It Will Happen Again

It Will Happen Again
by Sarah Thompson

Orlando, FL--"Free Tilly", "Boycott SeaWorld", and "It Will Happen Again" read the signs held up by PETA members in front of the infamous aquarium. "Free Tilly", a play on words from the 1993 film Free Willy, was adopted by picketers protesting orca captivity at SeaWorld. The issue was brought to global attention when an experienced trainer by the name of Dawn Brancheau, was killed during a routine "Shamu" performance at SeaWorld Orlando. Tilikum, the orca responsible for her death, is the largest orca in captivity at 22.5 feet long and 12,000 pounds. This seemingly unpredictable display of aggression was just the most recent tragedy resulting from the practice of orca captivity. When in captivity, these mammals are negatively affected in numerous physical and psychological ways. Their trainers are put in danger as well, as they deal with wild and unpredictable creatures unfit for captivity.

Free Tilly!

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For decades experts have argued that it is "entirely inhumane to keep these animals in captivity"(Ketler). However, there are forty-six of these mammals living in this 'entirely inhumane' environment. Major physical and psychological traumas occur as a result of this captive lifestyle. "Life in a shallow concrete tank is greatly impoverished compared to the lives of their free-ranging counterparts" (Jett and Ventre). "Captivity deprives them of those essential elements, leading to chronic stresses that appear as immunodeficiency, ulcers, and hostility," says Howard Garrett of The Orca Network. In a display of aggression, orcas also bite metal grates causing dental damage which can lead to "a host of diseases including valvular heart disease, gingivitis, pneumonia, stroke, and heart attack" (Jeff and Ventre), difficulty eating and often fatal septic infections. 

Dental issues as a result of captivity

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"At least forty-four orcas have died at SeaWorld parks, including four within four months in 2010," says Cathy Williamson, the Captivity Program Manager of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Dorsal collapse is another indication of their health distress. In the wild, these mammals swim hundreds of miles every day, the force of the water keeping their dorsal fin strong. In captivity, they are forced to remain virtually stagnant with no support on their dorsal fin, it collapses. In the wild, this collapse only occurs to 1% of the orca population, while in captivity 100% succumb to this depressing fate (Jett and Ventre). The diet of the captive orca is substantially lacking in quality and nutritional value. "It is not known how refrigeration and freezing of these fish impact the nutritional quality, nor is it known what long-term health consequences arise from feeding captive orcas food inconsistent with their culture" (Jett and Ventre).

Dorsal collapse

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The 2013 CNN documentary Blackfish proposed that the 2010 tragedy of Dawn Brancheau was a result of Tilikum's years of captivity. According to SeaWorld of Hurt, a PETA organization, this was not the first death that Tilikum had been responsible for: in 1991 while in captivity at SeaLand in British Columbia, trainer Keltie Byrne fell into the water with Tilikum and was dragged to the bottom of the tank repeatedly until she drowned. In 1999, Daniel P. Dukes was found dead in Tilikum's tank at SeaWorld Orlando. Blackfish presents a convincing argument that "Tilikum’s actions were deliberate and that his behavior was a result of the psychological damage of captivity" (Gorman), while SeaWorld argued that the death was an accident. It is important to note that as SeaWorld's 2014 appeal revealed, "a substantial portion of SeaWorld’s killer whale population had at least one reported incident" (SeaWorld of Florida, LLC v. Thomas E. Perez, 2014).



CNN's Blackfish

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Blackfish had a profound impact on its viewers. Saint Michael's College student, Mayrose Gravalec-Pannone reacts by saying the film allowed a "wide range of the public to see the deep psychological damage that humans do to animals in zoos and aquariums for their own enjoyment." Similarly, Danika Gallup, another student at Saint Michael's College agrees that the documentary shows a side of captivity that was previously hidden from the public eye. She recognizes the use of studying these creatures in a rehabilitation setting, but wishes it occurred "in a setting like Yellowstone, where the public can see [orcas] as they exist naturally." Nathaniel Quealy reflects on his time visiting SeaWorld as a child, "the entire time I felt that we were being pushed through a facade. Everything seemed okay on the surface, but I feel like everything behind the scenes was garbage. Every single animal at SeaWorld was putting on an act purely for the people. It just wasn't natural."

Dolphins are Cetaceans

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Weighing in as one of the planet's top three most social and intelligent animals along with the great ape and the elephant, orcas are simply not supported psychologically by the aquariums they inhabit. These three groups of animals also all passed the self-recognition mirror test, indicating a much higher intelligence level than much of the animal kingdom. "The fact is we don't have the facilities to adequately accommodate not only the physical needs, the psychological and social needs of these animals," said Fred Felleman, one of CNN's marine consultants. "Keeping the social animals in what amounts to isolation is bound to cause problems...we respect lions and wolves and wild dogs as fantastic things, but we don't go run into the Serengeti and try to jump on their back"(Couwels and Todd). The incredible intelligence of the orca is precisely why in 2011, the American Association for the Advancement of Science got together as a team of philosophers, conservationists, animal behaviorists, and environmentalists to collectively write the Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans, a call to action asserting their rights and recognition.



