SeaWorld prepares to put trainers back in water with killer whales

[Isa]

LOL Katie Thanks for the laugh .

 

[Angi]

I didn't get any good pictures of the dolphin. They were too fast. I can't post on here anyway. I am a computer chalenged. Last year I drove on a field trip for fifth graders to see a ship and there was a whale stuck in the harbor. Actually it might have been the year before which was fourth grade. We saw it. I am pretty sure they got it back out to sea. It must have been a baby. I have never had the wanted to go whale watching. I just doesn't sound exciting to me and I see coupons and Groupons for it all the time.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

My captive bred tortoise is THRIVING under my care. If you could say the same about orcas kept in captivity I might feel differently.

Good point...otoh, if each of these orcas had as much room available to them as each of my European tortoises have (my math comes up w/ 400' X 320', or thereabouts, for an equivalent), that'd be a start...Google indicates most Sea World-type attractions allow 2 body lengths X 1 body length for up to two orcas per holding unit, or 50' X 25' (the display/show pools are much larger, of course)...or to put it another way, it's the same as you and your spouse living entirely in a space somewhat smaller than a walk-in closet...but you do get to come out a few times a day for a brief period.

One expert stated, right after the last tragedy, "building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn't be large enough for a six-ton male such as Tilikum".

 

[Kalina]

My captive bred tortoise is THRIVING under my care. If you could say the same about orcas kept in captivity I might feel differently.

Good point...otoh, if each of these orcas had as much room available to them as each of my European tortoises have (my math comes up w/ 400' X 320', or thereabouts, for an equivalent), that'd be a start...Google indicates most Sea World-type attractions allow 2 body lengths X 1 body length for up to two orcas per holding unit, or 50' X 25' (the display/show pools are much larger, of course)...or to put it another way, it's the same as you and your spouse living entirely in a space somewhat smaller than a walk-in closet...but you do get to come out a few times a day for a brief period.

One expert stated, right after the last tragedy, "building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn't be large enough for a six-ton male such as Tilikum".

I agree, it's far too small, and SW have multiple Orcas together in these tanks... Saying all that, SW isn't nearly as bad as some other aquariums, personally I think The Miami Seaquarium is much, much worse, poor Lolita lives alone in a tiny illegal pool. It's very sad.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

My captive bred tortoise is THRIVING under my care. If you could say the same about orcas kept in captivity I might feel differently.

Good point...otoh, if each of these orcas had as much room available to them as each of my European tortoises have (my math comes up w/ 400' X 320', or thereabouts, for an equivalent), that'd be a start...Google indicates most Sea World-type attractions allow 2 body lengths X 1 body length for up to two orcas per holding unit, or 50' X 25' (the display/show pools are much larger, of course)...or to put it another way, it's the same as you and your spouse living entirely in a space somewhat smaller than a walk-in closet...but you do get to come out a few times a day for a brief period.

One expert stated, right after the last tragedy, "building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn't be large enough for a six-ton male such as Tilikum".

I agree, it's far too small, and SW have multiple Orcas together in these tanks... Saying all that, SW isn't nearly as bad as some other aquariums, personally I think The Miami Seaquarium is much, much worse, poor Lolita lives alone in a tiny illegal pool. It's very sad.

Agreed...something should be done for Lolita.

Here in Texas, the Dallas Zoo is a source of shame for their treatment of Jenny, an African elephant in a much too tiny enclosure, where she must live in solitude...many have been trying to convince the Dallas Zoo to send her to an elephant sanctuary for her remaining years, and either shut down the zoo's Elephant exhbit or build a proper one.

 

[onarock]

The way Zoo's and Aquariums decide on weather their going to spend the money on building larger-better aquariums sounds like the same process automobile manufacturers use when deciding weather or not to do a recall.

 

[Candy]

The Seaquarium's tank for Lolita is 35' wide and 20' feet deep in the middle. Lolita is 21 feet long and approx: 6000 lbs. and she's been kept in that same tank for 40 years.

I can't believe the Dallas Zoo has one elephant by it's self. That's shameful. I am sorry to hear that. The zoo's never have enough space to keep elephants. I feel the same way about them as I do the whales.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

The Seaquarium's tank for Lolita is 35' wide and 20' feet deep in the middle. Lolita is 21 feet long and approx: 6000 lbs. and she's been kept in that same tank for 40 years.

I can't believe the Dallas Zoo has one elephant by it's self. That's shameful. I am sorry to hear that. The zoo's never have enough space to keep elephants. I feel the same way about them as I do the whales.

Well, they did have two, until a few years ago, when the other female was "put down" due to illness...but when they both shared that tiny enclosure, it was even more cramped...which may have led to the other female's illness.

