What happens at Sea World is NOTHING compared to Willy's situation in the movie. First of all, at Sea World, trainers work with the animals all day, training them and playing with them (using "environmental enrichment devices") to keep their minds activated and keep them from getting bored. Those shows are NOT cruel. They're stimulating. They give the whales an outlet for their incredible mental capacity. If they weren't trained and put on exhibition the way they are, they would be bored to death, and that would be true cruelty. So don't think for a second that Sea World is cruel because of their shows. Although I hate anthropomorphism, imagine that you lived in a confined area. Would you rather spend all day doing nothing, or spend your day with someone teaching you knew things and playing games?
Secondly, the pools that Sea World has for their whales is far larger than the one shown in Free Willy. Is it anything compared to the ocean? Of course not. But it's better than Willy/Keiko's situation. Not to mention at Sea World, whales are housed together, which is vital for their social health. Willy was alone, which was a major source of his "depression."
Thirdly, you have to remember that while yes, Sea World is a huge business and multi billion dollar company, it also does a lot to contribute to conservation and science, which it simply could not do without the funds. Many of the things we know about artificial insemination, animal behavior, and conservation ecology come from zoos and aquariums, which need the business aspect to make money to fund their projects. Because of sea World, we are able to use artificial insemination technology to actually increase wild whale populations. Also, keep in mind that most of the animals at sea world were born in captivity, and have never, nor could ever, be in the wild. It's important to keep in mind that the Sea World of today is not the Sea World of the 70's.
Is life in captivity good for animals? Well, there is the protection from the dangers of the wild but ultimately, probably not the best option for the individual animal. HOWEVER, just because it is not the better of two options, does not necessarily make it cruel. And ultimately, research that comes from zoos and aquariums will ultimately be responsible for saving the wild, if that is even possible. If you really want to go after animal abusers, put the irresponsible wild animal owners and dog fighters behind bars. Get whales, like Keiko, out of the dinky little roadside parks like the ones in Mexico. Put please don't think that every zoo and aquarium is like the one depicted in this movie. (Which is actually one of my favorite movies of all time...)
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gingerclowns
12 years ago
You're wrong, trust me. I could give you reasons why every single one of your points are false, but you probably won't see this, so I'll just say - you do know that SW actually helped keep Keiko in that tiny tank by supplying Reino Aventura with food for him (and cheep, un refridgeurated food that was going rotten).
Voldemort should have made Chuck Norris his Horcrux
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manofsteel4455
11 years ago
Would you guys rather these animals be out in the wild being pointlessly hunted?
You want to play the game, you'd better know the rules, love.
-Harry Callahan
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Lolliedee2217
10 years ago
You do know those shows actually hurt the animals right? They are incredibly sound sensitive creatures that are forced to parade in front of screaming crowds with blaring music.
You also know that all the animals in SeaWorld are heavily medicated? They develop ulcers due to stress, and develop infections through their gums where their teeth need to be drilled out because they bite on the edges of their concrete prison and metal gates. Oh, also 2 whales in SeaWorld have died of West Nile virus, because the bugs can get to them because they engage in "logging" aka just laying around, something incredibly uncommon in wild orca.
Also did you know seaworlds orcas die twice as quick as wild counterparts? Most of seaworlds orcas die before they hit 30, average orca lifespan in the wild is 50-70years.
My list could go on and on, but you my friend need to do research on this. Maybe look up a gentleman named Ric O'Barry, who was one of the worlds first dolphin trainers, who became an activist after realizing how captivity effects these animals in the long run.
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jaydt
9 years ago
Wow i have gone down the imdb pit tonight, damn you insomnia.
I agree with a lot of what you said, and i have watched blackfish,, and i laugh when the seaworld commercial comes on ( like a facepalm laugh)
But i have asked this of many people. if sea world and other zoos did not exist, would enough people care about these animals to try and save them?
It is essentially sacrificing the few for ghe betterment of the many.
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9 years ago
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manofsteel4455
9 years ago
I guess you self-rightous animal rights people don't like hearing that animals in captivity are safer huh?
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vicky_lc2001-1
8 years ago
Watch the film Blackfish, you'll be traumatized and change your mind about their ' humane' captivity.
Global Warming, it's a personal decision innit? - Nigel Tufnel
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