Should Orcas Be Kept In Captivity?
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It's Wrong To Keep The Orca In Captivity
Why We Should Free The Whales
I think that confining something as massive as an Orca in a small pool barely large enough to contain a dolphin, let alone a killer whale is truly inhumane and cruel. Add that to creating a whole dog and pony show around tricks that are not remotely close to any natural type behavior of the Orca, all for the purpose of generating revenue.
I don't buy the argument that we are learning to understand them better. Teaching them to do a trick that doesn't come naturally to them is not learning to understand anything, it's selfish and greedy.
I think it's high time we free the whale.
What Do You Think?
photo by: nsaplayer
Contents at a Glance
- The Sad Tale Of The Orca
- This Orca Is Blowing Off Some Steam
- Read The Opinion Of One Of My Favorite C...
- An Orca At Home - This Whale Is Free
- A Day In The Life Of The Orca
- A Testimonial From Jean-Michael Cousteau
- Should We Free The Whale?
- Orcas - So Beautiful In Their Natural Se...
- Orcas Need To Be Part Of A Community
The Sad Tale Of The Orca
More Reasons To Free The Whale
Twenty one of these are held at Sea World Parks (Florida - California- SanAntonio) - all for the sake of entertainment.
Sea World Parks are owned by Anheuser-Busch.
The number of known Orcas that have died in captivity - 152.
This does not include the number of Orcas who have died while being captured - Estimated number - Forty.
It is estimated a mere nine Orcas have been released back into their natural habitat.
Of the 194 killer whales in captivity since 1964, almost two-thirds didn't make it past ten years of living in captivity.
In their natural habitat, male Orcas live approximately thirty years and females approximately fifty years.
source: Orcas In Captivity.
This Orca Is Blowing Off Some Steam
In His Own Back Yard - Where He Belongs
Read The Opinion Of One Of My Favorite Commentators
Jane Valez Mitchell On Free The Whales
"When it comes to animal exploitation -- follow the money. Using animals for entertainment is big business, plain and simple. The killer whale Tilikum has helped SeaWorld sell millions of dollars worth of tickets.
In the process this highly intelligent, social creature has gone through what we can only assume is hell. The hell is called confinement. Veteran whale trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed February 22 when the 12,300-pound killer whale dragged her into a tank at the park and held her underwater long enough to drown her. It happened in front of a crowd, just as she was rubbing the whale after a show.
As talking heads debate this avoidable tragedy, few pause to reflect on where it all started. It began in the oceans off Iceland. That's where Tilikum was born. He was born free, free to swim up to 100 miles a day, as killer whales are known to do in the wild.
His idyllic life turned into a living hell in 1983......"Read The Entire Article Here
An Orca At Home - This Whale Is Free
The Ocean Is The Right Size Home For The Orca
A Day In The Life Of The Orca
The Contrast Between Free And Not So Free
The captive Orca primarily lives in California, Texas and Florida where temperatures range much higher.
The Free Orca often has a complex hunting strategy that consists of tiring out their prey, playing with it, head butting to name a few. It's clear they take hunting quite seriously.
The captive Orca gets fish thrown at it.
The Free Orca prefers to be on the move, sometimes covering up to 100 miles in a day.
The captive Orca swims aimlessly in circles.
The Free Orca have a complex social structure, living in pods. Some offspring often stay with their mothers for life.
The captive Orca is often alone or with a forced companion, swimming in circles and eating the equivalent of pre-packaged food.
A Testimonial From Jean-Michael Cousteau
More Reasons To Free The Whale
Should We Free The Whale?
Should Orcas Be Kept In Captivity?
Which ever side you swim on, please share your opinion.
Is It Wrong To Keep The Orca In Captivity?
Set The Orca Free - It's Wrong And Cruel To Keep Them In Captivity
Tan Wee Ping says:
Set them FREE!!!
Stop using the name of science to do evil!!!!
I hate Scientist!!
