whatyoushouldknow before you buy the ticket

(thehardfactsaboutcetaceansincaptivity)
Inthewild,maleOrcawhalescanlivetobe5060+andwildfemaleOrcashavelivedtobe over90.Incaptivity,mostwhalesanddolphinsdonotlivetoadulthood,manydieintheirteens. WhalesandDolphinsuseecholocation,asonarlikesystemusedtodetectandlocateobjects byemittingusuallyhighpitchedsoundsthatricochetofftheobjectandreturntotheanimal's earsorothersensoryreceptors. Incaptivity,Orcascannotusetheirecholocation,asthesoundwaveswillactuallybounceoffthe tank'sconcretesidesandliterallydeafentheanimal.(Insomecasestheanimalhasliterally goneinsane) Tanksaresanitizedwithchlorine,coppersulfate,andotherharshchemicalsthatirritatethe dolphinsandwhaleseyes,causingmanytoswimwiththeireyesclosed. FormerdolphintrainerRicO'Barry,whotraineddolphinsforthetelevisionshow"Flipper," believesexcessivechlorinehascausedsomedolphinstogoblind.TheU.S.Departmentof AgricultureclosedFlorida'sOceanWorldafterdeterminingthatoverchlorinatedwaterwas causingdolphins'skintopeeloff. AccordingtoRicO'Barry,"positivereward"trainingisaeuphemismforfooddeprivation.Marine parksmaywithholdupto60percentoffoodbeforeshowssothattheanimalswillbe"sharp"for performances.FormerdolphintrainerDougCartlidgemaintainsthathighlysocialdolphinsare punishedbybeingisolatedfromotheranimals:"Youputtheminapenandignorethem.It'slike psychologicaltorture." Toreducetheriskofstomachulcersfromthestressincaptivity,whalesanddolphinsare forcefednumerousmedicationsandantibioticsonadailybases. WhaleslikeTilikumareliterallyusedasbreedingmachinesforSeaWorldsprofitTilikumhas sired13calvesforSeaWorld,(10arestillliving)andheisusedintheirartificialinsemination breedingprogram,whichhasallowedSeaWorldtoeasilyinterbreedthecaptiveorcasintheir facilities.Infact,FourteenoutoftwentyfivewhaleslivinginSeaWorldscollection(56%)are carryingTilikumsgenes.Globally,marineparkshaveenjoyed60livebirthssince1977. However,32ofthoseanimals(53%)arealreadydeceased.SeaWorldalonehashad28live births,withninedeceased(32%),asaretenofthemothers. Taima,anOrcaatSeaWorldOrlandodiedfromaprolapseduteruswhilegivingbirthtoher

fourthcalfonJune62010,attheageof20.WebelievethiswasduetooverbreedingFemale killerwhalesmatureataroundage15andwillusuallyhaveonly1offspringevery5years.Taima wasonly20yearsofageanddiedgivingbirthtoher4thcalf Nalani,ayoungfemaleorcaatSeaWorldOrlandoisthefirstorcaincaptivitytobebornthrough MotherandSonbreeding.Herfather,Taku(nowdeceased)wasalsoherbrother,uncle,cousin andnephew. CaptiveWhalesandDolphinshaveevencommittedsuicideinaftermathofthedailystressand literalheartacheTheseanimalsareconsciousbreathersandhavetomakeanoticeableeffortto surfaceforair.Kathy,themaindolphinusedinthehit60sseriesFlippersanktothebottomof hertankandsimplydidnottakethenextnecessarybreath.In1980HugotheOrcawhaleat MiamiSeaquariumrepeatedlybashedhisheadagainsttheconcretesidesandviewingwindows inhistank,nearlyseveringhisrostrum(whichhadtobesewnbackontohisface)andseveral windowshadtobereplaced.HediedinMarchof1980from,accordingtheNationalMarine FisheriesServiceMarineMammalInventoryReport,ofabrainaneurysm,verylikelyinresultof themanyintentionalblowstohisskull. DidyounoticethatTilikumsdorsalfinisfloppedover?Thisiscalledacollapseddorsalfinand itisnearlyexclusiveincaptiveOrcas.Scientistsdonotknowexactlywhythishappens,butthere areafewexistingtheories:(1)alterationsinwaterbalancecausedbythestressesofcaptivity, (2)dietarychanges,(3)loweredbloodpressureduetoreducedactivitypatterns,or(4) overheatingofthecollagenbroughtonbygreaterexposureofthefintotheambientair.Asmall poolissimplyinadequatetoOrcashealth,happinessandnaturalliving. Therearecurrently45orcaslivingincaptivityand159Orcasthathavediedincaptivity. ThecaptiveWhaleandDolphinindustrysupportstheannualdolphinandporpoiseslaughterin TaijiJapan,wherecetaceansaredrivenintoahiddencovethemostattractivearesoldto marineparksaroundtheglobeandtherestarebrutallyslaughteredandtheirmeatissoldas food.(See:www.takepart.com/thecoveformoreinformation.) SupportingMarineParksthatholdcetaceanscaptiveforentertainmentpurposes,issupporting thecaptiveDolphinandWhaleslavetrade,whichhas,andcontinuestoabusemarinemammals inthenameofentertainmentandconservation