The Forest Park Zoo (Ft. Worth) has a much nicer, roomier elephant exhibit, plenty large enough for the 6 or 7 elephants that live there, but Dallas doesn't seem to think spending the $$$ (or allowing Jenny to go to an elephant sanctuary) is important...

 

[Kalina]

Some of the dangers of being an Orca Trainer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWP4rQXToRw&NR=1

 

[Isa]

I could not watch the video until the ends it breaks my heart too much. The worst part that the trainers love the whales with all their hearts and they do not undertstand why the whales are acting like that. It is so sad for the trainers who have lost their lives, sad the ones being attacked and sad the for the whales because they never asked to be abused that way (Being abused for $$$) they just want to be free and in my opinion, when they attack like that, even them do not know what is going on in their heads . But I guess Seaworld, Marineland... just do not care about that, they do not care about the trainers, they do not care about the whales they just care about $$$!!! I wish it would be them in the pool with the mad whales!

 

[Candy]

Wow Kalina I have never seen that video. The trainers do not know what it's all about until this happens to them.

 

[ChiKat]

Are you kidding me?!?

"SeaWorld Orlando plans to put the killer whale Tilikum back into public performances beginning Wednesday, for the first time since the 6-ton whale killed a trainer at the marine park more than one year ago."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/s...eath-returns-to-1358921.html?cxtype=ynews_rss

(love the comments at the bottom though)

 

[Candy]

Wow I didn't know that they were going to do that again. Thanks for the article. I loved the comments at the end also. I see that everyone that posted considers the lives of not only the trainers, but the animals also. I found it very interesting that my son Noah gave his oral presentation on the captivity of Killer Whales at Sea World and the Miami Seaquarium and when he was done he asked everyone to raise their hands if they would go to Sea World again. It turned out to be 16 no, 8 yes, but what really surprised me is when they told him that they thought that the whales were boring, what they wanted to go to Sea World for were the rides. I didn't even know that they had rides there. He got an A on his report. Very proud of him because he was able to show both sides and let them make up their own minds. Noah learned so much from this project it actually took him 40 minutes to give the presentation. Way to research Noah.

 

[ChiKat]

Wow, good for your son! You must be so proud

 

[Kalina]

I think I read somewhere that he was supposed to be in the show on Wednesday, a ton of people showed up and he never went out, they claim he was "Shy". I've also read that the new set they're building in the Killer Whale Stadium conveniently hides the back pools, so they'll be no more undercover video of Tilikum being isolated for days on end.

 

[Isa]

Aww Candy that is amazing. You must be very proud of your son, I am very proud of him too !
I cant believe they will put Tilikum back into public performance, will they ever leave him alone So one day, if he gets unhappy again and stressed out in the pool and kill someone else it is going to be the whales fault right!!!!!!
I am happy because more and more people are aware of the situation now, I really hope there will be some changes one day.
I was talking about that with a friend of mine (she has 2 kids) and I was showing her the youtube videos. I told her, would you go to Marineland now that you know all that. she answered me ''well if they still do it it must not be that bad and what do I do if my 2 kids wants to go one day) ?!?!?! No comments!

 

[Kalina]

Tili is about to make his appearance, I think the show is about to start.

 

[Kalina]

Well, Tili was in the show today, he moved slow, probably due to being left alone to log all day for the past 13 months.

 

[Kalina]

Keiko: The only long term captive orca to ever be released back into the wild did thrive despite captive industry claims.

For 6 years Keiko lived outside of the concrete jungle and he thrived. Keiko gained weight, re-learned his hunting skills and built his strength up enough to travel the oceans. Keiko died FREE. His story is one of success, even though the captive industry claims being free killed Keiko. Marine parks use Keiko’s death as an excuse to not attempt release/retirement programs for their captive orcas. This is unacceptable to us and it should also be to the majority of people.

Little does the SeaWorld disclose to the public about captive orcas dying in the parks.

Orcas die all the time in captivity, yet this has not persuaded the captive industry to stop keeping them in captivity. Instead marine parks uses the excuse that ONE captive released orca died 6 years after his release so all captive orcas are unreleasable. Any person using even half of their brain can see this is just not correct.

In actuality captive orca deaths have inspired the captive industry to breed more orcas to take the place of the orcas that die at their hands. You do not hear marine parks screaming that captivity kills orcas so they should not be kept in captivity. To use Keiko as an excuse to not attempt release/retirement programs is a double standard that the captive industry wishes to try to brainwash the public into “believing”.

Ask yourself how many orcas have died within 6 years of being placed or born into captivity. If you do not know the answer than you should not be debating these matters with those that do know. I can tell you this, more than one orca has died within the first 6 years of living in captivity. 97 out of 156 orcas that have died in captivity did not survive 6 years….more than 62%.

