Blackfish

ShallowSeas

Has anyone seen this documentary?!  FI and I saw it on Netflix and decided to watch it...omg.  For those that haven't seen it, its a documentary focusing on a killer whale named Tilikum who is at Sea World and the dangers of keeping Orcas in captivity.  Its amazing and definitely changed my outlook on SeaWorld and keeping wild animals in captivity.  If you haven't seen it, I encourage you to watch it. Its definitely worth it.

If you have seen it, what are you thoughts on it?

CLoGreenEyes

It's in my queue! I love orcas so I'm really interested to see this one. I can't imagine how captivity is a good thing for animals this big and this family oriented.

ShallowSeas

@Amapola14 it's awful!!!  Its not something I ever really thought about, but after watching Blackfish, that's all I've thought about. I love going to zoos, but it has even made me think twice about them as well.

[Deleted User]

H and I watched it.  FWIW, I think there's a big difference in zoos and SeaWorld.

CLoGreenEyes

See, zoos don't even bother me as much. Those animals have it made. But I feel like putting one or two whales in a tank for the rest of their lives would be like confining me to my bathtub forever. Hell yeah I would act out! I will let you know when I watch it so we can discuss!

ShallowSeas

@Ampoloa14
@CocoBellaF

There is definitely a big difference in SeaWorld and the zoo. FI and I had that discussion.  I know at our local zoo the animals are well taken care of, it still kind of saddens me though that they enclosed and I really hope none of them were ripped away from their mothers to be taken to the zoo.  Thats the part the saddened me the most about the Blackfish documentary.  Not just the fact that they live in captivity thats too small for them, but that in order to even get to SeaWorld they were ripped away from their mothers.

[Deleted User]

I think most of the animals at our current-day zoos are bred in captivity.  I also think that they try to keep families together... that is what I've noticed at our regional zoos.  families stay together.  also, the zoo habitats are very much like their natural habitats.  zoo animals aren't starved to get them to do tricks.  they don't work with the animals directly at the zoo.  zoo animals are fed diets like they would eat in the wild.

Swazzle

I haven't seen Blackfish but I've heard a lot about it and I am interested in seeing it at some point in the future.

I agree with everything @CocoBellaF has said about zoos. Another point that can be made is that some of these species would have gone extinct if it wasn't for them. 

Peaseblossom55

I want to see it when I have time... some day....

Blue & White

I loved it. Living so close to sea world now it makes me think. I mean I love that place, but how can I support making money off of caging animals? They are redoing the shamu tank currently but....it's $92 to get in or something ridiculous.

We get a lot of news stories here about trainers being lied to as to the intentions of Blackfish in order to coerce interviews too since we're nearby. It's a cluster.

Hummingbird125

I saw it a few weeks ago and could never go to SeaWorld again. Even IF they treat the animals well (which is doubtful), there is just no way that an animal built for having an entire ocean to live in can be comfortable in a tank. Even though most of the whales and dolphins they currently have were bred in captivity, that's only maybe one or two generations removed from living in the wild. These animals are still made for having thousands of miles of ocean to swim in.

Dignity100

I have not seen blackfish so I'm not going to comment on that.

I will comment that many zoo's are not-for-profits with missions that are for conservation and education.  It's one thing to say 'The Polar Bears are endangered' - it's another thing to be able to SEE a polar bear and understand where it's from and why it's endangered (for those of us that read/listen to the signage at the zoo).

motoLyn

I boycotted sea world years ago.  After seeing whales in their natural habitat I could never watch one do "tricks" for an audience.  I'm of the same mind for dolphins and most marine mammals.  I watched Blackfish when it came out and it only confirmed and solidified my dislike of Sea World and their practices.  I would never in my life take my child to Sea World.  If he or she wants to see whales, dolphins or fish I'll take them out in a kayak or paddleboard and we can snorkle together. 

