To wonder why Seaworld hasn't been closed down for animal cruelty

[Albertatata]

Just watched Black whale - the whale that killed on BBC4. Seaworld seems such a cruel and abusive set up, how can anyone think that it is entertainment?

it was a great documentary, definitely recommend it. So shocked about how the whales are captured, abused, neglected and bred. I really want to protest about it in some way - anyone got any ideas of the best way to do this.

[WooWooOwl]

Seaworld is incredibly cruel, and what's worse is the way they con people into believing that they actually do good work for marine conservation.

If you liked that documentary, (I haven't seen it yet) then you might also be interested to watch Sharkwater and The Cove, both fascinating film documentaries about the cruelty us humans inflict on intelligent marine life. There is also one called Blackfish that's about orcas. I

There are various petitions going against sea world, and the practice of swimming with captive dolphins and the like that you could sign, and there are different charities protesting hard. My charity of choice is Sea Shepherd, but I don't do much other than donate money.

I think one of the most important things to do is to raise awareness. So many people still don't know what goes on and will happily take their children to sea world if they get the chance to go.

[libertytrainers]

i watched that show, such lovely animals

[EverythingsDozy]

Are these seaworlds in the USA where they have shows or is animal cruelty rife in all aquariums? I quite like blue planet aquarium in Ellesmere Port, I was unaware of any cruelty.

[susiedaisy]

I agree we went there when we went to Orlando because that's what you do and the tickets were cheap and I thought it was horrible. So cruel and out of touch with public opinion. They practically give the tickets away now which says a lot I think.

[susiedaisy]

Everything. I don't think they abuse the animals as such but they whales are kept in a plain smallish tank at the back of the performing arena they had fin flop as well which only happens to whales in captivity.

[kamikami]

Brilliant but shocking documentary. I was wondering why all the dorsel fins flopped over on one side. The ex-trainers were so damning and the footage was great. It's very sad.

The Cove is horrifying - you won't believe that the treatment of dolphins shown in that doc is accepted practice.

[Albertatata]

Everything I was talking about the Orlando ones - watch the documentary on catch up, it really is one if the mist shocking things I've watched in a longtime.

I hadn't even considered your average local UK aquarium is cruel - or is it?

[ThatBloodyWoman]

I have been waiting for ages to get it from the library -I'm in a queue, so obviously people are concerned enough to be watching it.

I agree with WooWoo in supporting Sea Shepherd and Paul Watson wholeheartedly.

The other dvds worth watching are 'Sharkwater' and 'The Cove'.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Sorry WooWoo.
Just saw you'd already mentioned those two -I'm a crap skim reader!

[BolshierAyraStark]

Because there will always be silly twats that pay to see the poor creatures, the same people that will pay to swim with a dolphin despite the fact it's in a fucking tank that is obviously no where near to its natural habitat.
This is a subject that gives me the fucking rage, I dive so get to see the animals in thier own environment-news flash, dolphins don't actually like human interaction

[EverythingsDozy]

I don't know, possibly no more cruel than a zoo but obviously zoos are often seen as cruel because they are in captivity where they could be free.
I understand what you mean about the cruelty in terms of the animal performances though. I know at Chester zoo (can't you tell where I'm from!!) they do feeding time "performances" but as far as I'm aware the animals are not trained to do anything spectacular - just eat. Although the sting rays at the aquarium seem to wave at the touching tanks.

[BolshierAyraStark]

No, zoos are a necessary evil I'm afraid-without them there will be animals that simply cease to exist.

[newfavouritething]

But is it such a bad thing if some animals do cease to exist? If they have evolved 'badly' is that something that should be artificially sustained? And if it's habitat destruction, surely it should be the habitat and b=not the animal that is saved.

[BolshierAyraStark]

Ok, so if you want to do the habitat diminishing due to human need lets say you were the subject of compulsory purchase-that's ok is it? You can just fuck off as I have decided I need this bit if land? No thought not. Our need for land & cheap shit is the driving force behind loss of habitat-that & fucking stupid people that believe in Chinese medicine, muppets.

[WooWooOwl]

No problem ThatBloodyWoman, the more people that say it the better!

[TheMaw]

Was it about Tillikum at Sea World Orlando? He's the main focus of Blackfish, which I would totally recommend to anyone, it's a real eye-opener.

[BolshierAyraStark]

Also-I presume that you have never actually seen a tiger in the flesh as if you had you wouldn't even be contemplating that it's ok fo a species to simply cease to exist ffs.

*disclaimer-there are less beatiful creatures in danger that are no less important than tigers...

[HauntedNoddyCar]

Some zoos actually do really brilliant conservation work. Some zoos are shite animal prisons to make cash. Seaworld and the like fall into the latter category.

None of that can possibly be news surely? I was writing essays about this stuff 25 years ago.

OP it was a horrible but interesting view of the incidents that have taken place and it's sad.

[WooWooOwl]

Orcas and sharks and probably lots of other marine creatures have been on this planet for millions of years. They have not evolved badly, they are being destroyed because of humans.

You might have been referring to zoos that show land dwelling animals, but zoos and marine parks are very different. The majority of zoos are run as not for profit organisations, unlike sea world whose mother company makes beer.

Land zoos have got some chance of recreating a vaguely natural habitat for their animals, what with both the zoos and the animals being on land, but a tank doesn't even begin to come close to a whale or dolphins natural habitat. It's like putting you in an understairs cupboard for the rest of your life and turning off the lights.

[nativityhelp]

I live in Cornwall, I was shocked to hear that we have a pod of just 12 dolphins that live off the coast here but the same animals have been sighted in the sea around Ireland and France. That gives you some idea of how far thy range and makes it absolutely clear that keeping them in a pool is totally unacceptable.

[TheMaw]

Sorry, I've just realised that it was Blackfish you watched! It's brilliant, definitely a story worth telling. That whale is older than me and has been treated appallingly, it makes me so angry that they're allowed to breed him and force him to be in contact with humans. He was two years old when they took him from his pod, it's a fucking disgrace. They've made millions from him!

[BolshierAyraStark]

Sorry Woowoo but separating the two isn't a good thing-they all deserve the same compassion, what's the difference between say an ocean or a jungle or the plains of Africa-all vast expanses that simply cannot be recreated.

Some zoos do good work & as I said, without them there is a very real danger of us losing important species. This simply isn't the case with the majority of the ocean dwellers-well, not the less fluffy ones at least...

[Ronmione]

Poor tilikum, such a sad and majestic whale who is basically being left to rot, in a concrete pool far far too small for him.

Those poor animals ripped from their families to perform for a piece if measly fish, it's heart breaking to think k how sad and frustrated they must be.

But is it really any different from the seal lions in chessington zoo, brought out to perform and clap for their dinner, or appear on celebrity juice opposite keith lemon?

It does make you question the whole concept of animal captivity.

The cove is a very good documentary, but doesn't quite make the link with dolphin murder and seaworld that blackfish does with tilikum.

There is a free tilikum Facebook page

[Backinthering]

Actually as much as it pains me to say it, maybe we are just as well to let certain species go extinct if we're going to fuck their environments anyway.
Yes tigers are beautiful but the reality is it would be sad for us, not them, if they went extinct. We'd know, they'd be none the wiser (and not suffering any more). We'd have done it so hell mend us really.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

But all species are part of a fragile interdependency, surely?

We can't afford to upset the balance the way we do.