Wanda 2 days, Moby Doll 3 months, Namu 1 year, Shamu 6 years, Katy 3 months, Orky 2 years, Lupa 7 months, Bonnie 4 months, Natsidalia 7 months, Corky 2 1/2 years, Tula 3 months, Ahad 5 1/2 years, Cuddles 5 1/2 years, Mamuk 5 1/2 years, Ramu2 1 year, Calypso 1 year, Patches 1 1/2 years, Kenny 1 1/2 years, Scarredjaw Cow 2 months, Chimo 2 1/2 years, Lil Nootka 7 months, Ramu4 1 year, Wally 1 year, Clovis 2 1/2 years, Chappy 3 1/2 years, Jumbo 4 years, Kandu3 4 years, Kona 6 years, Canuck 2 1/2 years, Zero 15 days, Sandy 4 1/2 years, Kandy 3 months, Frankie 5 months, Nootka2 9 months, Nootka3 9 months, Kim 5 1/2 years, Baby 18 days, Miracle 4 1/2 years, Magnus 2 months, Canuck2 4 years, no name 4 months, Spooky 11 days, no name 5 months, no name 5 days, no name 1 month, no name 2 months, Chi 4 months, Tai 3 years, Surfer Girl 9 days, Dzul-ha 4 years, no name 3 months, King 4 years, Benkei2 2 1/2 years, no name 2 months, Neptune 1 1/2 years, Nemo 5 years, no name 4 months, Benkei3 1 1/2 years, Sacchi 2 years, no name 10 days, Kiva 48 days, no name 8 months, Nandu 4 1/2 years, no name 2 months, Freyja 3 years, no name 1 months, Milagro 5 1/2 years, Baby Shamu 11 days, no name 2 months, Shachi 2 years, Prince 4 years, no name 22 days, Ai 6 years, Kyosha 96 days, no name 33 days, no name 62 days, no name 1 day, Nyar 2 1/2 years, Kanuck 4 years, no name 38 days, no name 1 day, no name 1 day, Malik 4 years, Nova 4 1/2 years, no name 4 months, no name 4 months, no name 11 days, Hudson 6 years, Algonquin 2 1/2 years, Sarah 3 years, no name 28 days, April 1 month, Athena 4 1/2 years, no name 2 days, Halyn 2 1/2 years, no name 3 days, Pascuala 2 months

The captive industry’s stance regarding the release of Keiko is degrading to the orca species as a whole. Marine parks relay to the public about how intelligent orcas are, yet when it comes to Keiko and current captive orcas, this is not the case. Despite evidence of Keiko thriving, the captive industry claims he just died, he was killed because he could not make it. Keiko made it. Keiko disproved all the claims marine parks make about releasing/retiring captive orcas. This is why they take such a terrible stance against Keiko’s release.

Marine parks have proven that some orcas have the ability to adapt. After all, their orca ”collections” originally came from the wild. They have adapted to eating dead fish that is an unnatural food source for them. They have gone from swimming many miles a day to surface floating, hunting and catching birds, socially interacting with humans and even interacting and breeding with other subspecies which would never occur in the wild. If these orcas can learn to adapt to these conditions, why is it so easy for marine parks to state they could never learn to adapt to their natural state of living in the oceans? Which is it?

Many will claim “captive orcas would never survive in the wild”. The thing is Orcas have not been in captivity long enough to breed out their natural instincts. Rather they were born in captivity or not, they still have DNA encoded deep within them to ensure their survival here on Earth. SeaWorld claims to have the most extensive knowledge of orcas on the planet, yet SeaWorld does not have more knowledge and experience than Mother Nature or God or who ever you wish to give credit for creating orcas. To take such a God like stance is very arrogant on SeaWorld’s part. They do not have the ability to just magically remove certain DNA and replace it with other DNA regarding these orcas. This arrogance is displayed to the public constantly….every time they claim their orcas are “happy”, not stressed and doing very well is another one of those God like stances they take, as orcas in the wild do get stressed, they express an entire range of emotions, and sometimes do not do so well. Mother Nature, God or who ever you would like to give credit to creating orcas does not hide this from us so why does SeaWorld hide it from us?

Read on... http://withoutmethereisnou.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/seaworlds-double-standard-stirs-controversy/ Has pics of sea pen.

 

[Candy]

Here's some of the most damaging evidence against what Sea World does to get their whales and how they're buy they've bought their way out. This is what you support if you buy tickets to go to Sea World. It's only 2 minutes long so please watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPB-YXIL0qY&feature=player_embedded