Black Fish

[Jeff G]

I watched this documentary on the issue of Sea World keeping Orcas and its heartbreaking .

I have long held the opinion that Zoo's should not exist . I used to stroll through Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago but soon found that although it was a beautiful walk , free and close my apartment it left me feeling depressed for the animals that were imprisoned there .

Its infuriating that Sea World claims that imprisoning these wonderful creatures is done in the name of conservation . Orcas and other wild animals or marine life would be better conserved by leaving them in their own environment . If we stop poisoning the environment or mismanaging it as a resource the wildlife in Zoos and aquariums would do just fine without us .

I do hope that people wake up and realize how cruel Zoos are and stop supporting them .

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/26/world/americas/orca-trainer-tilikum-keiko/index.html?hpt=hp_t1   

[GoForIt]

Awesome documentary.  It's a must see.  Amazing to see how smart those creatures are and then the undeniable proof that captivity can really piss them off.  They weren't meant to be put in fish tanks their whole lives...

[tednlou2]

It is reairing on CNN at midnight and 3am tonight.  I set a recording. 

I have always been conflicted about zoo animals.  I hear what the zoo proponents say-- they bring awareness to the destruction and poisoning of their habitats.  I mean, we do tend to have more sympathy and compassion for something we can see and interact with.  I do make rationalizations about an animal born into captivity and never knowing anything else vs one taken from the wild. 

[tednlou2]

Just watched it.  After seeing it, I think these whales should not be used.  I remember going as a teen and getting splashed and thinking how cool.  I never really thought about it (although it should be obvious) that these huge animals need large bodies of water.  They spend their lives in these small pools.  You would think it would not take a news documentary to make me think, "Those pools they are in are no way big enough."  I guess we just do not think about things, unless confronted with it. 

I didn't know there had been that many incidents.  At first I wondered why anyone would work there, but I saw many had no idea of these previous incidents.  You are literally taking your life in jeopardy ever time a performer gets into the water.  The latest woman to die withheld reward, because the orca went all around the pool-- apparently not hearing the whistle to come back.  And, she was running out of fish, which they said the orcas pick up on.  They know when fish is running low, because they can hear the ice and the fish are smaller. 

There were many talking about psychosis.  It was interesting to see the part where they do an MRI on a whale.  They are very intelligent and have very complex emotions.  So, they are imprisoned all their lives.  Just like human prisoners, I can see where mental illness would set in.  They get frustrated.  Another thing I didn't know is 100% of the males have fin droop, or whatever they called it.  Their top fin flops over.  I missed why that is, but I would guess because they are not it deep water like they should be.

I have only been to Sea World once.  These animals are just too big to keep in captivity.  And, they are very strong bonds.  I was tearing up, when they took the baby away from the mother.  She cried out and continued to do so.  The other females checked on her.  That brings up something else I didn't know.  When they get beached in the wild, I didn't know many of them get beached as well, because they will not leave a family member.  So instead of one beached whale, you could end up with many more. 

[Jeff G]

I have a hard time accepting in most cases the we imprison animals to save them statement , it smacks of I beat you because I love you .

I know for a fact many animals live complex emotional lives and they do suffer if their needs are not met . My moms dog saw her best dog friend ran over and Killed by a truck and she kept coming back to the spot it happened for months and sitting beside the road where it happened , she also would lay on her grave and still does to this day 6 years later .