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Ashley Gonzalez

Professor Rosenfeld

English 113B

2 May 2018

Orcas and Dolphins in Captivity

Why are Orcas and Dolphins in captivity? Don’t they need to be set free. In SeaWorld

and in Vancouver Aquarium have captured Dolphins and orcas. When living in the little tank

Dolphins and Orcas live shorter life’s than if they are free in the ocean. In the wild dolphins can

live up to 70 years. While they are in captivity the dolphins live up to 50-60 years. In the wild for

orcas they can live up to 30-50 years and in SeaWorld they only live up to 13 years. Living in

captivity can make orcas and dolphins to be frustrated. They don’t like living in such a small

space. Even though it can be a good thing to learn about orcas and dolphins and watch them do

cool tricks they still need to be set free. Orcas and Dolphins need space to swim so they can live

there life and not suffer by living in such a small space. A good thing about orcas and dolphins

living in captivity is that we can take care of them when they are sick also they don’t have to

hunt for food. The trainers are there to take care of them and watch them to make sure they are

alright. Living in that tiny tank can cause orcas and dolphins to get depression and cause them to

go crazy because it is such a tiny space. Although we can take care of them and see them for

entertainment orcas and dolphins should not be held in captivity because it could lead to

behaviors that are harmful to themselves and acting out on their trainers and other whales. Also,

orcas and dolphins in captivity live shorter lives than in the ocean due to sickness.

It is important to learn about orcas and by watching them for entertainment, and care for

them for safety. When people visit SeaWorld, it can be fun watching them do tricks. Trainers can
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teach the orcas to do cool tricks. Watching an orca in real life can be amazing and knowing how

they live their life. When orcas live in captivity we can research them and study them. The orcas

that are already live in captivity will not know how to survive on their own. In the website

“SeaWorld says it has too keep orcas in captivity to save them” it explains that orcas need to stay

in captivity in order to study them. In SeaWorld the doctors and trainers can study them and

learn about how the orcas live their lives; “Whales in SeaWorld’s care help science better

understand conserve wild killer whales” (Raja). It is important for people to understand what is

going on with orcas to study them and learn how they can take care of them.

The dolphins that are already live in captivity will not know how to survive on their own.

It can be a good thing that that the dolphins are living in tanks because the trainers can care take

of them. The trainers need to teach the dolphins how to survive on their own before letting them

in the wild. When living in captivity dolphins they don’t have to worry about getting sick

because the trainers are watching them and there are doctors to take care of them. In the article

“After years in captivity, dolphins released” it explains that dolphins that are already living on

captivity cannot survive on their own. Watson explains “For more than a year, Foster and his

team worked in a quiet cove on the Aegean teaching the two dolphins how to catch their own

food” Watson did this because he wants to prepare to live on their own when the time came to

free them. I think it is important to know that there’s some people that want to free dolphins and

not watch them suffer. What people need to realize is that it is not okay to have dolphins in

captivity. They need to be set free.

Orcas get certain emotions that can lead them to do harmful behaviors. When living in

such a small tank, orcas get frustrated and feel imprisoned. Orcas can feel stress, anxiety and

boredom. When orcas feel frustrated they start to bite on iron bars. When biting the iron bar, it
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causes orcas to lose their teeth. Orcas can attempt to kill themselves by not eating because they

feel imprisoned. Orcas don’t have room to swim and relax in the tank it is too small for them. In

the article “10 signs whales and dolphins don’t belong in tanks” Jenna Bardoff discusses that

orcas can feel that their life is worth living because they are unhappy living in such a little space.

Orcas act in a strange behavior by bitting an iron bar. Orcas feel depressed and decide that their

“life is not worth living” anymore (Bardoff). It is important for people to be aware what orcas are

feeling when living in captivity.

