Killer Whales in Captivity
Killer Whales: Captivity vs. Wild
Killer Whales: Captivity vs. Wild
To many people the black and white ocean animal that has a body
like an extremely large dolphin is known as a “killer whale”. What some might
not know is that the actual title of this large mammal is the Orca whale. So why
is the Orca whale referred to as a killer? It might be assumed that with its’
large body mass and long sharp teeth that this animal is a natural cold, hard
killer that destroys all things in its’ path- including humans. With many killer
whale attacks over the last several decades it would not be hard to believe
this. A little known fact about this “beast” is that all of these attacks,
whether they cause serious injury or death, have only occurred when the killer
whale has been in captivity. There has never been any reported deaths of a human
by a wild killer whale. It is hard to tell if these human injuries and deaths
were simply accidents or if the killer whale deliberately set out to cause harm.
With the recent death of SeaWorld trainer, Dawn Brancheau, in Febraury
2010, the theory as to whether or not killer whales should be in captivity or
not has been tested. Many animal activist groups, such as PETA, have been
pushing for the freeing of killer whales and other marine mammals. Brancheau’s
death has also caught the attention of OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, for the safety of and well-being of the trainers and any other
individuals who come in contact with the whales. SeaWorld claims that their
practices are completely safe and that the whales are not doing these acts out
of aggression. If these whales are not doing these acts out of aggression then
why are they doing it? There is no clear answer yet as to why these peaceful
animals in the wild are turning vicious in captivity. Animal activists think
that they know the reasons why, and they blame it on the health problems,
communication and social barriers, food differences, and the unnatural habitat
that come with living in captivity.
Due to the environment and the new surroundings the Orcas are submitted
to this causes health problems for the whales. Something that is different and
unhealthy for the whales is the environment they are subjected to. Even though
the marine parks fill their aquariums with ocean water, the water in the
aquariums is filtered to remove bacteria and chlorine is added as well (“Killer
Whales in Captivity”). This is not natural for whales to live in because in the
ocean they are used to coming in contact with micro and macro organisms and
bacteria that the marine parks are taking out of the water, and, clearly, it is
not normal for them to be swimming in chlorine
water.
like an extremely large dolphin is known as a “killer whale”. What some might
not know is that the actual title of this large mammal is the Orca whale. So why
is the Orca whale referred to as a killer? It might be assumed that with its’
large body mass and long sharp teeth that this animal is a natural cold, hard
killer that destroys all things in its’ path- including humans. With many killer
whale attacks over the last several decades it would not be hard to believe
this. A little known fact about this “beast” is that all of these attacks,
whether they cause serious injury or death, have only occurred when the killer
whale has been in captivity. There has never been any reported deaths of a human
by a wild killer whale. It is hard to tell if these human injuries and deaths
were simply accidents or if the killer whale deliberately set out to cause harm.
With the recent death of SeaWorld trainer, Dawn Brancheau, in Febraury
2010, the theory as to whether or not killer whales should be in captivity or
not has been tested. Many animal activist groups, such as PETA, have been
pushing for the freeing of killer whales and other marine mammals. Brancheau’s
death has also caught the attention of OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, for the safety of and well-being of the trainers and any other
individuals who come in contact with the whales. SeaWorld claims that their
practices are completely safe and that the whales are not doing these acts out
of aggression. If these whales are not doing these acts out of aggression then
why are they doing it? There is no clear answer yet as to why these peaceful
animals in the wild are turning vicious in captivity. Animal activists think
that they know the reasons why, and they blame it on the health problems,
communication and social barriers, food differences, and the unnatural habitat
that come with living in captivity.
Due to the environment and the new surroundings the Orcas are submitted
to this causes health problems for the whales. Something that is different and
unhealthy for the whales is the environment they are subjected to. Even though
the marine parks fill their aquariums with ocean water, the water in the
aquariums is filtered to remove bacteria and chlorine is added as well (“Killer
Whales in Captivity”). This is not natural for whales to live in because in the
ocean they are used to coming in contact with micro and macro organisms and
bacteria that the marine parks are taking out of the water, and, clearly, it is
not normal for them to be swimming in chlorine
water.
