Smart, Social and Erratic in Captivity

Today, in areas such as SeaWorld, many of our ocean's finest are housed. These animals are killer whales, also known as orcas. These animals, once known to be deadly predators, have now evolved to join the human world along with other animals such as the polar bears and elephants. The species of killer whales often feeds on fish, while others pinpoint their diet to seals. They have been known to eat animals such as penguins and other birds, squid and turtles, or even a moose or a deer. These animals can reach up to 32 feet long and weigh up to 22,000 pounds. Their average life span is 30 for males and 50 for females, but can reach up to 90. They vary around the world, able to travel great distances and behave differently. These killer whales have such complex brains from all the other species out there that scientists consider them as having a different culture. This has led many to keep these beautiful creatures in captivity due to the "small evidence" that they are smart and well-rounded. These facts have not been proven yet. These animals are able to communicate very efficiently and that leads them to be able to work with humans. Orcas are not captured from the wild when they are young, but they are bred in captivity to be put in display for tourists at marine parks. This has been a dispute over the years, as these animals are being kept in such enclosures. They are being trained for performance, money, and the ability to capture the hearts of tourists. Scientists vary on their opinions, such as an enclosed sea pen, or even a stop to this captive breeding that many are doing. This issue has been heated even more with a documentary film entitled "Blackfish" and also a book called "Death at SeaWorld" by David Kirby. These two revolve around a trainer, who was supposedly killed by a whale. This whale, who had been involved in two other deaths, apparently dragged her underwater. These two issues sparked outrage, and even led OSHA to investigate on whether trainers should be kept separate from orcas. The book and the film also led to the argument on whether these killer whales should be kept in captivity at all. While their size, movement, and nature sets them apart from other animals, this captivity is morally wrong and dangerous to the species. There are many barriers to this problem. While animals such as chimpanzees were held in captivity and recently released, orcas are a different story. Chimpanzees had a large number who were being held, leading to the assumption that too many of them were captured, which is a danger. However, orcas only have about 45 worldwide that are in captivity, making the argument harder to dissolve. If there are only so few in captivity and so many out in the oceans, where is the harm in doing this? I personally believe that these animals should be set free. The fact that these animals are being held due to tourist attractions angers me. SeaWorld houses these animals to make money. Who knows what these animals could be experiencing behind the curtains. Scientists are holding these animals due to the belief that they are smart and social, but even this has not been proven yet. More research should be done before killer whales become extinct. A rational decision is to let these creatures roam in their natural environment, as their species is meant to do better things than to perform tricks in front of a crowd.


Source: New York Times