The Order, Cetacean 

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On May 17th, 2013 the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests passed legislation that declared all cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) as non-human persons. A blog titled "Grey Matters" describes orca whales as possessing "human-like qualities including intelligence, language, and an exquisite sense of emotional capability" (Crawford) so it is no wonder India has come to this decision. Although Costa Rica, Croatia, Hungary, and Chile have already banned the general exploitation of these mammals, India is the first country to lawfully recognize their sentience and basic rights. Following India's lead, California put forward the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, a law to ban all performances involving orcas, both public and private. The ten orcas that are currently held captive in the state would be transferred to sanctuaries for rehabilitation so that they may live peacefully in a natural setting. 

@phoebedykstra Instagram upload on @OrcaUnited Twitter account

https://twitter.com/OrcaUnited

Captivity keeps orcas from living the life they are meant to live in nature. "We have a responsibility to recognize and respond to these behavioral needs in captive animals," says Steve Smith, director of animal care and facilities at the ECHO Center in Vermont. "Many zoos have opted out of keeping elephants because they cannot commit to the resources that are necessary to maintain elephants properly. Perhaps it's time to think about killer whales in the same light". The question remains, in an age where more and more people acknowledge the standing of cetaceans in society as sentient beings, why do we as a people tolerate the antiquated and slave-like conditions of popular aquariums such as SeaWorld? In order to assure a better quality of life for these unique creatures, their captivity must end.

Works Cited

"30 Years and Three Deaths: Tilikum's Tragic Story - SeaWorld of Hurt."SeaWorld of Hurt. PETA, n.d.        Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Cieply, Michael. "SeaWorld’s Unusual Retort to a Critical Documentary." The New York Times. The New                 York Times, 18 July 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.  

             

Couwels, John, and Brian Todd. "SeaWorld Trainer Killed by Killer Whale."CNN. Cable News Network,               25 Feb. 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.     

Crawford, Lars. "Killer Whales Are Non-Human Persons." Grey Matters. N.p., 7 Dec. 2013. Web. 21                  Apr. 2014.

"Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans: Whales and Dolphins." CetaceanRights.org. Whale and Dolphin                       Conservation, 22 May 2010. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.   

Fielding, James. "SeaWorld Whale That 'killed' Three Still Being Used to Breed, Former Worker                             Claims." Daily Express World RSS. N.p., 17 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Gallup, Danika. "Interview with Danika Gallup." Personal interview. 13 Apr. 2014.

Garrett, Howard. "Interview with Howard Garrett." E-mail interview. 17 Feb. 2014.

Gorman, James. "Smart, Social and Erratic in Captivity." The New York Times. The New York Times, 29                 July 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.           

Gravalec-Pannone, Mayrose. "Interview with Mayrose Gravalec-Pannone." Online interview. 15 Apr.                        2014.

Smith, Steve. "Interview with Steve Smith." Telephone interview. 15 Apr. 2014.

Ketler, Alanna. "India Declares Dolphins & Whales As ‘Non-Human Persons,’ Dolphin Shows                                  Banned." CollectiveEvolution RSS. N.p., 17 Sept. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. 

Kuo, Vivian. "Orca Trainer Saw Best of Keiko, Worst of Tilikum." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan.                  1970. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

        

Kuo, Vivian. "SeaWorld Appeal of OSHA Citations Denied." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970.                Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Quealy, Nathaniel. "Interview with Nathaniel Quealy." Personal interview. 21 Apr. 2014.

SeaWorld of Florida, LLC v. Thomas E. Perez. United States Court of Appeals. 11 Apr. 2014. The                         American Lawyer.

"SeaWorld Responds to Questions about Captive Orcas, 'Blackfish' Film." CNN. Cable News Network, 01               Jan. 1970. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Ventre, Jeffrey, M.D., and John Jett, Ph.D. "Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity." The                 Orca Project. N.p., 20 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.  

 

Whitehead, Hal, Lori Marino, Richard C. Connor, R. Ewan Fordyce, Estel Van Der Gucht, Mark D. Uhen,                 Diana Reiss, Joy S. Reidenberg, Louis M. Herman, Patrick R. Hof, Louis Lefebvre, David                           Lusseau, Brenda McCowan, Esther A. Nimchinsky, Adam A. Pack, and Luke Rendell.                               "Cetaceans Have Complex Brains for Complex Cognition." PLOS Biology:. N.p., 15 May 2007.                 Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Williamson, Cathy. "Interview with Cathy Williamson." E-mail interview. 18 Feb. 2014.

NYT Video

A Complicated Cetacean

Mayrose Gravalec-Pannone- Junior at Saint Michael's College- Reaction to "Blackfish"

How do you think CNN's "Blackfish" has influenced the public opinion of SeaWorld?