Another health problem that these Orca whales face is that,
because their habitats are manmade, they wear down and break their teeth on the
metal gates that are in the aquarium. To ensure that the whales do not get a
deadly infection, their grinded down, nubby teeth must be removed with a drill
and then flushed out daily so that food does not get caught in them (Kirby). In
the oceans, whales do not come in contact with these medal gates and, therefore,
do not have to worry about this problem. The reason why the whales chew on these
gates is because they develop “zoochosis”.For all animals in captivity they
become so bored and lonely that they develop “zoochosis” which is when animals
start to lose their mind and submit to abnormal behavior. It usually involves
the animals rocking back and forth, mindlessly pace, or, more severely,
self-mutilate (“Zoos and Pseudo- Sanctuaries”). When a whale has “zoochosis” it
might appear to mindlessly swim around the pool, not swim at all, chew on the
gates, or sometimes it might even repeatedly ram into the walls of the
aquarium. Along with health problems, another issue that takes place for whales
in captivity is the issue of communication and social barriers between one
another.
In the wide open oceans, on an average day, the Orca whales
would hear the sounds of their pod communicating, the splashing of the waves,
and even the occasional boat passing by. Very calm and relaxing noises. However,
in captivity, the sounds that the whales hear are very different and it even
effects their communication. In the article “Killer Whales in Captivity” it
states, “The sound of water pumps and crowds of cheering people interfere with
the natural echolocation of the orcas and has a negative impact on their
communication”. In the wild, these sounds are very unfamiliar and unnatural to
the Orcas which is not good for them. There are many social barriers that the
whales are faced with as well. Just like humans have their own families, whales
stay connected with their families as well. The name of an Orca whale’s family
is called a pod. These pods travel together and usually never leave each other
from birth to death. Each pod has their own type of “traditions”. As a pod they
hunt together, they play together, and they live together. A big part of the
pods life is the communication within the pod. Each pod has their own distinct
noises that they make which are only recognized by members within their pod
(“Killer Whales (Orcas)”). When a captured whales is transported to a marine
park and placed in an aquarium filled with Orcas that are not from its’ pod this
can be very stressful for the whale. The Orca is now in a tank with other
animals that look the same as it, but they do not come from the same pod and do
not communicate the same way. When Orca whales are in the wild they have very
complex social groups and strong bonds with their pods (“Orcas in Captivity:
Animal Cruelty for a Profit”). When they are taken from their natural habitat,
away from their family, and placed in a habitat they are not familiar with the
whales have a hard time creating social bonds with other whales. Not only does
the whale’s communication and socialization differ, but there are many changes
made to its’ diet as well.
Imagine eating the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, day in and
day out. It would probably become very boring real quick. This is what happens
to the whales that are in captivity. In the wild the whales usually eat fish,
sharks, squid, turtles, seals, sea lions, penguins, sea birds, and octopus
(“Killer Whales in Captivity”; “Killer Whales (Orcas)”). The diet of whale
depends on where they are found in the world. Whales closer to the poles might
dine on penguins, fish, and seals, while those closer to the equator might eat
turtles, squid, and octopus. At marine parks, the whales are normally fed the
same diet of fish every day. It has been reported that “trainers routinely stuff
the gills of fish with antibiotics, antacids, and vitamins, and inject them with
fresh water, because freezing, storing, thawing, and processing fish reduces its
nutritional value” (Kirby). This is unnatural for whales in the wild because no
one is there to monitor their diet and supply them with man-made chemical filled
vitamins. Along with putting all these unnatural chemicals in the Orcas bodies,
the Orcas are also fed around 80 pounds of gelatin a day so they do not get
dehydrated (Kirby). This is just another example of a substance that the whales
are fed, which is unnatural for an Orca whale in the wild. In the wild, Orcas
have a widespread amount of prey that they can eat, but in captivity the whales
are fed the same dull and monotonous diet day after day. The diet that they are
fed is not the diet that is the most nutritious or the best for them, but,
instead, it is the food that is most convenient for their human trainers and
keepers to feed them.
would hear the sounds of their pod communicating, the splashing of the waves,
and even the occasional boat passing by. Very calm and relaxing noises. However,
in captivity, the sounds that the whales hear are very different and it even
effects their communication. In the article “Killer Whales in Captivity” it
states, “The sound of water pumps and crowds of cheering people interfere with
the natural echolocation of the orcas and has a negative impact on their
communication”. In the wild, these sounds are very unfamiliar and unnatural to
the Orcas which is not good for them. There are many social barriers that the
whales are faced with as well. Just like humans have their own families, whales
stay connected with their families as well. The name of an Orca whale’s family
is called a pod. These pods travel together and usually never leave each other
from birth to death. Each pod has their own type of “traditions”. As a pod they
hunt together, they play together, and they live together. A big part of the
pods life is the communication within the pod. Each pod has their own distinct
noises that they make which are only recognized by members within their pod
(“Killer Whales (Orcas)”). When a captured whales is transported to a marine
park and placed in an aquarium filled with Orcas that are not from its’ pod this
can be very stressful for the whale. The Orca is now in a tank with other
animals that look the same as it, but they do not come from the same pod and do
not communicate the same way. When Orca whales are in the wild they have very
complex social groups and strong bonds with their pods (“Orcas in Captivity:
Animal Cruelty for a Profit”). When they are taken from their natural habitat,
away from their family, and placed in a habitat they are not familiar with the
whales have a hard time creating social bonds with other whales. Not only does
the whale’s communication and socialization differ, but there are many changes
made to its’ diet as well.