Tillikum had signs of being abused by the other female whales and such that would lead to an aggressive behavior, but in the name of profits sea world covered that up and turned around and tried to blame the trainer that passed away that it was HER fault.  Disgusting. 

MrsDeRuyter87

I have never been a fan of Sea World. I was only able to watch half of blackfish, it was just so sad and awful, my heart could not watch anymore. I was in a sad funk for days after watching it. On a brighter note... @motoLyn your siggy picture is TO DIE FOR!

audrewuh

@Elle1036 and I watched it together a couple weeks ago. It's really intense and I'd really love to see some more facts around it from a different angle. 

@blue&white, want to tell me more about the whole scandal thing?

I also echo @CocoBellaF's thoughts on zoo's. Zoo's that are run correctly at least. 

Blue & White

@andrewuh there have been a few local news stories about trainers that were told Blackfish was a documentary about how it wasn't Dawn Brancheau's FAULT that she was killed (as Seaworld was basically making it out to be - saying she knew better, etc.) and not that it was going to be all "omg Seaworld is the devil".  I kinda think it's splitting hairs, but it's an interesting side of the story.  I may have spelled her name wrong, and if I did, I am sorry for that.

The breeding practices are almost as bad as the living conditions for the animals, in my opinions.  They're just so stinking majestic.  And that is why I scuba dive.  Although I typically do not dive with orcas, as I'm pretty sure they actually don't live anywhere near Florida?  I'm voting no.  It would be awesome if they did though.

[Deleted User]

@Blue & White - I think orcas are more along the NW coast of the US, not FL. 

Blue & White

@cocobellaf exactly my problem! Those waters are far too cold to scuba dive in

beanbot2002

I haven't seen it, but I've been a long time opposer to SeaWorld and their practices. This isn't the first case of something like this happening as a result of poor living conditions for the animals. I also refuse to spend money going to a circus. Wild animals are going to do what they do. Take them out of their element and beat them into doing what you want them to do? Yeah I'm gonna applaud the animal when it eats you. Sorry if that's insensitive, but he's doing what he knows!

Totally seperate topic, but there was a deer that went trotting through one of the big cat enclosures at the National Zoo a couple years back. I think it was the lion enclosure. Anyhow, said big cat killed the deer. I was excited for him. He got a chance to act on his wild instincts and no humans were harmed in the process! Well...don't you know that a whole ton of people were in an uproar. How dare this lion kill a prey animal??? The zoo MUST do something about it! ACTION NOW! This was my reaction:

 

Riss2893

I haven't seen the film so I can't comment on it but a former college professor of mine was a SeaWorld Educator for many years and shared this article (link) on the subject - I found it to be interesting. I plan to watch the documentary at some point too to get a better idea of both sides of the story.

beanbot2002

So I finally sat down and watched it last night. Bean was so upset with the blatant mistreatment of the animals that he had to leave towards the end of it.

I realized that my 'applaud the animal for eating you' statement would have been better directed towards the owners of Seaworld and not the trainer(s) who was killed. There was one 'trainer' that I would have liked to seen be eaten on that show though. He was saying he truly believes that Seaworld takes wonderful care of the animals. And that he doesn't believe any of the stories of mistreatment. He was the one that made me cry.

CLoGreenEyes

It came in the mail! So I will be watching tonight.

KeptInStitches

I'm fixing my Netflix account today, so I'll put in in my queue. Perhaps I'll get to it this evening or this weekend - I'm intrigued.

labro

FI and I watched it the other week. The whole thing was very very sad. We went to SeaWorld in Orlando when I was 13...I don't think I could ever go back. There's so much more we know about orcas know that we didn't know even 10 years ago and I just can't justify in my mind how it's right to keep them in a park for entertainment when they're meant to roam over thousands of miles of open ocean. I don't think it's right that they are continuing to breed them to sustain the industry. SeaWorld isn't like a zoo at all. There are some other interesting documentaries on Netflix that go into how they've learned that different family groups seem to have their own "dialects" and unique behaviors specific to them.