Tan Wee Ping says:
it is cute, u will want to keep it.. but you have to think for them, they thoughts and feelings.. You won't like it if I kept u people cage(people who keeps when because you love them.. If you love them, you should make them happy.. =(
Alex says:
Keeping orcas in captivity is completely wrong. Breeding is horrible, considering most don't survive, many animals die in captivity, and many have been killed being captured. Using them for our pleasure and entertainment is just wrong and I can't believe that humans, including myself have been born into a world where we are being taught that this is perfectly ok. If humans can't realize that something as simple as keeping wild animals in captivity is sooo wrong then we are going to be in a lot of trouble when the really big things, such as the complete melting of glaciers happens, that we are going to be doomed. If people really want to learn more about them then just rent a dvd, read a book, or just research it. DO NOT go visit their habitats. All that will do will make more humans want to and that means more garbage, pollution, etc, and a destroyed habitat and species.
Ky Taylor says:
I think that the Orcas should be free, but the ones that are in captivity now, they may not have what it takes to be let back into the wild anymore. I think that we should stop taking more orcas in for shows and entertainment and just make time with the ones we have so then after that, there wont be anymore orcas stuck in a swimming pool of a pen...
Madhumathy Sugavanam says:
I agree completely. In this century with digital technology, 3D and 4D shows, iPads, we should stop (mis)using animals for human entertainment. Instead of using live animals we should instead support shows like Cirque du Soleil and IMAX theaters. IMAX theaters in Museums bring Dinosaurs live on the screen even though they have been extinct for years. Similar shows should be done about the animals that are being exploited so we can see them in their natural habitat, instead of the artificial setting they are forced perform acts so alien to their natures. Please also sign the petition asking Sea World release their Cetaceans to Ocean Sanctuaries. http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-sea-world-to-release-their-orcas-and-dolphins-to-ocean-sanctuaries#?opt_new=f
I agree completely. In this century with digital technology, 3D and 4D shows, iPads, we should stop (mis)using animals for human entertainment. Instead of using live animals we should instead support shows like Cirque du Soleil and IMAX theaters. IMAX theaters in Museums bring Dinosaurs live on the screen even though they have been extinct for years. Similar shows should be done about the animals that are being exploited so we can see them in their natural habitat, instead of the artificial setting they are forced perform acts so alien to their natures. Please also sign the petition asking Sea World release their Cetaceans to Ocean Sanctuaries. http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-sea-world-to-release-their-orcas-and-dolphins-to-ocean-sanctuaries#?opt_new=f
Tyler says:
NO WAY!!!! ITS LIKE TRYING TO KEEP A SHARK IN A 1-GALLON FISHBOWL!!!!!!!!!!
aj2008 says:
I saw Orcas in Sea World in the 80s. On the one hand I felt so priviledged to be so close to these beautiful creatures and on the other hand I felt it was not right to keep them in what was actually an oversized swimming pool.
karmicchristian says:
They belong to the wide waters of the world. Set them free!
Rafick says:
Yes, their place is in the oceans.
Laurel says:
i am doing a report on orcas in captivity and i say 100% NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ravenko says:
It is so wrong the Killer Whale stays within it's own pod for life, why should they be separated from their family...
Stonecutter says:
These animals swim hundreds of miles at a time, no matter how big that tank they are in looks, it is like putting them in a closet, I would rather rent a boat and see them in their natural habitat, I do not go to Sea World here in San Diego.
skiesgreen says:
You are spot on. Animals of any size or type do not warrant jail.
Hairdresser007 says:
I think these should NOT be put in captivity!!!!
ChrisDay says:
I'm dead against this cynical and insensitive exploitation. The recent events, in which people have unfortunately been savaged, is most sad and regrettable but should be a wake-up call.
tammy says:
Its SO cruel, being kept in such a confined space, its not just seaworld but any where keeping dolphins and whales captive is wrong! they belong in the wild not providing us with entertainment if u really wanna learn about them that much then buy a dvd or go see them in the wild...Its soo shockingly wrong the way the are captured especially in japan, people are ignorant to it and breeding is even worse, being born into that and havng to perform till you die..horrible its not right and kids are growing up thinking this is how whales are like perfroming monkeys and will probably never see one in the wild where they truely belong!! All sea worlds and aquariams and swim with the dolphins need to be BANNED!!!! at the end of the day all these people are interested in is make money by exploiting these poor WILD animals!!!
