It Will Happen Again
by Sarah Thompson
by Sarah Thompson
Orlando, FL--"Free Tilly", "Boycott SeaWorld", and "It Will Happen Again" read the signs held up by PETA members in front of the infamous aquarium. "Free Tilly", a play on words from the 1993 film Free Willy, was adopted by picketers protesting orca captivity at SeaWorld. The issue was brought to global attention when an experienced trainer by the name of Dawn Brancheau, was killed during a routine "Shamu" performance at SeaWorld Orlando. Tilikum, the orca responsible for her death, is the largest orca in captivity at 22.5 feet long and 12,000 pounds. This seemingly unpredictable display of aggression was just the most recent tragedy resulting from the practice of orca captivity. When in captivity, these mammals are negatively affected in numerous physical and psychological ways. Their trainers are put in danger as well, as they deal with wild and unpredictable creatures unfit for captivity.
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| Free Tilly! |
For decades experts have argued that it is "entirely inhumane to keep these animals in captivity"(Ketler). However, there are forty-six of these mammals living in this 'entirely inhumane' environment. Major physical and psychological traumas occur as a result of this captive lifestyle. "Life in a shallow concrete tank is greatly impoverished compared to the lives of their free-ranging counterparts" (Jett and Ventre). "Captivity deprives them of those essential elements, leading to chronic stresses that appear as immunodeficiency, ulcers, and hostility," says Howard Garrett of The Orca Network. In a display of aggression, orcas also bite metal grates causing dental damage which can lead to "a host of diseases including valvular heart disease, gingivitis, pneumonia, stroke, and heart attack" (Jeff and Ventre), difficulty eating and often fatal septic infections.
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| Dental issues as a result of captivity |
"At least forty-four orcas have died at SeaWorld parks, including four within four months in 2010," says Cathy Williamson, the Captivity Program Manager of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Dorsal collapse is another indication of their health distress. In the wild, these mammals swim hundreds of miles every day, the force of the water keeping their dorsal fin strong. In captivity, they are forced to remain virtually stagnant with no support on their dorsal fin, it collapses. In the wild, this collapse only occurs to 1% of the orca population, while in captivity 100% succumb to this depressing fate (Jett and Ventre). The diet of the captive orca is substantially lacking in quality and nutritional value. "It is not known how refrigeration and freezing of these fish impact the nutritional quality, nor is it known what long-term health consequences arise from feeding captive orcas food inconsistent with their culture" (Jett and Ventre).
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| Dorsal collapse |
The 2013 CNN documentary Blackfish proposed that the 2010 tragedy of Dawn Brancheau was a result of Tilikum's years of captivity. According to SeaWorld of Hurt, a PETA organization, this was not the first death that Tilikum had been responsible for: in 1991 while in captivity at SeaLand in British Columbia, trainer Keltie Byrne fell into the water with Tilikum and was dragged to the bottom of the tank repeatedly until she drowned. In 1999, Daniel P. Dukes was found dead in Tilikum's tank at SeaWorld Orlando. Blackfish presents a convincing argument that "Tilikum’s actions were deliberate and that his behavior was a result of the psychological damage of captivity" (Gorman), while SeaWorld argued that the death was an accident. It is important to note that as SeaWorld's 2014 appeal revealed, "a substantial portion of SeaWorld’s killer whale population had at least one reported incident" (SeaWorld of Florida, LLC v. Thomas E. Perez, 2014).
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| CNN's Blackfish |
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Blackfish had a profound impact on its viewers. Saint Michael's College student, Mayrose Gravalec-Pannone reacts by saying the film allowed a "wide range of the public to see the deep psychological damage that humans do to animals in zoos and aquariums for their own enjoyment." Similarly, Danika Gallup, another student at Saint Michael's College agrees that the documentary shows a side of captivity that was previously hidden from the public eye. She recognizes the use of studying these creatures in a rehabilitation setting, but wishes it occurred "in a setting like Yellowstone, where the public can see [orcas] as they exist naturally." Nathaniel Quealy reflects on his time visiting SeaWorld as a child, "the entire time I felt that we were being pushed through a facade. Everything seemed okay on the surface, but I feel like everything behind the scenes was garbage. Every single animal at SeaWorld was putting on an act purely for the people. It just wasn't natural."