Imagine eating the same food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, day in and
day out. It would probably become very boring real quick. This is what happens
to the whales that are in captivity. In the wild the whales usually eat fish,
sharks, squid, turtles, seals, sea lions, penguins, sea birds, and octopus
(“Killer Whales in Captivity”; “Killer Whales (Orcas)”). The diet of whale
depends on where they are found in the world. Whales closer to the poles might
dine on penguins, fish, and seals, while those closer to the equator might eat
turtles, squid, and octopus. At marine parks, the whales are normally fed the
same diet of fish every day. It has been reported that “trainers routinely stuff
the gills of fish with antibiotics, antacids, and vitamins, and inject them with
fresh water, because freezing, storing, thawing, and processing fish reduces its
nutritional value” (Kirby). This is unnatural for whales in the wild because no
one is there to monitor their diet and supply them with man-made chemical filled
vitamins. Along with putting all these unnatural chemicals in the Orcas bodies,
the Orcas are also fed around 80 pounds of gelatin a day so they do not get
dehydrated (Kirby). This is just another example of a substance that the whales
are fed, which is unnatural for an Orca whale in the wild. In the wild, Orcas
have a widespread amount of prey that they can eat, but in captivity the whales
are fed the same dull and monotonous diet day after day. The diet that they are
fed is not the diet that is the most nutritious or the best for them, but,
instead, it is the food that is most convenient for their human trainers and
keepers to feed them.
It is evident that the aquariums that the whales are placed in
in the marine parks are much smaller than the ocean that they are used to. As
hard as marine parks try to make the aquariums reflect the ocean, an aquarium
does not reflect the natural habitat that killer whales normally reside in. The
whales swim in the same water in the same pool and do the same tricks on a daily
basis. The aquariums they are held in lack diversity that the Orcas need
(“Killer Whales in Captivity”). The moves that they normally make and the speed
at which they normally travel cannot be achieved in the small aquariums that
they are held in. In the wild, Orcas can travel as far as 100 miles a day and
usually go about 200 feet below the surface (“Orcas in Captivity: Animal Cruelty
for a Profit”). Due to the obvious structural limitations of the marine park and
its’ aquariums, whales do not nearly reach the amount of travel distance they do
in the wild. For whales the wide open spaces of the oceans offer them more
movement and thus exercise. Being in the oceans, the whales are not restricted
as to where they can go. Orca whales can be found many places all over the
globe. They normally are found in cold coastal waters anywhere in between the
North Pole and the South Pole (“Killer Whales (Orcas)”). So what is the
distance limitation ratio of a killer whale in an aquarium compared to a human?
“This habitat can be equated to a human being relegated for life to an are maybe
as big as a few rooms and full of chemically treated air” (“Orcas in Captivity:
Animal Cruelty for a Profit”). The lack of diverse scenes and monotonous
activity are ultimately boring for the whales.
in the marine parks are much smaller than the ocean that they are used to. As
hard as marine parks try to make the aquariums reflect the ocean, an aquarium
does not reflect the natural habitat that killer whales normally reside in. The
whales swim in the same water in the same pool and do the same tricks on a daily
basis. The aquariums they are held in lack diversity that the Orcas need
(“Killer Whales in Captivity”). The moves that they normally make and the speed
at which they normally travel cannot be achieved in the small aquariums that
they are held in. In the wild, Orcas can travel as far as 100 miles a day and
usually go about 200 feet below the surface (“Orcas in Captivity: Animal Cruelty
for a Profit”). Due to the obvious structural limitations of the marine park and
its’ aquariums, whales do not nearly reach the amount of travel distance they do
in the wild. For whales the wide open spaces of the oceans offer them more
movement and thus exercise. Being in the oceans, the whales are not restricted
as to where they can go. Orca whales can be found many places all over the
globe. They normally are found in cold coastal waters anywhere in between the
North Pole and the South Pole (“Killer Whales (Orcas)”). So what is the
distance limitation ratio of a killer whale in an aquarium compared to a human?