Orcas get behaviors that can lead them to harm other whales and their own trainers. Orcas

get aggressive if they are put together in a small tank. The orcas fight each other in resulting on

one of the whales dying or both. The orcas fight each other because there is no space for them to

swim. Orcas get angry and frustrated they need their own space. By living on these tiny tanks

orcas can act in a careless behavior. There was an orca named Tilkium that killed his owner on

February 24, 2018. The article “Should orca show be banned? A proposal to outlaw orca shows

in California makes Waves”. Explains that Tilikum leaped from the water and dragged his trainer

into the pool. It was scary when that happened to Dawn Brancheau. Dawn Brancheau Tilikum’s

owner died at age 40 years old. Orcas should not be in captivity because it is too small for them

to live in there; “There is no Justification for the continued captive display of orcas for

entertainment purposes, these beautiful creatures are too large and far too intelligent to be

confined in small, concrete tanks for their entire lives” (Bloom). It important to know that orcas

should not be living in a small tank. I personally think Tilikum killed his owner because he was

happy living in a small pod. He probably was depressed and got crazy because he feels

imprisoned and was sick of living in a small tank. He does not like living there and is mad
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because we captured him. He needs to be let go in ocean and he should not be in captivity. He

needs to be free.

Peta is a company that drew the image and they based the image off SeaWorld. Peta is a

company that protects and treats animals. The image is showing a whale with a man’s leg in its

mouth and dragging him. The image could be describing Tilkium the famous whale that killed

this own trainer by dragging her leg to her death. It can be also explaining that orcas kill their

trainers because they don’t be in a tiny pool and want

to be free in the ocean. The saying “He will let you

go if you let him go”, (Peta) I think the meaning is

Fig.1. The orca has a man in his mouth from: “he will let
you go if you let him”. SeaWorld of hurt, 23 July 2014. that if trainers leave the orcas alone and free them

then they will not be rude to the trainers. This visual relates to my thesis because it is explaining

that orcas should not be in captivity because they don’t like being there and it makes them upset.

Dolphins should be set free because they are living shorter for living in captivity.

Dolphins are living in captivity live up to 50-60 years but in the wild dolphins can live up to 70

years. Dolphins live shorter in captivity do to chlorine in the pool and by getting upset in just

living there in a tiny pool. The chorine in the pool can cause the orcas to be blind and affect their

skin which can kill them. In the article “Dolphin captivity and the dolphin readaptation Centre” it

explains that dolphins can die because of the chorine in the pool they live in. The article also

explains that the pool is so dirty, and the dolphins can die from that too. Jakarta animal and

network explains, “Over chlorination causes blindness, skin disorders and general decline in

health. Conditions in dirty water (usually full faecus) cause inflection and slow death in the

dolphins” The article is important because it explains ways that dolphins can die from being in

captivity. The poor dolphins are suffering in captivity and are not happy living in a place where
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they feel imprisoned. They want space to swim but have to room to when they are living in those

tiny pools.

While living in captivity orcas live shorter because of sicknesses. Orcas get pneumonia it

is a lung disease that kills orcas. Mosquitos can kill orcas when they lay down on the water

because the orcas get bored. An orca named Kanuke died because of a mosquito bite and it was

depressed. The orca was just lying on the water dead. Another orca that died was a 3-year month

orca named Kyara. In the article “Seaworld’s last orca calf born in captivity has died” explains

that Kyara died because of sickness pneumonia. Julie Signman was Kyara trainer and she loved

the orca. Sigman explains, “Kayara had a tremendous impact on each other of her staff, not to

mention all of the guests that had the chance to see her, From late nights to earl morning, rain or

shine, we dedicate our lives to these animals, and this loss will be felt throughout the entire

SeaWorld family”. It is important to know what animals what types of orcas are dying because

of captivity. In the ocean orcas live 30 to 50 years but in SeaWorld orcas can only live for 13

years. I think orcas live longer in the ocean then in SeaWorld because in SeaWorld they are not

happy living in small tanks.

