...Why are humans keeping killer whales in captivity when people know the consequences? Keeping killer whales also known as Orcas in captivity is wrong. In captivity killer whales life spans are reduced, cut in half or even less. Killer whales are very social animals and live in pods and they are basically what a family is to humans. Killer whales in captivity live very low quality lives in captivity. This not only harms them but also the people caring for them then why do we continue to keep them in captivity. Killer whales should not be held in captivity because they are meant for the wild, there health is greatly affected, and leads to dangers. Killer whales are not meant for captivity. They are huge animals and live very socials lives in the wild. Michael McCarthy says that killer whales are very intelligent and even have their own communication system (Mccarthy). They become very lonely and distressed when they are alone. An example of this is when In 2002 Keiko the whale that was in the Free willy movies was released but was never able to find a pod to live in and died 18 months after off the coast of Norway (Mccarthy). The only reason undomesticated animals should ever be in captivity is for their own safety if they are...
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...Animal captivity is the case in which animals live under human care. Animals in captivity do not have as much freedom as those in the wild. Animal captivity is common in farms, private homes, zoos and laboratories. These places domesticate the animals either for sentimental or scientific reasons. In short, animals should not be kept in captivity because it is morally wrong and alters the evolution process of natural selection. Animal captivity is morally wrong. All animals, including humans, exist with their own evolutionary motives to reproduce and prosper. Humans should not interfere with this process by taking animals out of their natural habitat. When they are domesticated, it is also much more likely to be cruel to them. For example,...
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...jumping through a hoop or standing vertically to obtain a food reward.” (“Welcome Progress on captive wildlife” 1). When I was a little girl, I loved to see animals doing tricks. After doing some research, now I know some shows are wrong. Animal captivity is wrong because it’s dangerous for people and for the animals, and it’s not natural. Animals such as orcas should never be in captivity. Having animals in captivity can be dangerous for people. “There is no established record of orcas killing human being in the wild… In captivity, however, it’s a different story. Since the 1970’s killer whales in captivity have attacked 24 people around the world, and some of these encounters have been fatal… so why do they attack people in captivity when they don’t in the wild? The answer seems to be captivity-related stress.” (Should We Be Keeping” 1, 2). When animals in captivity get stressed,...
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...Blackfish is a documentary that tells the story of Tilikum, a "notoriously aggressive" orca who has been linked to the deaths of three individuals while being kept in captivity. The film, told largely by five former SeaWorld trainers, uses highly emotional footage to portray Tilikum as an animal that has been negatively impacted by his life at SeaWorld. Blackfish is advertised as a documentary but, in reality, is little more than propaganda, and rather than providing impartial and balanced information, the film uses inaccurate and deceptive facts in a clear example of how bias is used in the media to portray a certain view to the audience. The film misrepresents the orca species as a whole by saying that "they're amazingly friendly and understanding and intuitively want to be your companion." This implies that killer whales are naturally amicable and respectful to humans. Blackfish shows footage of an orca interacting with a dog to justify this statement, but does not explain that the orca shown in that video was an abandoned juvenile named Luna who had been living in Nootka Sound for five years, where he was constantly exposed to human presence and activity. The interactions with Luna that are shown in the film are not an accurate representation of the average, well-adjusted, pod-dwelling orca. This footage is shown out of context and makes the false claim that killer whales, as a whole, are more wary of human presence and generally keep to themselves in natural conditions...
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...Mark Trevino Silvia Herrera English 1301.S99 9 November 2015 The Triumphs of Orcas Kept in Captivity Through the decades of the recent past, orca whales have been taken from their original homes in the wild and forced to live and perform in various amusement facilities spanning the United States. The business revolving around these killer whales has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry; this is an industry which possesses many flaws in the way these animals live and thrive together with each other. Orca whales kept in captivity in various amusement parks should be released back into their natural habitat due to the improper conditions in the parks, increased death rates in captivity, and the higher risk of attacks on humans inside...
