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SkyebobPiepants In reply to BlackBird123456 [2015-03-25 03:00:14 +0000 UTC]

I have seen Blackfish multiple times. I have studied it.
I'm guessing you have seen it? What did you think? (And was it your 'introduction' to SW's killer whale care?)

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BlackBird123456 In reply to SkyebobPiepants [2015-03-25 03:57:09 +0000 UTC]

I have seen it once before and found it incredibly disturbing. I had heard about SW's scandals before but I had no idea they were THAT bad. The fact that the employees were flat out lied to and knowingly placed into a dangerous situation is appalling. I'm amazed they had us all fooled for so long. 

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to BlackBird123456 [2015-03-26 01:03:35 +0000 UTC]

Just remember there are two sides to every story. Almost everyone who was in 'Blackfish' are very clearly aligned with the Animal Rights Movements and PETA, so don't think this is not an agenda-driven movie deliberately made to make people hate SW. 100% of the 'scientists' in the film are self-proclaimed  animal-rights activists who have been attacking SW for years, even suing SW for 'violating the 13th Amendment on slavery' because of their orcas.
The film maker even admitted that she understood why SW declined to be interviewed for the film, because there was no way at all they could come out looking good in her film.

Then many of the ex-trainers in the film worked at SW over 20 years ago and for only 1-3 years, some didn't even work with the orcas (most never worked with Tilikum because they were never experienced enough). Some were fired from SW for breaking safety violations and hitting animals (While being on Blackfish preaching SW didn't care about safety or animal welfare)

There was one ex-trainer who was in the film defending SW and their practices, saying everyone was warned about Tilikum and there were special procedures around him, saying the animals were treated well, etc. This man was actually the one who acquired Tilikum from Sealand to SW. He worked with orcas for 10 years, directly working as Tilikums trainer, gave the most extensive interview he had ever given about SW, yet 99% of everything he said was scrapped from the movie because it didn't follow the "story" the film maker was trying to create. And the things he was saying were very fascinating into the mentality of Tilikum, such as how Tilikum was so mistreated before he arrived at SW, they spent months and years attempting to fix his issues. Tilikum was a nice whale, but he was very very overprotective of things because his old home at Sealand used punishment-based training (which involved food deprivation), and he would have everything taken off him from trainers, or from the other whales as he was the lowest ranking. So when he got something like a toy, he wouldn't let anyone take it from him. SW spent years teaching Tilikum to give his toys back and teach him it was OK, but the problem is, the issue was already created. SW didn't acquire Tilikum until he was already 12 years old with problems.
Things like this happen in other animals, dogs in particular can become food aggressive and over protective if they have been starved, to the point a 'happy' animal completely changes into a different aggressive personality when the trigger (food) is around.

Another ex-trainer who was part of making the film (but never appeared in footage) has also come out slamming 'Blackfish' and regretting her involvement with the film because of how misleading it is (This lady had a 10 year career with orcas which ended 2011-not 20 years ago)
The trainers in the film with the least amount of experience (and relative experience because they worked so long ago) got most of the airtime in film.

If you truly have done all the research (beyond Blackfish, and I would recommend looking at un-biased sources and not animal activists pushing an agenda.. These people include Lori Marino, Ingrid Visser, Howard Garrett, Naomi Rose) and you still hate SW, that's fine. But if Blackfish is where the majority of your information of SW comes from, I recommend looking into the zoological side of the story. SeaWorld is one of the most respected zoological facilities in the world. You don't get a reputation like that from mistreating animals.

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IcestormTundra In reply to SkyebobPiepants [2017-04-07 18:08:10 +0000 UTC]

Personally I don't hold a grudge against Seaworld at all, I see them as a product of their time. The trainers clearly care about their animals and they do try to give them a decent life. My issue is with captivity in the first place and how it just doesn't gel well with cetaceans. Marine parks fundamentally are a business and their goal is to make money, and that is their first priority.

One of my biggest issues is the amount of stress the animals go through due to the high levels of noise from stadiums, loud music, and hundreds of thousands of people milling about. They're so sensitive to sound you can imagine how that much noise effects them. I remember reading that medications such as antacids and benzodiazepines are given to calm them and treat ulcers caused by stress.
One study i looked at for my psychology a-level showed they cuts and ulcers on students, took longer to heal during the exam period compared to the holidays by about 2-4 weeks. Stress can result in a compromised immune system in humans as well as whales, as seen with the large amount of antibiotics given to cetaceans in captivity. (John Jett spoke about that a few times). 

theorcaproject.files.wordpress…

"Pills, such as antibiotics, are typically packed into the morning feeding sessions by pushing them through the gills of herring (fish). The deleterious effects of chronic antibiotic usage are well established, and include disruption of normal bacterial flora in the gut, malnutrition, and susceptibility of the host to opportunistic pathogens such as fungi and yeast." -page 4/21

Not to mention the huge amounts of waste these animals produce, and how much faecal bacteria are in those tanks even with good filtration. I keep fish, and even in my half-empty tanks (like my 75l with two zebra danios in it) i'd never put any of that water in my mouth for fear of catching something, and the water turnover in that tank is excellent.

Not to mention the dolphins drives in Taiji, Solomon Isles and  orca captures in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Put simply for me, the overwhelming evidence is that cetaceans in general do not belong in captivity, and at the very least
shows should be put to a stop entirely. They don't do well mentally or physically. Captivity just doesn't suit some animals and orca are one of them.

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to Maran9 [2013-01-17 11:56:25 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to marielliott [2009-01-19 05:45:15 +0000 UTC]

Thanks!!!

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to Satinrose-Gumbii [2008-09-26 07:14:14 +0000 UTC]

Thankyou!

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to orcalvr2007 [2008-05-15 15:48:01 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to zippythewolf [2008-01-04 05:22:18 +0000 UTC]

It does. Thanks!

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to Kasatkasea [2007-12-02 11:49:12 +0000 UTC]

Thankyou very much!

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Kasatkasea In reply to SkyebobPiepants [2007-12-02 17:27:16 +0000 UTC]

Your welcome

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to orcafreedom1 [2007-09-05 05:54:57 +0000 UTC]

Thanks

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to Bandarai [2007-06-03 11:31:30 +0000 UTC]

It's good to see so many people know of Lolita's plight. Thanks

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Bandarai In reply to SkyebobPiepants [2007-06-03 13:19:17 +0000 UTC]

Welcome

And yes, you're absolutely right. Although, I must say I'm surpised how little people know of her mate, Hugo *sigh*

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to Gordorca [2007-05-25 05:26:55 +0000 UTC]

Thanks I wasted a lot of ink on this pic, im surprised my pen still works, lol!

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to orkakid [2007-05-25 05:26:16 +0000 UTC]

Thankyou

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orkakid In reply to SkyebobPiepants [2007-05-25 10:29:16 +0000 UTC]

welcome

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to orcafan [2007-05-25 05:25:27 +0000 UTC]

Im glad it reminds you of Lolita That was my plan, however it no 'actually' Lolita. Just a random whale. Thanks

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to KeikoSplash [2007-05-25 05:24:12 +0000 UTC]

It was inspired by Lolita, but it isn't actually her Thanks!

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SkyebobPiepants In reply to Lawlfox [2007-05-25 05:23:10 +0000 UTC]

Yeh, Chicken. MMMMmmm. Thanks

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Lawlfox In reply to SkyebobPiepants [2007-05-25 06:01:58 +0000 UTC]

Heheheh you werent at skool again.....I envy you so much!! LOL

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