November 30, 2013 
I saw the movie Blackfish the other night, and man it was hard to watch. Tears streamed down my face from the get go–every bit as salty as the sea wherefrom the killer whales showcased in this documentary are harvested by Sea World. Commissioned by the mega-marine-park corporation, rogue fishermen herd killer whales into coves by use of speed boats, bombs & nets, drop open ocean barriers into place, and then net the baby killer whales—the babies!!—as so much future revenue for Sea World. Whales die in the process—and it’s illegal, or has been made illegal as a direct counter tactic in many places—but they do it, anyway. Once freed, the pods of mommas and poppas—aka devastated families—stay for the duration in the vicinity, calling to their babies in the most heart wrenching songs of distress, as their progeny is kidnapped, and toted away like cargo.
© Dr Michel Royon / Wikimedia Commons
This movie documents the plight of killer whales kept in captivity as related to trainer deaths at Sea World, and as a person that once worked as a tour guide at the San Diego Sea World, I can tell you the smoke-screens this corporation blows are even more substantial than their nets. I was absolutely instructed to keep an eye out for “dolphin molesters” at the petting pool (I’ll leave you to guess what that is) to say that dorsal fin collapse is entirely natural in killer whales (it isn’t) that animals were simply engaging in “social behavior” when they were patently fighting or having sex (the walruses all the time) and absolutely no animals ever died at Sea World (except they do, and far sooner than their naturally habituated counterparts) they were sent to “our Ohio park.” That, and a host of other half-truths so substantial I took notes.
actual notes I made and studied for this gig
Because the actual truth didn’t bear scrutiny then, and it doesn’t now. Marine “parks” are barbaric to the animals imprisoned there, worse still than Zoo cages & circus rings combined, and an abomination our species must cease to support in all ways. Confining naturally far-ranging, animals to bathtubs, and a life of imprisoned servitude is as great a moral desecration as the gestational crates for factory farmed sows, the veal crates for factory farmed baby cows, or the killing and caging of people in wartime—and perhaps worse.
How it’s supposed to be…
Worse because these amazing marine mammals have a more highly developed limbic system than ours. A limbic system is the area of the brain that regulates emotions. Let’s make this even easier to understand. You know how cats lack the necessary cones in their eyeballs to see more than shades of greens and blues when they look at the world, whereas human physiology is such we’re able to see a much broader spectrum of colors that includes a multi-colored rainbow? Like that. We can only feel blue and green, but these animals are feeling a spectrum of emotions the nature of which we lesser developed beings can only imagine.
So in effect, we are caging God.
photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; User:Zaui
For 3 shows a day, and a bucket of mackerel…
how it should be…
A whale in captivity will die a full 50 years sooner than his/her wild brethren. Watch the movie and be convinced that these “parks” are anything but a park.
National Geographic: SeaWorld vs. the Whale That Killed Its Trainer
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Sea World
Bare Naked Ladies Cancels Concert at Sea World
Macy’s Parade Features Sea World Float Despite Backlash
Sea World Trainer Death Debunked as “Pony Tail” Tale…
India First Nation Ever To Acknowledge Dolphins As Nonhuman Persons; Outlaw Cetacean Captivity
Charron's Chatter 
so sad
unspeakably so. I hope this film has huge ripple effects…
yes I hope so 😉
What an awful thing to do. It’s evil that these people don’t give a damn what they are doing to the poor families horrendous 😥
Maybe the fallout will be the shutting down of these horrible places. The awareness/reaction is already huge.
I really hope so
Have you read national geographic’s response to that? It was almost as emotional as the movie and gave good background. Its on their site 🙂
and now linked from mine. An amazing, in-depth article. Thank you, Storm Stander..:)
Any time 😀
so awful isn’t it!!! free the whales!!!
So terrible. It’s very hard to look at, but I think important for people to be aware–to spread the word. That’s what I hoped to do at least a little with this post, because if it changes even one person’s mind–that’s enough. Maybe then that person goes on to tell another person…and so on…
My theory – Earth must be the Spiritual Kindergarten of the Universe. It is the only explanation I can come up with to *explain* the horrifically cruel things we do to Life.
I really didn’t know how horrible these sea-parks are but I’m still not really surprised…just sad. Another example of our disconnect from…everything.
Couldn’t stream the movie on Flix but found this video while looking it up on YT – talk about serious spin? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si8TAHFQvtk
wow. Well this short bit really highlights the salient points of the Blackfish movie as a whole.
Sea World spins like the balls on dolphins’ noses…but here’s something:Blackfish is “shortlisted” for an Oscar, so they might HAVE to make serious changes…
Nothing can help that poor Tilamook…in terms of being safely freed, I think–but far better living conditions must seriously be implemented.
I have to go to my PT right now, but I am going to add this link to this post properly–within its scope–when I get home. This article got more emotional than intended, and doesn’t convey the facts as it should–but this rounds it out…er…well. In the worst sense of that word. Have a great day, Misbehaved…nice to “see” you, and share viewpoints. As usual, you found an outstanding video example!!