Blackfish (The Tillikum Documentary)

[Eckert]

[video=youtube_share;G93beiYiE74]http://youtu.be/G93beiYiE74[/video]

Here's the recently released trailer for Blackfish, a documentary about captive Orcas. It uses the recent incident at SeaWorld as the main point of the film to talk about the living conditions and cruel methods Aquariums use to keep their Killer Whales.

How do you guys feel about this? Do you feel like this is something that can be avoided? I've always thought that the SeaWorld parks have always taken good care of their Orcas, but thinking about it now...

 

[Disneyhead]

This doesn't seem to be a very happy movie. They should CG in some talking penguins or something.

 

[Hockeyman55]

Is this for Free Willy 5? Fast 5 Willy!

 

[batsmouth]

Eugh can't even be bothered with this.

 

[knokout1]

This film has just as many inaccuracies as they claim Seaworld's story has. There is no whales being captured and held prisoner, they get the best of care. Dawn's death was one out of five decades of shows going on, where the whale's were happy enough to play with trainers, and make a family with the other whales. And even after the death there were several changes to the facilities, equipment, and procedure. Seaworld is one of the most respected zoological institutions out there. If they consider these gigantic tanks proportional to a bathtub, they are idiotic. I wish people would just do a little research before they go "OMG Seaworld steals whales down with Seaworld!", but yet have no problem with any zoo out there that take poor care of their animals (Animal Kingdom?).

 

[Brian G.]

I think the title of the movie is racist and a slight against Whitefish.

 

[Hockeyman55]

If they consider these gigantic tanks proportional to a bathtub.

I wish could swim around my bath tub doing back flips and tricks

 

[Teebin]

Would any of you enjoy being locked in a stone cathedral for the rest of your life? Last I noticed, they have a lovely echo. I think that is the analogy the film is going for.

 

[maxairmike]

Depends. Is that all I've known for my life? If so, probably. I don't believe any of the whales have been captured by SeaWorld for the sole purpose of being put on display and as such were forced out of their natural habitat into a situation they "didn't want to be in."

 

[Hockeyman55]

Speaking of marine life documentaries, have any of you seen the one where they they lure the Dolphins into that cove in Japan and slaughter them? Now that is sad : (

 

[Eckert]

Depends. Is that all I've known for my life? If so, probably.

Ah, but if there was a better alternative for you that people who could help you knew about, wouldn't you want that?

 

[knokout1]

Why does the ocean automatically become the better alternative? They are not prey to anything at Seaworld, and they have a lot of room to swim. It just seems everyone assumes they are unhappy in the tanks when really no one knows, and they seem very happy to me, and if they weren't happy I think we would've seen a lot more attacks by now. I would think under Seaworld's care would be the better alternative, especially now that they were raised in captivity and wouldn't survive in the wild.

 

[Teebin]

Ah, but if there was a better alternative for you that people who could help you knew about, wouldn't you want that?

Vince, you have the "heart" of what I was talking about.

Why does the ocean automatically become the better alternative? They are not prey to anything at Seaworld, and they have a lot of room to swim.

Are you joking or merely short of thought? You will not be prey to anything in the large stone cathedral. You will never know any danger or anxiety, embarrassment or ever have a bad water day. Everything will be perfect for you from "our" viewpoint. Perhaps you are young, and haven't learned that danger, anxiety and embarrassment is a great part of LIFE. Without it, we would be bored morons with nothing to compare the good times to.

 

[jtsalien]

If you wanna challenge the whole idea of zoos and aquariums in general? Fine. But Sea World is world class in all aspects of care, research, and really funding too. To me, it makes no sense to take these animals away from Sea World if you're gonna let poorer facilities keep other animals.

But in all honesty, they're not killing or physically harming them. So I will live my life at peace with Sea World until other, more pressing human issues in the world are dealt with. Then I'll focus my attention on whales.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don't believe any of the whales have been captured by SeaWorld for the sole purpose of being put on display and as such were forced out of their natural habitat into a situation they "didn't want to be in."

Tilikum was captured in the wild.

