Whale's Life on Entertainment Parks

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Everyone dreams to be able to go to SeaWorld, to see the whales—these majestic creatures gracefully swimming, so close to you. Then, you can go see the Shamu show, and you can see all the tricks the whales have been trained to do. When one finds out about the whale’s life, everything changes. Killer whales in SeaWorld are held in captivity without the necessary living conditions or treatments. Due to this, the whales should be released because they can acquire mental health issues and anger can build up, causing them to act out against trainers. For more than fifty years, SeaWorld has been the leading theme park and entertainment company “delivering personal, interactive and educational experiences that blend imagination with nature and enable our guests to connect with and care for the natural world we share. SeaWorld acts as a world leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company is responsible for caring for some of the biggest marine animals and cares for the largest number of animals on the North American continent” (SeaWorld). Most people have heard the name Shamu—the giant majestic orca whale that has been tamed, but how did the world of Shamu begin? The theme park opened in 1964. Originally planned to be an underwater restaurant, SeaWorld (a marine zoological park), took up twenty-one acres of land along the shore of Mission Bay in San Diego. SeaWorld was founded by a group of UCLA students—George Millay, Milt Shedd, Ken Norris, and David DeMott. The company began with a $1.5 million investment and only forty-five employees. Caring for several dolphins, sea lions, and two salt water aquariums, SeaWorld had over 400,000 visitors within their first year in business. SeaWorld employs more tha... ... middle of paper ... ...es in small tanks for entertainment purposes. These whales should be released because it will prevent future tragic deaths of trainers and because it is the morally right thing to do. People will just have to learn to let go of the beloved memory of Shamu. Works Cited Blackfish. Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Magnolai Pictures, 2013. DVD. Gorman, James. “Smart, Social, and Captive.” The New York Times 30 July 2013: n. pag. Print. “Hoyt, Erich. "The World Orca Trade." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. Maratea, Ron. "Basic Facts About Orcas." Orca. Defenders of Wildlife, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014. SeaWorld Theme Parks in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego. SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, Web. 24 February. 2014.SeaWorld Theme Parks.” "Thirty Years and Three Deaths: Tilikum's Tragic Story." SeaWorld Of Hurt: Where Happiness Tanks. SeaWorld Of Hurt, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.

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