworld is such an ecstatic place, what excuse does Tilikum, their greatest well known orca whale, have for the three attacks on trainers? The documentary “Blackfish” was created by the director Gabriela Cowperthwaite because she questioned herself after realizing Tilikum's odd behavior over time in captivity, and if there was any indisputable parts to animal captivity?
The film raised awareness and drew national attention to the subject; even prompting the U.S. House of Representatives to express concern regarding the captivity of Orcas. Blackfish critically highlights how the public views wildlife “entertainment”, and encourages viewers to be aware of the impact they on nature and vise versa.Throughout the film, the filmmaker challenges viewers to consider three major questions: Should wildlife be held in captivity? Should we treat more intelligent animals such as killer whales differently? and Are SeaWorld visitors complicit in the abuse of Orcas? (Halverstadt, Lisa. Voice of San