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...Is there ethical treatment for animals in captivity? The term “ethical” implies the moral basis of treatment towards animals while “captivity” denotes confinement or lack of freedom. The unmistakable contrast in these two words itself creates the argument whether ethical treatment is possible for animals in captivity. Humans had often been overly considerate about moral principles while dealing with its own kind. Whenever ethics were encroached upon, man stood up against it, questioned it and regained it. But unfortunately, lacking advanced communication like humans, animals are unable to. Human intervention in wildlife has bereaved animals of total control over their own lives. Man may reason out his intrusion, yet, the animals in captivity, being deprived of their natural habitats and having bred in man-made enclosures for generations, tend to misperceive their animality. It is indispensable to have an insight into what causes the bereavement of animals and how it is caused, before looking into its moral principles. Among the contrastive places that I came across in which animal captivity is proceeded, wildlife preservation zoos are the most popular, and least considered as a confinement of animal freedom. Thousands of people visit zoos daily but rarely give a thought to the miserable lives that animals have to spend stagnating and sleeping, due to the less spacious and artificial residences provided. Some present enclosures in zoos have been changed to natural barriers...
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...Should SeaWorld be shutdown? Growing up we would see commercials of SeaWorld, showing us Killer whales entertaining the crowd by performing tricks never seen before. Tourists can leave the park being reassured that killer whales in captivity in fact enjoy performing and are living the lavish lifestyle. Their living standards are far more superior to anything found in “dark, scary ocean.”( a term used by SeaWorld’s executives to defend okra captivity.) Yet when the doors are closed we do not see what really goes on. “Blackfish” documents and exposes the inhumane treatment of Orcas and their trainers inside SeaWorld’s corporation. This documentary talks about a major incident that occurred in 2010, the death of...
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...Free Orcas How much do you really know about whales in captivity? Do you think the whales at sea world enjoy being there? Imagine you're walking down the street with your family when out of nowhere you're trapped in a net and being taken away from them. This happens to young whales almost everyday and is very unnecessary. Orcas should not be kept in captivity because it causes premature death, anxiety, and violent behavior. Many people would consider these results to be animal abuse. It has been confirmed that whales in captivity have higher mortality rates than those in the wild and these rates have only worsened over the years. According to the report “Killer Controversy: Why Orcas Should No Longer Be Kept in Captivity,” "Captive female orcas give birth too young and too often, leading to both high adult and high infant mortality." Also, the chronic stress of being confined weakens their immune system which leads to infection. This is the most common cause of death for captive orcas. The average life expectancy of a wild orca is 30-50 years. Orcas who have died at Sea World have an average age of death of 13 years old. The shocking fact is that over 161 whales have died in captivity, and it can easily be prevented by leaving them in the wild where they belong. Another outcome of the confinement is anxiety. Orcas who are not compatible with one another are placed in relatively small tanks which results in anxiety and tension. This tension often leads to brutal fights...
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...issues of treating animals as people has been whether or not the animals kept in captivity will face the loss of their habitat, will face the detrimental effects of global warming with no way to be rescued and also may be targeted by hunters. “Others worry about animals themselves. Steve Feldman, spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, says that keeping and breeding animals in captivity is sometimes the only way to safeguard a species. Opponents of captivity, he argues, too often ignore the reality of habitat loss, global warming, hunters, and poachers threatening species in the wild,” according to Berdik (2013). It is a very real possibility that by releasing an animal from captivity and essentially treating them as a human that the animal could face complete loss of their natural habitat and may end up extinct or near-extinct due to hunters targeting them. There are also ethical issues that arise from animals being treated as human beings instead of as animals. The first of these is that animals may or may not possess the same cognitive abilities of humans. According to Barlow (2013), “There are a million species of animals. I have studied fewer than a dozen. Based on my research and discussions with scientists, it appears likely that at least some great apes, cetaceans, and elephants possess cognitive abilities that the Nonhuman Rights Project believes are sufficient for legal personhood. “ Because of this, it would be hard to argue that an animal can be treated...
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...Historically, we have captivated and violated other species for our hedonism. We ignore the ecological repercussions of our actions and hide the moral guilt, if any. James Gorman, a science reporter for the New York Times, attempts to provide an answer by asking whether “some…animals on the planet be kept in captivity by human beings?” To elucidate, he focuses on orcas, one of the most “social, intelligent, and charismatic” animals we know of. Although he does not provide a clear consensus or divergent scientific arguments to fully satisfy...
