Blackfish
Black Fish Since 1964, killer whales; also known as the orca, (Orcinus orca) first to put in a cage for the world to see. The view of the killer whale has shifted from a dangerous killer to a cuddly animal. Theses whales have gone from a sea creature shot at by humans, to the star money maker at theme parks. Both images become one-sided, putting the creature into stereotypes. Orcas resemble humans, very complex, intelligent, and also taken advantage of. As of today, they stand as the largest animal and predator to be put in the smallest captivity. The killer whales beauty has mesmerized humans for years, but captivity not only breaks down the physical and mental health of these creatures, and also puts others in danger. Studies have shown the life expectancies of an orca in captivity remain well below the life of a wild counterparts. Industries claim that the achievements in veterinary care and nutrition have made a life of orca far better, but studies prove that the whales act much better in the wild. In 2007, SeaWorld responded to questions asked by KGTV and stated “We have often said that 30 years is a good estimate of average killer whale lifespan as we can exceed that age, as evidence by one of ours, Corky. She is at least 40 and perhaps as old as 42. Biology of Marine Mammals said that female killer whales in their studies group had a mean life expectancy of 31 years and males just 19 years”(Rose). The average whale can live up to 100 years old in the wild. In captivity the average whales life will stand at 19-30 years. However, of the captive whales, only two have passed the age of 40( SeaWorld of Hurt). This means the maximum lifespan of a captive whale has reached only half the years of it’s wild counterparts. Immoral and unfair to profit from the mistreatment of animals. The main attraction at many marine park continues to remain the killer whale, without them, attendance at shows would drop. The companies want to keep attendance and profit
Cited: “Blackfish”. Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Manuel Oteyza, 2013. Film. “The Fate of Captive Orcas in 2014 -Whale and Dolphin...” 2014. 11 Oct. 2014 “Blackfish documentary exposes dark side of SeaWold and...” 2013. 9 Oct. 2014 “ Killer Controversy - Humane Society International.” 2011. 9 Oct. 2014 “ 11 Things You Didn’t Know About SeaWorld - SeaWorld of ...” 2014. 11 Oct. 2014 “ Captive Killer Whale” 2012. 11 Oct. 2014 “Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity” 2011. 9 Oct. 2014.