I think that the fact that Blackfish was screened at the Sundance Film Festival and that it was made available on Netflix allowed it to have a wider viewership, so I think that the film has been able to get a wide range of the public to see the deep psychological damage that humans do to animals in zoos and aquariums for their own enjoyment.

SeaWorld recently filed an appeal against the new ruling that trainers must be behind a barrier while interacting with the orcas- how do you feel about this law and what do you think the chances of SeaWorld winning the appeal are?

I think that this law is the first step in eventually getting the public to see the inherent dangers to both animals and humans that amusement parks like Sea World pose. However, I think given Sea World's enormous monetary resources it will be able to hire lawyers and lobbyists that will most likely succeed in appealing the law.

What social effects can you imagine the public experiencing if animal captivity ceased to exist? In your opinion, would this be a negative or positive change and why?

I  think humans would be forced to take a more active role in experiencing nature and wild animals in their natural habitat. At the end of the film, former Sea World trainers are shown going on a whale watching boat and viewing orcas in their natural habitat, and they were able to derive as much or more enjoyment than guests at Sea World. I definitely think this would be a positive change, since humans are already so far removed from nature and thinking about where animals come from, particularly in the context of farms and meat production.

SeaWorld Responds to Blackfish in NYT

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Interview With Steve Smith-Director of Animal Care & Facilities at ECHO Center, VT

Interview with Steve Smith- Director of Animal Care and Facilities at ECHO Lake Aquarium & Science Center, Vermont

How did you get into your job as director of animal care?

I've been in this field since 1980. I graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Animal Behavior. I volunteered at a zoo  in Indiana and saw many things I felt I could improve upon. I've worked with every animal from insects to elephants, at seven different institutions. I've worked with seals, sea lions, dolphins, and beluga whales, but I have never worked with killer whales.

How do you think CNN's "Blackfish" has influenced the public opinion of SeaWorld?

"Blackfish" in general has affected the general public by bring it to the attention of those who might not have been aware of what goes on in captive care.

Do you think "Blackfish"s portrayal was accurate? Why or why not?

I've been in the captive care world all of my life. It's always impacted me to see how animals are affected, if they're adversely affected. I worked in an elephant sanctuary where we let them choose whether or not they wanted to work with us, and rewarded with positive reinforcement. You have to look at the continuum that exists in captivity- there's a way to care for animals that's respectful of each species needs. At the extreme of the continuum, some animals can't be suitably housed and cared for in captivity. In our interactions with the animals, we have a responsibility to sometimes train them to do things to maintain their heath in captive care. Sometimes the training leans more towards entertainment.  I question the benefit of training and interactions that are more for entertainment. Some institutions try to justify training for entertainment by coupling it with educational or conservation messages.  In spite of those messages, I have to wonder what guests come away with; do they respect the animal and the educational message or do they just remember the dancing animal.

In what physical and/or psychological ways are animals affected by captivity?

Animals outside of  their natural environments, sometimes show repeated, stereotypical behaviors when unable to do what they want to do. We have a responsibility to provide suitable quality and quantity of space. Also, the spatial restrictions of captivity can lead to aggression when animals are unable to put distance between other animals in the same captive habitat.  We have a responsibility to recognize and respond to these behavioral needs in captive animals. With some animals, that is more easily accomplished. With some animals, it may be impossible. For example, when ECHO first opened,  one of the first animals we brought in was the pike. They never settled down, they never acclimated  to the captive condition, so we  phased them out of our collection plan. Many zoos have opted  out of keeping elephants because they cannot commit to the resources that are necessary to maintain elephants properly. Perhaps it's time to think about killer whales in the same light.

What social effects can you imagine the public experiencing if animal captivity ceased to exist? Would this be a positive or negative change?

Animals serve as ambassadors for their species and their environment. This is very important in urban environments. Urban environments serve as leaders for our culture, but they are often the most detached from the natural world. Captivity maintains this important link. If captivity were to disappear, this would have an adverse impact on our understanding of wildlife and therefore diminish the beneficial effect of conservation efforts. When visitors ask questions and want to know more about the species, you can see that you've planted a seed and made a change in a family's mindset.

What are some positive steps that zoos and aquariums could take to improve the quality of life of the captive animals?

It is important to create a an appropriate habitat for the animal in captivity in order to create appreciation for the animal and its environment. Saving a species is almost pointless if we don't have a habitat to put them in. And again, back to that continuum, it's easier to create an appropriate habitat for a tiny frog like a spring peeper than it is for something huge and highly social like an elephant or a killer whale. If an institution doesn't have or want to commit the appropriate  resources to support a specific species in captivity, then they need to think about phasing  out that species. It is a tough decision, but it may become easier as films like Blackfish are produced and make their impact on zoo and aquarium guests and supporters. 

More on India

More Information on India Legislature

India's Cetacean Law That Didn't Make The News

India Declares Cetaceans Non-Human Persons