To think that Disney/Seaworld should close now

[MillyMollyMoo]

We went a few years ago to see Shamu and it was a great show, but I left feeling a bit low, bad taste in my mouth, an animal that size in a tiny tiny enclosure relative to their size.
Now there's been another incident maybe these creatures can never been trained and should they be anyway.
I know they are a huge money spinner but enough already.

[Hulababy]

Seaworld is nothing to do with Disney.

[BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou]

another incident?

was there one before this one? i didnt know that.

these animals are very capable of being trained and most respond well to consistent and repetative positive reinforcement. whether they should or not? i havent decided yet.

[MillyMollyMoo]

Is it not ?
Well Disney promote it within their hotels and grounds.
An easy association to make.

[penguin73]

The whale was at Seaworld prior to moving to Disney after its trainer died there in similar circumstances. Not necessarily closed, but I don't think personally that these animals should be forced to live like this whether trainable or not. Animals should be in captivity only when necessary for their own benefit, not our amusement ( IMO )

[Remotew]

I've been to Sea World in Orlando and hated the show. Also hated the petting pools. There has been 3 deaths by the same whale afaik.

Not sure of Sea World is to do with Disney although its just as much an attraction as Disney. Saying that I hated Disney too. Think DD enjoyed it though.

[pjmama]

I don't believe they should close, there is much more to the park than just the Shamu show. However I think they need to seriously re-think whether or not to continue to use orcas at the very least.

[BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou]

i think if this whale has done this 3 times then it must be that the whale isnt happy, not necessarily that seaworld or disney should close.

[Megletwantsittobesummer]

They certainly shouldn't use Orca's in the shows .

And stop those hideous dolphin encounter pools where people can pay to swim around with them. Dolphins should be in the sea, you'll see one if you're lucky if not it's not the end of the world.

[MillyMollyMoo]

But if one whale isn't happy, could we assume none of them are tickety boo ?
I just cannot imagine a situation where people would get in a cage with a lion and ride around on it back without expecting to get eaten, seems logical that all animals are putting up with the training and can turn at any moment.

[Remotew]

They should stop the shows. Lovely to see last nights programme on the orca.

[CarmenSanDiego]

Seaworld is nothing to do with Disney. It's a sister company to Busch Gardens (another theme park) and they're owned by Anheuser Busch, a Belgian brewing company. There's three Seaworlds in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio.

I really don't know what to think. The SD Seaworld is 10 minutes from my house and I had membership last year but didn't renew this year. They purport to be about conservation, education and animal care, but I'm really not keen on keeping animals in such an unnatural environment.

On the other side of the coin, the economy around here is awful and jobs are scarce. A lot of jobs will go if Seaworld closes and I think they'll struggle to have a park without the Shamu shows. There's not much else to go there for except penguins and dolphins.

It's very sad.

[piratecat]

not fair to keep animals that need the whole frickin ocean to be at their disposal, in a pool.

it's as bad as circus animals. totally unfair.

[cookielove]

The whale hasn't done this 3 times, yes he has been assosiated with 3 deaths, but not that he actually killed them all.

He was in a group of three whales that was responsible for killing a trainer in 1991

A mans body was found draped over his body, but they believe he sneaked into the enclosure, suffered hypothermia and drowned.

And then this.

This isn't the first time an animal in capitvatiy has attacked keepers, just looks at howletts, they have lost 5 keepers at last count

[BooyhooNOTboohoooORbooyou]

apologies, i picked the story up wrong. i thought it was the one whale who had done it 3 times.

[paisleyleaf]

I can't make up my mind.
In some ways I think that the public getting up close to the dolphins and finding them so charming, does a lot for their protection in the wild.

[Ewe]

YANBU

It's very sad.

[paisleyleaf]

I guess so Leningrad. But I used to go to Brighton dolphinarium a lot - and it is different.

[Remotew]

I can see your point PL. I'm no conservationist but most of the Zoo's nowadays have to be seen to be helping conservation in the wild or there would be no juctice in the shows. I just felt unhappy about the shows.

It brings their magnificence and intelligence up close and personal that a film and even spotting them in the wild cannot do, but is it natural for them to perform and do we really need to see it.

[Remotew]

It is a rush. Dolphins playing in the boats wake, and I saw pengiuns at Bolder Beach, Cape Town recently. Not to mention the seals. Never seen a Whale in the Ocean yet!