Orca whales are one of the ocean’s fiercest predators. They are extraordinarily intelligent animals that have captured human curiosity for centuries. They are so extraordinary they have even earned themselves many famed titles, the most popular one being the “killer whale”. However, are these whales the cold-hearted killing machines society and the general mass media deem them to be? Why are these animals painted in such bad light? Before the inevitable and rightful fall of one of the United States’ most “exciting” and life-changing attractions, SeaWorld. SeaWorld is seen as one of the most magical and inspirational experiences comparable to that of Disney. The company’s famous mascot “Shamu” easily captured the attention of onlookers of any
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Was this solely because they are vicious man-eaters? Or were there other factors that influenced this incident? Shortly after her death, a documentary by director Gabriela Cowperthwaite called “Blackfish” was released, exposing the harsh reality of the practices held at SeaWorld that was kept from the public and even the trainers at SeaWorld. At the beginning of the film, we see video footage of the illegal capture of Orca Whales. The capturers equipped with speed boats, bombs, planes, and nets would target and chase pods of Orcas, strategically cutting off the mothers with babies and trapping them in coves. They would throw bombs at the Orcas to scare them into canals to conquer them easily (Blackfish, 10:00). These Orcas are then brought to these organizations and forced to do tricks for audiences to get food. Sometimes, they would even go as far as putting the Orcas together knowing that they would get overwhelmed and frustrated and attack each other (Blackfish 16:11). The film also introduces Orca research conducted by scientists that shows that Orcas possess a part of the brain that humans do
Was this solely because they are vicious man-eaters? Or were there other factors that influenced this incident? Shortly after her death, a documentary by director Gabriela Cowperthwaite called “Blackfish” was released, exposing the harsh reality of the practices held at SeaWorld that was kept from the public and even the trainers at SeaWorld. At the beginning of the film, we see video footage of the illegal capture of Orca Whales. The capturers equipped with speed boats, bombs, planes, and nets would target and chase pods of Orcas, strategically cutting off the mothers with babies and trapping them in coves. They would throw bombs at the Orcas to scare them into canals to conquer them easily (Blackfish, 10:00). These Orcas are then brought to these organizations and forced to do tricks for audiences to get food. Sometimes, they would even go as far as putting the Orcas together knowing that they would get overwhelmed and frustrated and attack each other (Blackfish 16:11). The film also introduces Orca research conducted by scientists that shows that Orcas possess a part of the brain that humans do