They are not prey to anything at Seaworld

Orcas are not prey to anything in the ocean either.

 

[knokout1]

Tilikum was captured in the wild.


Orcas are not prey to anything in the ocean either.

Yes he was, but not by Seaworld, he first lived at Sealand of the Pacific, and sent to Seaworld right before Sealand closed.

Seaworld doesn't go into the ocean and capture animals. They are a rescue and rehabilitation center, meaning the animals they have on "display" are animals that can not be returned to the wild, and Seaworld does have many animals in their back of the house facilities that they do plan on sending back to the wild. A killer whale can't survive in the wild after being raised in captivity, which is why all the whales they have are offspring of previous whales there, or from another facility. This goes for all of the animals there, and you can clearly see the wounds on a lot of the animals. All of the animals you see at Seaworld would die in the wild, and the ones that are returned no one sees, or all the "activists" pretend don't exist.

 

[Cupcakes]

For anyone in the Orlando area that wants to see the documentary, it's going to be playing at the Enzian Theater sometime next month.

 

[Capacity]

I think its pretty obvious Tillikum is unhappy.

Whales can swim for thousands of miles in the wild where here they can only swim in small circles. I do agree SeaWorld does a pretty good job of keeping their animals engaged with all the time they spend with them.

But I still get a depressing empty feeling when Tilly comes out and splashes the crowd. He's such a massive and beautiful animal. You can't argue that he is living his life to the fullest.

 

[Jenstar]

I went to Seaworld when I was 7 and then did not know any better. I will not go to Sea world ever again. I am completely against Orcas (and dolphins) being kept in tanks unsuitable for them, because the only things suitable for them is miles upon miles of space, which is what they need. Seaworld is seen as the best of the best when it comes to dolphin and whale shows, and they still find it hard to be able to keep these animals. What do you think happens in a not so world class place that keeps these animals. There is no need AT ALL for these animals to be kept in aquariums/theme parks. They are purely there for our entertainment and its wrong. To them the tanks they are kept in is like what a bath tub is to us, small and claustrophobic. As I said before they need miles upon miles of space.

Seaworld also breeds orcas with mothers and sons and fathers and daughters etc. which would never ever happen in the wild and leads to problems and premature deaths. I understand that Seaworld try to keep their animals in the best way they can, but no way will that ever be enough. We should appreciate these animals for what they are and that is the top predator of the sea, and not something to be used in a show for our entertainment. Its wrong and unnecessary.

As for taking animals out of the wild, they are the reason it became fashionable to take them out the wild. As said above Tillikum was taken from the sea and it doesnt matter that it wasnt seaworld, it would still be leaving the wild in the same way, which is usually to secure the pod of whales in an area and let the trainers pick out the ones they want, which are pulled out of the sea and the rest are slaughtered, which is exactly what happens to the dolphins in japan to this day. Trainers from around the world go and pick out dolphins for their theme park shows and know that the dolphins that are not picked will be slaughtered. i just don't understand why it still goes on when the trainers supposedly care about these dolphins, but arent bothered that they are the reason thousands of dolphins a year are killed.

Today India has stated that there will be no whales and dolphins to be kept in captivity in the country because it is inhumane and the animals are classed as non-human persons. If a third world country can do this, which is 100% the best thing for the animals, then why cant we follow suit?

I get that the show is amazing and the animals look "happy" but believe me there are not. they should be swimming in the wild with 50 other orcas in their family pod. I totally commend Blackfish and I really hope it gets the attention it deserves, because as long as seaworld has orcas and dolphin, i will not be going.

Just thought I would share my thoughts....

 

[knokout1]

So why is it then that people are targeting Seaworld? Seaworld isn't the one killing/taking animals, they are the ones rescuing and healing them, and releasing what they can. The animals they have can NOT be released into the wild, they will DIE. I'm not saying that taking animals out of the wild is right, but I'm also not going to target a company that's not responsible for it, especially when they're the ones trying to help, and the only one that's revenue goes to a nationally known cause instead of just into corporate pockets like Disney.