Ocean Presentation

Orcas in Captivity

Harmless or inhuman?

The Capture

-The first Orca ever captured was in November of 1961 they named her Wanda. She was 17ft long and was found swimming alone along California's Newport Beach. She died 2 days later after convulsing. -Boats and nets are used to herd the Orcas and capture the babies. On this trip over 80 Orcas were rounded up at Penn Cove and out of those only seven were taken into captivity. -Shamu, world-famous for being the first Orca to perform at Seaworld was captured in Washington in 1965. Trying to protect her baby, Shamus's mother was shot and killed. Shamu was then flown to SeaWorld in San Diego. -Capturing Orcas was illegal therefore the procedure was to fill the dead with rocks and sink them. SeaWorld was then banned from capturing Orcas in Washington so they just moved to Iceland.

Life at SeaWorld

aka hell for a Killer Whale

- Tanks at Seaworld are 170 ft long and 34 ft deep. This is only 6 times larger than the average whale while the Ocean is infinitely larger. -Adult males range from 20-26 ft weighing 12,000 lbs while females are typically 18-22 ft in length weighing 8,000 to 11,000 lbs. -In the wild Orcas can dive up to 1000 feet deep and swim up to 140 miles daily. -Hunting for food and swimming with their pods is essential for a healthy Orca in the wild something that Seaworld cannot accommodate for. - An Orca would have to swim 1,300 laps to get the same activity they would in the Ocean. Imagine being locked up in a bathtub for your entire life, this is the reality for Orcas living in SeaWorld parks. -Food deprivation and other harmful methods are also used for their training as well as getting them into certain areas of the tank.

-Orcas are extremely intelligent and have advanced social and family structures even more so than humans. -Orcas swim and hunt in pods and the offspring never leaves their mother's side. -Each pod has their own language and communication so a pod found in Washington will use completely different ways of communicating, social structures and behaviors than a pod found in Iceland.

Did you know...

Facts and Information

-The average lifespan for an Orca living in the wild is 60 years for males and 90 for females. In captivity, the lifespan is 13 years for males and 21 for females and SeaWorld still claims they are healthier in their care and have longer lifespans than those in the wild which is false.-As of March 29th, at least 179 Orcas have died in captivity not including 30 miscarried or still-born calves. - “(SeaWorld likes to say that they own only five orcas captured in the wild. More accurately, they have owned 32 killer whales captured in the wild throughout the company’s history, only five of whom have survived.)” ― John Hargrove, Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish

Did you know...

Facts and Information

-The dorsal fin helps to stabilize and balance the Orca when swimming at high speeds and helps show if an Orca is healthy and happy.-In the wild almost 100% of dorsal fins are straight while 100% of Orcas in captivity have a collapsed dorsal. - Dorsal fin collapse in captivity is caused by spending a lot of time at the water surface which does not provide enough support for the fin as well as genetics, injury, nutrition intake, stress levels, and depression.

Did you know...

Facts and Information

“I had a boyhood dream that came true, almost magically, like something out of a children’s storybook. In time, I discovered that the gorgeous dream was only part of the story, that the bigger story was more of a nightmare, for myself and for the whales. I have lost the whales; they are no longer in my life, and that breaks my heart. But I have gained something else: a new path that is becoming clearer as time passes. I want to remember the whales and share them with you. I want you to know what I have learned so we can save them together.”― John Hargrove, Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish

In your Head

Conclusions

So is keeping Orcas or any other animal in captivity okay or inhumane?

To sum it all up

• Orcas are simply unhappy and unhealthy in captivity.
• Humans are not meant to keep these animals for entertainment.
• SeaWorld spreads false information to the public.
• The mortality rate for Orcas in captivity is 2.5 times higher than those in the wild.
• Life in captivity causes aggression health issues and premature death in Orcas who in the wild are happy healthy & friendly.
• You decide.

Thanks for Listening!