Killer Whales in the Wild-NOAA

The loss of human life yesterday at SeaWorld was tragic.  The appropriate response to this tragedy would be to end the captivity of Killer Whales and the inexcusable exploitation of them by the entertainment industry.

Tilikum, the whale involved in the incident, has been held in small tanks since his capture in 1983.  He is most often held in isolation, which is very unnatural for whales who normally live in pods (groups).  He is also used for breeding on a regular basis, which anyone who has worked with bulls, stallions, etc… will tell you has a profound effect on animal behavior.  And as if this was not enough of a torturous existence for him, he is also kept hungry to ensure that he will perform tricks for the paying public on a regular schedule.

These magnificent, intelligent creatures are held in deplorable conditions and forced to perform to “feed” corporate greed and no other reason.  The public does not learn anything useful about whales by watching them perform tricks except that they can provide a steady stream of income. 

This tragedy should have everyone questioning the entire industry based around captive marine mammals being forced to perform, but instead will probably increase revenue due to morbid human fascination.

Yesterday was a sad day for many reasons!

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