Dolphins and orcas are in captivity because of research and entertainment. Dolphins and

Orcas live shorter life’s than if they are free in the ocean. In the wild dolphins can live up to 70

years. While they are in captivity the dolphins live up to 50-60 years. In the wild for orcas they

can live up to 30-50 years and in SeaWorld they only live up to 13 years. Living in captivity can

make orcas and dolphins to be frustrated. It can be a good to learn about orcas and dolphins and

watch them do cool tricks they still need to be set free. The Dolphins and orcas are suffering just

living in the tiny pools. They feel imprisoned. Orcas and dolphins living in captivity can be a

good thing because we can take care of them when they are sick also they don’t have to hunt for
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food. Dolphins that are already live in captivity will not know how to survive on their own. The

trainers need to teach the dolphins how to survive on their own before letting them in the wild.

Tilikum killed his owner because he was happy living in a small pod. Kanuke died because of a

mosquito bite and it was depressed. A 3-year month orca named Kyara. She died because of a

lung disease. Dolphins and orcas need to be set free and we should set them free in the oceans.

It’s not right to live in captivity.

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Word cited

Bradoff, Jenna “10 signs whales and dolphins do not belong in tanks” one tree plant, 29

May 2017, http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/why-whales-and-dolphins-do-not-

belong-in-tanks/ Accessed 3 April 2018.

CBC News “Vancouver will no longer keep whales dolphins in captivity”. The Canadian

Broadcasting, 18 Jan 2018. Opposing viewpoints in context,

http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=News&resultListType=RESUL

T_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&d

ocId=GALE%7CA523613749&docType=Broadcast+transcript&sort=Relevance&contentSegme

nt=&prodId=OVIC&contentSet=GALE%7CA523613749&searchId=R1&userGroupName=csun

orthridge&inPS=true Accessed 30 April 2018.

Jakarta animal aid network “Dolphin captivity and the dolphin readaptation” 2018,

https://www.jakartaanimalaid.com/domesticprograms/ric-obarry-dolphin-readaptation-centre/

Accessed 1 May 2018.

KcRW “Seaworld Ends Its orca Theatrics In San Diego but critics aren’t convinced” the two

way, 8 January 2017, https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-

way/2017/01/08/508814400/seaworld-ends-its-orca-theatrics-in-san-diego-but-critics-arent-

convinced Accessed 3 April 2018.

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SeaWorld of hurt where happiness tanks, “8 reasons orcas don’t belong at SeaWorld” Peta

2018, https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/features/8-reasons-orcas-dont-belong-seaworld/

Accessed 3 April 2018.

Tasneem, Raja. “Seaworld says It has to keep orcas in captivity to save them”

Mother jones, November/December 2014,

https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/12/seaworld-killer-whale-orca-science-

blackfish/ Accessed 8 April 2018.

Fig. 1. The orca has a man In his mouth From: “He will let go If you let him go”. SeaWorld

of Hurt”, 23 July 2014, https://www.seaworldofhurt.com/comic-con-fans-greeted-airport-

massive-anti-seaworld-cartoon/ Accessed 10 April 2018.

Wang, Amy B. “SeaWorld’s last orca calf in captivity has died” Washington post, 25 July

2017. Opposing viewpoints in context.

http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=News&resultListType=RESUL

T_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&d

ocId=GALE%7CA499202812&docType=Brief+article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&pr

odId=OVIC&contentSet=GALE%7CA499202812&searchId=R3&userGroupName=csunorthrid

ge&inPS=true Accessed 3 April 2018.

Waston, Ivan “After years in captivity, dolphins released” CNN Wire. 11 May 2018.

Opposing viewpoints in context,

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http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=News&resultListType=RESUL

T_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=2&d

ocId=GALE%7CA289369420&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=

OVIC&contentSet=GALE%7CA289369420&searchId=R2&userGroupName=csunorthridge&in

PS=true Accessed 30 April. 2018

Zissou, Rebecca. “Should orca shows be banned? A proposal to outlaw orca shows in

California makes Waves.” Junior scholastic/current events, 12 May 2014, P. 14+.Opposing side

Viewpoints in context,

http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.csun.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Magazines&resultListType=RE

SULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=

1&docId=GALE%7CA368283304&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&pro

dId=OVIC&contentSet=GALE%7CA368283304&searchId=R4&userGroupName=csunorthridg

e&inPS=true Accessed 3 April 2018.

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