Blackfish Documentary Sparks SeaWorld Debate
The Blackfish documentary is sparking a debate about SeaWorld. The film chronicles the story of a killer whale named Tilikum. In 1983, the whale was captured off the coast of Iceland and trained to perform at a theme park. Between 1991 and 2010, Tilikum killed three people.
The 2010 death of trainer Dawn Brancheau inspired Gabriela Cowperthwaite to question the practice of keeping orcas in captivity. Through her film, Cowperthwaite hopes to raise awareness about the danger and inhumanity of using the whales as a form of entertainment.
As reported by CNN, the Blackfish documentary has sparked a debate. While many agree that captivity is not ideal, others argue that it aids in conservation efforts. SeaWorld Vice President of Communications, Fred Jacobs, said the theme park has an exceptional rescue program:
“… the goal of our rescue program is the rehabilitation of an animal in need so that it can be successfully reintroduced to the wild… There are few organizations in the world that rescue more animals than we do: more than 23,000 since the program’s inception.”
Jacobs said SeaWorld provides a safe-haven where the whales can be observed, studied, and rehabilitated. He explains that the park provides socialization, food, medical care, which the whales often lack in the wild.
The Blackfish documentary argues that the harm to the whales outweighs any benefit. As reported by The Daily Beast, killer whales captured from the wild are separated from their family unit or pod. Whales can become traumatized by the separation, as they form strong bonds within their family unit.
Captivity also limits whales’ activity. Instead of swimming up to 100 miles per day, captive whales are forced to swim circles in small enclosures. This often leads to boredom, which can trigger aggressive behavior or illness.
The Blackfish documentary explains that aggression displayed by captive killer whales is unusual. In the wild, orcas do not kill each other and they do not kill humans.
[Image via Flickr]