Blackfish had a profound impact on its viewers. Saint Michael's College student, Mayrose Gravalec-Pannone reacts by saying the film allowed a "wide range of the public to see the deep psychological damage that humans do to animals in zoos and aquariums for their own enjoyment." Similarly, Danika Gallup, another student at Saint Michael's College agrees that the documentary shows a side of captivity that was previously hidden from the public eye. She recognizes the use of studying these creatures in a rehabilitation setting, but wishes it occurred "in a setting like Yellowstone, where the public can see [orcas] as they exist naturally." Nathaniel Quealy reflects on his time visiting SeaWorld as a child, "the entire time I felt that we were being pushed through a facade. Everything seemed okay on the surface, but I feel like everything behind the scenes was garbage. Every single animal at SeaWorld was putting on an act purely for the people. It just wasn't natural."
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| Dolphins are Cetaceans |
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http://www.catalysthouse.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/cetaceans-1024x710.jpg
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| The Order, Cetacean |
On May 17th, 2013 the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests passed legislation that declared all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) as non-human persons. A blog titled "Grey Matters" describes orca whales as possessing "human-like qualities including intelligence, language, and an exquisite sense of emotional capability" (Crawford) so it is no wonder India has come to this decision. Although Costa Rica, Croatia, Hungary, and Chile have already banned the general exploitation of these mammals, India is the first country to lawfully recognize their sentience and basic rights. Following India's lead, California put forward the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, a law to ban all performances involving orcas, both public and private. The ten orcas that are currently held captive in the state would be transferred to sanctuaries for rehabilitation so that they may live peacefully in a natural setting.
https://twitter.com/OrcaUnited
Captivity keeps orcas from living the life they are meant to live in nature. "We have a responsibility to recognize and respond to these behavioral needs in captive animals," says Steve Smith, director of animal care and facilities at the ECHO Center in Vermont. "Many zoos have opted out of keeping elephants because they cannot commit to the resources that are necessary to maintain elephants properly. Perhaps it's time to think about killer whales in the same light". The question remains, in an age where more and more people acknowledge the standing of cetaceans in society as sentient beings, why do we as a people tolerate the antiquated and slave-like conditions of popular aquariums such as SeaWorld? In order to assure a better quality of life for these unique creatures, their captivity must end.
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| @phoebedykstra Instagram upload on @OrcaUnited Twitter account |
Captivity keeps orcas from living the life they are meant to live in nature. "We have a responsibility to recognize and respond to these behavioral needs in captive animals," says Steve Smith, director of animal care and facilities at the ECHO Center in Vermont. "Many zoos have opted out of keeping elephants because they cannot commit to the resources that are necessary to maintain elephants properly. Perhaps it's time to think about killer whales in the same light". The question remains, in an age where more and more people acknowledge the standing of cetaceans in society as sentient beings, why do we as a people tolerate the antiquated and slave-like conditions of popular aquariums such as SeaWorld? In order to assure a better quality of life for these unique creatures, their captivity must end.
Works Cited
"30 Years and Three Deaths: Tilikum's Tragic Story - SeaWorld of Hurt."SeaWorld of Hurt. PETA, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Cieply, Michael. "SeaWorld’s Unusual Retort to a Critical Documentary." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 July 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Couwels, John, and Brian Todd. "SeaWorld Trainer Killed by Killer Whale."CNN. Cable News Network, 25 Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
"Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans: Whales and Dolphins." CetaceanRights.org. Whale and Dolphin Conservation, 22 May 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Fielding, James. "SeaWorld Whale That 'killed' Three Still Being Used to Breed, Former Worker Claims." Daily Express World RSS. N.p., 17 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Gallup, Danika. "Interview with Danika Gallup." Personal interview. 13 Apr. 2014.
Garrett, Howard. "Interview with Howard Garrett." E-mail interview. 17 Feb. 2014.
Gorman, James. "Smart, Social and Erratic in Captivity." The New York Times. The New York Times, 29 July 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Gravalec-Pannone, Mayrose. "Interview with Mayrose Gravalec-Pannone." Online interview. 15 Apr. 2014.
Smith, Steve. "Interview with Steve Smith." Telephone interview. 15 Apr. 2014.
Ketler, Alanna. "India Declares Dolphins & Whales As ‘Non-Human Persons,’ Dolphin Shows Banned." CollectiveEvolution RSS. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Kuo, Vivian. "SeaWorld Appeal of OSHA Citations Denied." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Quealy, Nathaniel. "Interview with Nathaniel Quealy." Personal interview. 21 Apr. 2014.
SeaWorld of Florida, LLC v. Thomas E. Perez. United States Court of Appeals. 11 Apr. 2014. The American Lawyer.
"SeaWorld Responds to Questions about Captive Orcas, 'Blackfish' Film." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Ventre, Jeffrey, M.D., and John Jett, Ph.D. "Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity." The Orca Project. N.p., 20 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
Williamson, Cathy. "Interview with Cathy Williamson." E-mail interview. 18 Feb. 2014.
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