Margo_Arrowsmith says:
I have to confess that I have enjoyed seeing them perform and touching them, but do they like it? Probably not.
VickiSims says:
I think keeping them in captivity for human enjoyment and profits is wrong.
glockr says:
I think it's better to see them in their natural habitat.
AlaskaHydro says:
I have had the privilege of seeing a pod of orca whales in the wild. They swam along side our boat for ten minutes. After seeing that I don't know how someone could capture one and sell it.
Why Not? They're Just Whales Swimming Around Anyway.
Gini says:
Simple. If they are in captivity, the tank should be large enough to let them move around. Sea Worlds earn millions of money every year and they never renovate the tank to make it big enough for an orca to live. We human dreams for bigger house, then why do we put orca in a small tank as if it's a 200 square-feet apartment?
And the trainers. I have seen some orcas love their trainers and love to be with them. Do trainers treat these highly intelligent mammals as cold-blooded fish (I know orca is mammal), or loving pets?
BigGirlBlue says:
I don't think they should be put in captivity but I don't think the ones there can or should be released and expected to care for themselves. The lines between man and whale have been crossed for them and they wouldn't be able to protect themselves. Normal free whales have a general instinct to stay away from humans (hunters) [mostly] and those confined or bred in captivity do not and would probably not last long. Also the food situation, not having to hunt for food, would probably be detrimental to them.
I don't think Zoo's should be blamed, obviously those in violation/cruelty should be, but most zoo's are just trying to get by.
I personally don't visit zoos anymore because it rips my heart out to see animals pacing in confined spaces. I'd rather see more preserves where land and the animals on them are protected, it should be the same for the oceans.
Andrea says:
It has come to my attention that killer whales are treated wrong at seaworld.Wrong!I LOVE animals and would do anything for them, but seaworld i tihnk it honestly saving the whales from going exstinct, they are already indangered, would we want to put orcas that have no ecolocation back into the ocean and just have them die from hunger idk about u but i dont so i think seaworld should keap breeding for furture refrences.I have the biggest heart for killer whales and know they are exstrodinary animals.I want to be able to train them one day, because trainer and whales hold not just a bond but something even more, that words cnt even explain.Oras are not forced to do tricks nor preform they are asked to do tricks.They get rewards for the tricks not jusut fish, fish, fish.They get fish but not allllllll the time the get ice, rub-downs, and toys.So why do we just focas on seaworld why dont we turn are heads somewhere else but NO ust because one trainer pasted away dosnt mean lets boycottt seaworld why dont we support them because someday we might now have the opratunity to go and watch an orca swim in crystal clear water.So why do people boycott them?
Orcas - So Beautiful In Their Natural Setting
Don't You Agree?
Orca (Killer Whale) Poster
24 in. x 36 in.
Buy at AllPosters.com
Framed Mounted
Orcas Need To Be Part Of A Community
Not Alone In A Fish Tank
Orca Whales Surfacing in the San Juan Islands, Washington, USA Photographic Print
Westmoreland...
24 in. x 18 in.
Buy at AllPosters.com
The reasons the Orca should be free are many. Some experts feel that removing their freedom, confining the whale, and allowing the up to 22,000 pound Orca swim continuously in circles causes stress and may even lead them to neurotic behavior.
The Orca is such a highly social creature who in their natural habitat lives in an advanced community environment. Experts feel that removing them from this environment contributes to their often times neurotic behavior. As a comparison we can ask ourselves what our behavior would be like if we were confined to our closet over a period of time.
Want To Help Me Prove My Point And Save The Whale?
If You Agree That The Orca Should Swim Free, Help Me Out!
Post A Link Here About Why The Orca Should Not Be In Captivity
Captive Orca Statistic
1 point
Free the ORCA Whales - The Petition Site
Orca whales (killer whales) at Sea World (s) live more...1 point
ORCA - Looking out for whales and Dolphins - The marine conservation charity dedicated to forging links between people and the sea.
ORCA - Looking out for whales and Dolphins - The m more...1 point
I'm Not The Only One Who Feels This Way
Others Who Believe Whales Should Swim Free
- Fishermen free tangled whale that went missing, swam hundreds of miles ...