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...issues of treating animals as people has been whether or not the animals kept in captivity will face the loss of their habitat, will face the detrimental effects of global warming with no way to be rescued and also may be targeted by hunters. “Others worry about animals themselves. Steve Feldman, spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, says that keeping and breeding animals in captivity is sometimes the only way to safeguard a species. Opponents of captivity, he argues, too often ignore the reality of habitat loss, global warming, hunters, and poachers threatening species in the wild,” according to Berdik (2013). It is a very real possibility that by releasing an animal from captivity and essentially treating them as a human that the animal could face complete loss of their natural habitat and may end up extinct or near-extinct due to hunters targeting them. There are also ethical issues that arise from animals being treated as human beings instead of as animals. The first of these is that animals may or may not possess the same cognitive abilities of humans. According to Barlow (2013), “There are a million species of animals. I have studied fewer than a dozen. Based on my research and discussions with scientists, it appears likely that at least some great apes, cetaceans, and elephants possess cognitive abilities that the Nonhuman Rights Project believes are sufficient for legal personhood. “ Because of this, it would be hard to argue that an animal can be treated as...
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...watch seeing many animals you would never see up close and everyone enjoying themselves filled with joy except this is not true this is far from it but there are two sides to the story as not everyone at seaworld enjoys themselves behind the tricks and shows are imprisoned animals being forced to perform tricks who were taken away from their natural home as young. Seaworld is not a place where these animals should be held they should be in their natural homes and should've never been taken in the first place. “Sea world” the name sounds amazing but in reality it's far from “sea” world. These animals for example the orcas are held in tanks that are //// ///////. these sizes are not suitable for orcas as they would normally have the whole sea to roam about but are limited to these small tanks. 62 orcas have died at sea world and not one of them was from old age but still they continue to keep the...
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...connection to worlds that are millions of miles away, but it also separates the animals from the place they call home. For some it can save their lives, but for others, it leads to depression and death. Jane Goodall says, “Suppose you were a chimp, and that’s what some of these animal rights people can not get their minds around, it’s what they think is best for the chimp. I want people to think about what the chimp would prefer. So if you’re a chimp; your best choices may be to be in a secure place in the wild, or a really good zoo (Goodall 1).” Do not place your opinions in their head. Animals in captivity are dependent upon their caretakers, and when they aren't taken care of, they will find a way to take over their circumstance. This often means injury to an individual or death. If an...
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...creature swimming in the tank with fatigued parents trailing behind them. The orca appears to be intrigued by the child and the visitors by constantly bumping against the thick layer of glass, however in reality, the orca is pleading for escape. With not much space to live in thrive in, orcas and other massive mammals spend their whole lives swimming around small enclosed pools. Behind those glass tanks are beautiful, living animals who do not deserve to be trapped in compact pools. Guests and children are just far too blind to notice it. While marine parks are entertaining for families and visitors, they should be shut down and banned because of the negative mental and physical impact occurring on the animals being held captive. Whale and dolphin capturing for captivity have been around for a long time and it needs to be put to an end. From 1964 to 1989, a total of 138 orcas were captured for entertainment in aquatic parks. In 1972, 1,133 dolphins were picked out of the United States’ ocean to be held captive (Zimmermann). As of August 2015, there are 59 orcas being held in captivity in 14 marine parks in 8 different countries ("The Fate of Captive Orcas”). People do not realize these mammals have been horribly treated since the early 1960s until now. Orcas and dolphins have been kidnapped from their families and friends so people could keep them in enclosed pools for He 2 entertainment. These mammals are being stripped away from their families and are put with other mammals they do not even know...
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...a vast amount of space to fit animal needs. Due to the facility being unable to meet Aladdin's need to have an abundance in space he can develop physical and emotional problems. Catherine Doyle, director of the elephant campaign For In Defence of Animals, stated that, "Zoos are incapable of providing the space and natural conditions that elephants need, If they can’t they shouldn’t keep elephants” (Reeves 1). This beautiful living creature is being confined in the tight space that just depresses him. Not to mention that Aladdin has no mate or even another elephant to keep him company which adds to the development of health problems. The ethical treatment of animals in captivity needs to improve significantly because keeping animals in closed proximities deprives them of their most basic needs, causes psychological problems, and also increases stress. The animals kept in zoos are restricted by the rules and regulations set by management. The zoo's set so many restrictions towards the animals due to safety regulations. The management in the zoo's decides everything for the...
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