“This habitat can be equated to a human being relegated for life to an are maybe
as big as a few rooms and full of chemically treated air” (“Orcas in Captivity:
Animal Cruelty for a Profit”). The lack of diverse scenes and monotonous
activity are ultimately boring for the whales.
With the lack of mental stimulation that the whales receive in
aquariums they become stressed and acquire mental illness and aggression.
Unfortunately, this aggression is taken out on the trainer because they are the
only objects that the Orcas come in contact with. In the article “Killer Whales
in Captivity” it states that the aggression towards the trainers is because of
the “compromised mental and physical health of Orcas held in unnatural
habitats”. The capture and transport can cause psychological stress on the
whale. When placed into a new environment the whale has to become accustomed to
the new lifestyle, communication, food, and habitat differences. In the
documentary Blackfish, a neurologist
who has studied Orca whale brains via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) states,
“The Orca brain just screams out intelligence- awareness”. This means that the
Orcas are aware of what is going on around them and are emotionally, physically,
and mentally affected by captivity. The same neurologist mentions how all
animals in captivity are emotionally destroyed and traumatized from the
experience (Blackfish). Coming from
someone who has been to marine parks, interacted with marine animals, wanted to
be a marine biologist, and has researched the issues and arguments between
animal activists and marine park, I am still unsure as to what environment is
best for this large, intelligent, and emotional mammal. Marine parks claim that
their environment is better for the whales while animal activists would claim
that type of environment is completely fabricated. The battle still continues
between the two, but no matter who wins, the whales will are the ones who will
ultimately lose in the end.
Blackfish.
Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. 2013. CNN Films. DVD.
"Killer
Whales in Captivity." Killer-Whale.
Bio Expedition, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
http://www.killer-whale.org/.
"Killer
Whales (Orcas)." National
Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
< http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/killer-whale>.
Kirby,
David. "Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity." Death
at SeaWorld. WordPress, 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
< http://deathatseaworld.com/>.
"Orcas
in Captivity: Animal Cruelty for Profit." Keep
Whales Wild. KeepWhalesWild.org, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
http://www.keepwhaleswild.org/.
"Zoos
and Pseudo-Sanctuaries." PETA. PETA,
n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
< http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/zoos-pseudo-sanctuaries/>.
aquariums they become stressed and acquire mental illness and aggression.
Unfortunately, this aggression is taken out on the trainer because they are the
only objects that the Orcas come in contact with. In the article “Killer Whales
in Captivity” it states that the aggression towards the trainers is because of
the “compromised mental and physical health of Orcas held in unnatural
habitats”. The capture and transport can cause psychological stress on the
whale. When placed into a new environment the whale has to become accustomed to
the new lifestyle, communication, food, and habitat differences. In the
documentary Blackfish, a neurologist
who has studied Orca whale brains via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) states,
“The Orca brain just screams out intelligence- awareness”. This means that the
Orcas are aware of what is going on around them and are emotionally, physically,
and mentally affected by captivity. The same neurologist mentions how all
animals in captivity are emotionally destroyed and traumatized from the
experience (Blackfish). Coming from
someone who has been to marine parks, interacted with marine animals, wanted to
be a marine biologist, and has researched the issues and arguments between
animal activists and marine park, I am still unsure as to what environment is
best for this large, intelligent, and emotional mammal. Marine parks claim that
their environment is better for the whales while animal activists would claim
that type of environment is completely fabricated. The battle still continues
between the two, but no matter who wins, the whales will are the ones who will
ultimately lose in the end.
Blackfish.
Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. 2013. CNN Films. DVD.
"Killer
Whales in Captivity." Killer-Whale.
Bio Expedition, n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
http://www.killer-whale.org/.
"Killer
Whales (Orcas)." National
Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
< http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/killer-whale>.
Kirby,
David. "Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity." Death
at SeaWorld. WordPress, 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
< http://deathatseaworld.com/>.
"Orcas
in Captivity: Animal Cruelty for Profit." Keep
Whales Wild. KeepWhalesWild.org, n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
http://www.keepwhaleswild.org/.
"Zoos
and Pseudo-Sanctuaries." PETA. PETA,
n.d. Web. 11 May 2014.
< http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-in-entertainment/zoos-pseudo-sanctuaries/>.