- SAN FRANCISCO ? Crab fishermen working off the Northern California coast have managed to free a gray whale that was tangled in a large fishing line and that had disappeared after a previous rescue attempt, federal wildlife officials said.
- The race to save an entangled humpback whale in Knight Inlet
- By Judith Lavoie, Times Colonist May 30, 2012 9:16 AM In a dramatic rescue, fisheries officers work to free a juvenille humpback whale ensnared by prawn traps in Knight Inlet, about 100 kilometres northwest of Campbell River. A young humpback whale, ...
- The race to save an entangled humpback whale on BC coast
- Then Cottrell's heart sank as the whale remained stationary, tail down. "I thought I'd missed a rope," he said. "Then slowly he realized he was free and he started to slowly swim off." Freed humpbacks usually take off in a hurry, but this one was ...
- The race to save an entangled humpback whale
- Then Cottrell's heart sank as the whale remained stationary, tail down. "I thought I'd missed a rope," he said. "Then slowly he realized he was free and he started to slowly swim off." Freed humpbacks usually take off in a hurry, but this one was ...
Save The Orca
We Can Learn From The Orca
Listening to Whales: What the Orcas Have Taught Us
Amazon Price: $7.91 (as of 05/31/2012)
Stunning Up Close Photographs
Orca: Visions of the Killer Whale
Amazon Price: $20.93 (as of 05/31/2012)
For Orca Lovers
For Whale and Nature Lovers Of All Kinds
This Sums It Up For Me
Why Dolphins And Orcas Should Not Be Kept In Captivity
As Jacques Cousteau famously said: "There is about as much educational benefit to be gained in studying dolphins in captivity as there would be studying mankind by only observing prisoners held in solitary confinement."
I Rest My Case.
A Thumbs Up Is Forever Appreciated!
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What Do You Think About Keeping The Orca In Captivity?
Should We Free The Whale?
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karmicchristian
Sep 6, 2011 @ 12:55 am | delete
- Very nice of you to create awareness on this issue. The whales belong to the oceans and not to be toyed around in some fish tanks!
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Rafick May 27, 2011 @ 5:37 am | delete
- You've done a great job to help protect orcas. Let's hope that the awareness of the problem spreads. Rafick
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ravenko
Apr 12, 2011 @ 12:32 pm | delete
- I don't think any animal should be held as a hostage just for our own greedy viewing purposes they all have a right to be free...Loved your lens and am lensrolling over to my Killer Whale collection lens, and thanks so much for bringing this awareness to help keep the Killer Whales Free!!!
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Stonecutter
Mar 29, 2011 @ 8:14 pm | delete
- I despise zoos and aquariums like Sea World. We can never replicate these creatures natural habitat and trying to do so is a fools errand. Leave them in their natural environment and make sure they are protected, that is the best thing we can do for them.
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lollyj
Feb 26, 2011 @ 8:16 am | delete
- I'm so concerned about sea life that I refuse to eat any kind of sea food anymore.
Animals belong in their natural habitat, whales included.
Wonderful lens. Lensrolled.
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imolaK
Feb 10, 2011 @ 7:20 am | delete
- In my oppinion animals shouldn't be kept in captivity. Blessed!
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skiesgreen
Feb 9, 2011 @ 12:41 am | delete
- Humans expwxt animals to be there for their amusement but have no idea about how they suffer. Featured this on Killing the World
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ChrisDay
Jan 16, 2011 @ 2:45 pm | delete
- It stinks! There's no justification that I can think up. Just exploitation.
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Margo_Arrowsmith
Nov 3, 2010 @ 7:07 pm | delete
- Beautiful animals, and they are more like us than we know. Well, actually, scientists do know it
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Laddoo
Oct 12, 2010 @ 7:14 am | delete
- Blessed by a Squid Angel and featured on my Spreading the Angel Dust Lens
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Hi - I'm Shirl. I remember the first time I went to Sea World as a kid and wondered: "Where does that big whale live, the ocean isn't anywhere around... more »
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A personal tour of the world of the Orca, free in their own environment.
